diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,11 @@
 # Changelog for persistent-postgresql
 
+## 2.13.1.0
+
+* [#1305](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/1305)
+  * Add `RawPostgresql` wrapper, which exposes the underlying Postgres connection used
+    to construct a `SqlBackend`.
+
 ## 2.13.0.3
 
 * [#1290](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/1290)
diff --git a/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs b/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
--- a/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
+++ b/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
@@ -1,16 +1,27 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE DeriveDataTypeable #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE GADTs #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE GeneralizedNewtypeDeriving #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE LambdaCase #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE NamedFieldPuns #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE OverloadedStrings #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE RecordWildCards #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE StandaloneDeriving #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TupleSections #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ViewPatterns #-}
 
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,12,0)
+{-# LANGUAGE DerivingVia #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE QuasiQuotes #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE TemplateHaskell #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE UndecidableInstances #-}
+#endif
+
 -- | A postgresql backend for persistent.
 module Database.Persist.Postgresql
     ( withPostgresqlPool
@@ -42,6 +53,12 @@
     , migrateEnableExtension
     , PostgresConfHooks(..)
     , defaultPostgresConfHooks
+
+    , RawPostgresql(..)
+    , createRawPostgresqlPool
+    , createRawPostgresqlPoolModified
+    , createRawPostgresqlPoolModifiedWithVersion
+    , createRawPostgresqlPoolWithConf
     ) where
 
 import qualified Database.PostgreSQL.LibPQ as LibPQ
@@ -55,8 +72,6 @@
 import qualified Database.PostgreSQL.Simple.TypeInfo.Static as PS
 import qualified Database.PostgreSQL.Simple.Types as PG
 
-import Data.Proxy (Proxy(..))
-import qualified Data.List.NonEmpty as NEL
 import Control.Arrow
 import Control.Exception (Exception, throw, throwIO)
 import Control.Monad
@@ -64,7 +79,12 @@
 import Control.Monad.IO.Unlift (MonadIO(..), MonadUnliftIO)
 import Control.Monad.Logger (MonadLoggerIO, runNoLoggingT)
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Reader (ReaderT(..), asks, runReaderT)
+#if !MIN_VERSION_base(4,12,0)
+import Control.Monad.Trans.Reader (withReaderT)
+#endif
 import Control.Monad.Trans.Writer (WriterT(..), runWriterT)
+import qualified Data.List.NonEmpty as NEL
+import Data.Proxy (Proxy(..))
 
 import qualified Blaze.ByteString.Builder.Char8 as BBB
 import Data.Acquire (Acquire, mkAcquire, with)
@@ -104,9 +124,12 @@
 import Data.Time (NominalDiffTime, localTimeToUTC, utc)
 import System.Environment (getEnvironment)
 
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,12,0)
+import Database.Persist.Compatible
+#endif
 import Database.Persist.Sql
-import Database.Persist.SqlBackend
 import qualified Database.Persist.Sql.Util as Util
+import Database.Persist.SqlBackend
 
 -- | A @libpq@ connection string.  A simple example of connection
 -- string would be @\"host=localhost port=5432 user=test
@@ -161,7 +184,7 @@
                               -> m a
 withPostgresqlPoolWithVersion getVerDouble ci = do
   let getVer = oldGetVersionToNew getVerDouble
-  withSqlPool $ open' (const $ return ()) getVer ci
+  withSqlPool $ open' (const $ return ()) getVer id ci
 
 -- | Same as 'withPostgresqlPool', but can be configured with 'PostgresConf' and 'PostgresConfHooks'.
 --
@@ -176,7 +199,7 @@
 withPostgresqlPoolWithConf conf hooks = do
   let getVer = pgConfHooksGetServerVersion hooks
       modConn = pgConfHooksAfterCreate hooks
-  let logFuncToBackend = open' modConn getVer (pgConnStr conf)
+  let logFuncToBackend = open' modConn getVer id (pgConnStr conf)
   withSqlPoolWithConfig logFuncToBackend (postgresConfToConnectionPoolConfig conf)
 
 -- | Create a PostgreSQL connection pool.  Note that it's your
@@ -222,7 +245,7 @@
     -> m (Pool SqlBackend)
 createPostgresqlPoolModifiedWithVersion getVerDouble modConn ci = do
   let getVer = oldGetVersionToNew getVerDouble
-  createSqlPool $ open' modConn getVer ci
+  createSqlPool $ open' modConn getVer id ci
 
 -- | Same as 'createPostgresqlPool', but can be configured with 'PostgresConf' and 'PostgresConfHooks'.
 --
@@ -235,7 +258,7 @@
 createPostgresqlPoolWithConf conf hooks = do
   let getVer = pgConfHooksGetServerVersion hooks
       modConn = pgConfHooksAfterCreate hooks
-  createSqlPoolWithConfig (open' modConn getVer (pgConnStr conf)) (postgresConfToConnectionPoolConfig conf)
+  createSqlPoolWithConfig (open' modConn getVer id (pgConnStr conf)) (postgresConfToConnectionPoolConfig conf)
 
 postgresConfToConnectionPoolConfig :: PostgresConf -> ConnectionPoolConfig
 postgresConfToConnectionPoolConfig conf =
@@ -264,18 +287,23 @@
                               -> m a
 withPostgresqlConnWithVersion getVerDouble = do
   let getVer = oldGetVersionToNew getVerDouble
-  withSqlConn . open' (const $ return ()) getVer
+  withSqlConn . open' (const $ return ()) getVer id
 
 open'
     :: (PG.Connection -> IO ())
     -> (PG.Connection -> IO (NonEmpty Word))
-    -> ConnectionString -> LogFunc -> IO SqlBackend
-open' modConn getVer cstr logFunc = do
+    -> ((PG.Connection -> SqlBackend) -> PG.Connection -> backend)
+    -- ^ How to construct the actual backend type desired. For most uses,
+    -- this is just 'id', since the desired backend type is 'SqlBackend'.
+    -- But some callers want a @'RawPostgresql' 'SqlBackend'@, and will
+    -- pass in 'withRawConnection'.
+    -> ConnectionString -> LogFunc -> IO backend
+open' modConn getVer constructor cstr logFunc = do
     conn <- PG.connectPostgreSQL cstr
     modConn conn
     ver <- getVer conn
     smap <- newIORef $ Map.empty
-    return $ createBackend logFunc ver smap conn
+    return $ constructor (createBackend logFunc ver smap) conn
 
 -- | Gets the PostgreSQL server version
 getServerVersion :: PG.Connection -> IO (Maybe Double)
@@ -2039,3 +2067,156 @@
 postgresMkColumns allDefs t =
     mkColumns allDefs t
     $ setBackendSpecificForeignKeyName refName emptyBackendSpecificOverrides
+
+-- | Wrapper for persistent SqlBackends that carry the corresponding
+-- `Postgresql.Connection`.
+--
+-- @since 2.13.1.0
+data RawPostgresql backend = RawPostgresql
+    { persistentBackend :: backend 
+    -- ^ The persistent backend
+    --
+    -- @since 2.13.1.0
+    , rawPostgresqlConnection :: PG.Connection 
+    -- ^ The underlying `PG.Connection`
+    -- 
+    -- @since 2.13.1.0
+    }
+
+instance BackendCompatible b (RawPostgresql b) where
+    projectBackend = persistentBackend
+
+withRawConnection
+    :: (PG.Connection -> SqlBackend)
+    -> PG.Connection
+    -> RawPostgresql SqlBackend
+withRawConnection f conn = RawPostgresql
+    { persistentBackend = f conn
+    , rawPostgresqlConnection = conn
+    }
+
+-- | Create a PostgreSQL connection pool which also exposes the
+-- raw connection. The raw counterpart to 'createPostgresqlPool'.
+--
+-- @since 2.13.1.0
+createRawPostgresqlPool :: (MonadUnliftIO m, MonadLoggerIO m)
+                     => ConnectionString
+                     -- ^ Connection string to the database.
+                     -> Int
+                     -- ^ Number of connections to be kept open
+                     -- in the pool.
+                     -> m (Pool (RawPostgresql SqlBackend))
+createRawPostgresqlPool = createRawPostgresqlPoolModified (const $ return ())
+
+-- | The raw counterpart to 'createPostgresqlPoolModified'.
+--
+-- @since 2.13.1.0
+createRawPostgresqlPoolModified
+    :: (MonadUnliftIO m, MonadLoggerIO m)
+    => (PG.Connection -> IO ()) -- ^ Action to perform after connection is created.
+    -> ConnectionString -- ^ Connection string to the database.
+    -> Int -- ^ Number of connections to be kept open in the pool.
+    -> m (Pool (RawPostgresql SqlBackend))
+createRawPostgresqlPoolModified = createRawPostgresqlPoolModifiedWithVersion getServerVersion
+
+-- | The raw counterpart to 'createPostgresqlPoolModifiedWithVersion'.
+--
+-- @since 2.13.1.0
+createRawPostgresqlPoolModifiedWithVersion
+    :: (MonadUnliftIO m, MonadLoggerIO m)
+    => (PG.Connection -> IO (Maybe Double)) -- ^ Action to perform to get the server version.
+    -> (PG.Connection -> IO ()) -- ^ Action to perform after connection is created.
+    -> ConnectionString -- ^ Connection string to the database.
+    -> Int -- ^ Number of connections to be kept open in the pool.
+    -> m (Pool (RawPostgresql SqlBackend))
+createRawPostgresqlPoolModifiedWithVersion getVerDouble modConn ci = do
+  let getVer = oldGetVersionToNew getVerDouble
+  createSqlPool $ open' modConn getVer withRawConnection ci
+
+-- | The raw counterpart to 'createPostgresqlPoolWithConf'.
+--
+-- @since 2.13.1.0
+createRawPostgresqlPoolWithConf
+    :: (MonadUnliftIO m, MonadLoggerIO m)
+    => PostgresConf -- ^ Configuration for connecting to Postgres
+    -> PostgresConfHooks -- ^ Record of callback functions
+    -> m (Pool (RawPostgresql SqlBackend))
+createRawPostgresqlPoolWithConf conf hooks = do
+  let getVer = pgConfHooksGetServerVersion hooks
+      modConn = pgConfHooksAfterCreate hooks
+  createSqlPoolWithConfig (open' modConn getVer withRawConnection (pgConnStr conf)) (postgresConfToConnectionPoolConfig conf)
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,12,0)
+instance (PersistCore b) => PersistCore (RawPostgresql b) where
+  newtype BackendKey (RawPostgresql b) = RawPostgresqlKey { unRawPostgresqlKey :: BackendKey (Compatible b (RawPostgresql b)) }
+
+makeCompatibleKeyInstances [t| forall b. Compatible b (RawPostgresql b) |]
+#else
+instance (PersistCore b) => PersistCore (RawPostgresql b) where
+  newtype BackendKey (RawPostgresql b) = RawPostgresqlKey { unRawPostgresqlKey :: BackendKey (RawPostgresql b) }
+
+deriving instance (Show (BackendKey b)) => Show (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Read (BackendKey b)) => Read (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Eq (BackendKey b)) => Eq (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Ord (BackendKey b)) => Ord (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Num (BackendKey b)) => Num (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Integral (BackendKey b)) => Integral (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (PersistField (BackendKey b)) => PersistField (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (PersistFieldSql (BackendKey b)) => PersistFieldSql (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Real (BackendKey b)) => Real (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Enum (BackendKey b)) => Enum (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (Bounded (BackendKey b)) => Bounded (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (ToJSON (BackendKey b)) => ToJSON (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+deriving instance (FromJSON (BackendKey b)) => FromJSON (BackendKey (RawPostgresql b))
+#endif
+
+
+#if MIN_VERSION_base(4,12,0)
+$(pure [])
+
+makeCompatibleInstances [t| forall b. Compatible b (RawPostgresql b) |]
+#else
+instance HasPersistBackend b => HasPersistBackend (RawPostgresql b) where
+    type BaseBackend (RawPostgresql b) = BaseBackend b
+    persistBackend = persistBackend . persistentBackend
+
+instance (PersistStoreRead b) => PersistStoreRead (RawPostgresql b) where
+    get = withReaderT persistentBackend . get
+    getMany = withReaderT persistentBackend . getMany
+
+instance (PersistQueryRead b) => PersistQueryRead (RawPostgresql b) where
+    selectSourceRes filts opts = withReaderT persistentBackend $ selectSourceRes filts opts
+    selectFirst filts opts = withReaderT persistentBackend $ selectFirst filts opts
+    selectKeysRes filts opts = withReaderT persistentBackend $ selectKeysRes filts opts
+    count = withReaderT persistentBackend . count
+    exists = withReaderT persistentBackend . exists
+
+instance (PersistQueryWrite b) => PersistQueryWrite (RawPostgresql b) where
+    updateWhere filts updates = withReaderT persistentBackend $ updateWhere filts updates
+    deleteWhere = withReaderT persistentBackend . deleteWhere
+
+instance (PersistUniqueRead b) => PersistUniqueRead (RawPostgresql b) where
+    getBy = withReaderT persistentBackend . getBy
+
+instance (PersistStoreWrite b) => PersistStoreWrite (RawPostgresql b) where
+    insert = withReaderT persistentBackend . insert
+    insert_ = withReaderT persistentBackend . insert_
+    insertMany = withReaderT persistentBackend . insertMany
+    insertMany_ = withReaderT persistentBackend . insertMany_
+    insertEntityMany = withReaderT persistentBackend . insertEntityMany
+    insertKey k = withReaderT persistentBackend . insertKey k
+    repsert k = withReaderT persistentBackend . repsert k
+    repsertMany = withReaderT persistentBackend . repsertMany
+    replace k = withReaderT persistentBackend . replace k
+    delete = withReaderT persistentBackend . delete
+    update k = withReaderT persistentBackend . update k
+    updateGet k = withReaderT persistentBackend . updateGet k
+
+instance (PersistUniqueWrite b) => PersistUniqueWrite (RawPostgresql b) where
+    deleteBy = withReaderT persistentBackend . deleteBy
+    insertUnique = withReaderT persistentBackend . insertUnique
+    upsert rec = withReaderT persistentBackend . upsert rec
+    upsertBy uniq rec = withReaderT persistentBackend . upsertBy uniq rec
+    putMany = withReaderT persistentBackend . putMany
+#endif
+
diff --git a/persistent-postgresql.cabal b/persistent-postgresql.cabal
--- a/persistent-postgresql.cabal
+++ b/persistent-postgresql.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name:            persistent-postgresql
-version:         2.13.0.3
+version:         2.13.1.0
 license:         MIT
 license-file:    LICENSE
 author:          Felipe Lessa, Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>
diff --git a/test/main.hs b/test/main.hs
--- a/test/main.hs
+++ b/test/main.hs
@@ -1,29 +1,29 @@
+{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE DerivingStrategies #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ExistentialQuantification #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE DataKinds, FlexibleInstances #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE QuasiQuotes #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE FlexibleInstances #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE GeneralizedNewtypeDeriving #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE MultiParamTypeClasses #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE QuasiQuotes #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE StandaloneDeriving #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TemplateHaskell #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE TypeFamilies #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE UndecidableInstances #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE StandaloneDeriving #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE DerivingStrategies #-}
-{-# LANGUAGE GeneralizedNewtypeDeriving #-}
 {-# OPTIONS_GHC -Wno-unused-top-binds #-}
 
 import PgInit
 
 import Data.Aeson
 import qualified Data.ByteString as BS
-import Data.IntMap (IntMap)
 import Data.Fixed
+import Data.IntMap (IntMap)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Data.Time
 import Test.QuickCheck
 
-import qualified ImplicitUuidSpec
 import qualified ArrayAggTest
 import qualified CompositeTest
-import qualified ForeignKey
+import qualified CustomConstraintTest
 import qualified CustomPersistFieldTest
 import qualified CustomPrimaryKeyReferenceTest
 import qualified DataTypeTest
@@ -31,17 +31,24 @@
 import qualified EmbedTest
 import qualified EmptyEntityTest
 import qualified EquivalentTypeTestPostgres
+import qualified ForeignKey
+import qualified GeneratedColumnTestSQL
 import qualified HtmlTest
+import qualified ImplicitUuidSpec
 import qualified JSONTest
 import qualified LargeNumberTest
+import qualified LongIdentifierTest
 import qualified MaxLenTest
+import qualified MaybeFieldDefsTest
 import qualified MigrationColumnLengthTest
-import qualified MigrationTest
 import qualified MigrationOnlyTest
-import qualified MpsNoPrefixTest
+import qualified MigrationReferenceSpec
+import qualified MigrationTest
 import qualified MpsCustomPrefixTest
-import qualified PersistentTest
+import qualified MpsNoPrefixTest
 import qualified PersistUniqueTest
+import qualified PersistentTest
+import qualified PgIntervalTest
 import qualified PrimaryTest
 import qualified RawSqlTest
 import qualified ReadWriteTest
@@ -53,11 +60,7 @@
 import qualified UniqueTest
 import qualified UpsertTest
 import qualified UpsertWhere
-import qualified CustomConstraintTest
-import qualified LongIdentifierTest
 import qualified PgIntervalTest
-import qualified GeneratedColumnTestSQL
-import qualified MigrationReferenceSpec
 
 type Tuple = (,)
 
@@ -117,6 +120,7 @@
       , LargeNumberTest.numberMigrate
       , UniqueTest.uniqueMigrate
       , MaxLenTest.maxlenMigrate
+      , MaybeFieldDefsTest.maybeFieldDefMigrate
       , Recursive.recursiveMigrate
       , CompositeTest.compositeMigrate
       , TreeTest.treeMigrate
@@ -169,6 +173,7 @@
       ForeignKey.specsWith runConnAssert
       UniqueTest.specsWith runConnAssert
       MaxLenTest.specsWith runConnAssert
+      MaybeFieldDefsTest.specsWith runConnAssert
       Recursive.specsWith runConnAssert
       SumTypeTest.specsWith runConnAssert (Just (runMigrationSilent SumTypeTest.sumTypeMigrate))
       MigrationTest.specsWith runConnAssert