diff --git a/Network/AMQP.hs b/Network/AMQP.hs
--- a/Network/AMQP.hs
+++ b/Network/AMQP.hs
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@
 data QueueOpts = QueueOpts 
              {
                 --must be set
-                queueName :: String, -- ^ (must be set); the name of the queue
+                queueName :: String, -- ^ (default \"\"); the name of the queue; if left empty, the server will generate a new name and return it from the 'declareQueue' method
                 
                 --optional
                 queuePassive :: Bool, -- ^ (default 'False'); If set, the server will not create the queue.  The client can use this to check whether a queue exists without modifying the server state.                
@@ -215,10 +215,10 @@
 newQueue :: QueueOpts
 newQueue = QueueOpts "" False True False False
 
--- | creates a new queue on the AMQP server; can be used like this: @declareQueue channel newQueue {queueName = \"myQueue\"}@
-declareQueue :: Channel -> QueueOpts -> IO ()             
+-- | creates a new queue on the AMQP server; can be used like this: @declareQueue channel newQueue {queueName = \"myQueue\"}@. Returns the name of the new queue (if you don't specify a queueName the server will autogenerate one).
+declareQueue :: Channel -> QueueOpts -> IO String
 declareQueue chan queue = do
-    (SimpleMethod (Queue_declare_ok (ShortString queueName) _ _)) <- request chan $ (SimpleMethod (Queue_declare 
+    (SimpleMethod (Queue_declare_ok (ShortString qName) _ _)) <- request chan $ (SimpleMethod (Queue_declare 
             1 -- ticket
             (ShortString $ queueName queue)
             (queuePassive queue) 
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@
             False -- no-wait; true means no answer from server
             (FieldTable (M.fromList []))))
     
-    return ()     
+    return qName
 
 -- | @bindQueue chan queueName exchangeName routingKey@ binds the queue to the exchange using the provided routing key
 bindQueue :: Channel -> String -> String -> String -> IO ()  
diff --git a/amqp.cabal b/amqp.cabal
--- a/amqp.cabal
+++ b/amqp.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:                amqp
-Version:             0.1.2
+Version:             0.1.3
 Synopsis:            Client library for AMQP servers (currently only RabbitMQ)
 Description:         Client library for AMQP servers (currently only RabbitMQ)
 License:             BSD3