diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+## 2.5
+
+* changes for read/write typeclass split
+
 ## 2.2.2
 
 * Postgresql primary key is Int4, not Int8 [#519](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/issues/519)
diff --git a/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs b/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
--- a/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
+++ b/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE CPP #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE ConstraintKinds #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE DataKinds #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE FlexibleContexts #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE GADTs #-}
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@
 
 import Database.Persist.Sql
 import Database.Persist.Sql.Util (dbIdColumnsEsc)
+import Database.Persist.Sql.Types.Internal (mkPersistBackend)
 import Data.Fixed (Pico)
 
 import qualified Database.PostgreSQL.Simple as PG
@@ -73,6 +75,7 @@
 import System.Environment (getEnvironment)
 import Data.Int (Int64)
 import Data.Monoid ((<>))
+import Data.Pool (Pool)
 import Data.Time (utc, localTimeToUTC)
 
 -- | A @libpq@ connection string.  A simple example of connection
@@ -89,13 +92,13 @@
 -- finishes using it.  Note that you should not use the given
 -- 'ConnectionPool' outside the action since it may be already
 -- been released.
-withPostgresqlPool :: (MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m, MonadIO m)
+withPostgresqlPool :: (MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m, MonadIO m, IsSqlBackend backend)
                    => ConnectionString
                    -- ^ Connection string to the database.
                    -> Int
                    -- ^ Number of connections to be kept open in
                    -- the pool.
-                   -> (ConnectionPool -> m a)
+                   -> (Pool backend -> m a)
                    -- ^ Action to be executed that uses the
                    -- connection pool.
                    -> m a
@@ -106,13 +109,13 @@
 -- responsibility to properly close the connection pool when
 -- unneeded.  Use 'withPostgresqlPool' for an automatic resource
 -- control.
-createPostgresqlPool :: (MonadIO m, MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m)
+createPostgresqlPool :: (MonadIO m, MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m, IsSqlBackend backend)
                      => ConnectionString
                      -- ^ Connection string to the database.
                      -> Int
                      -- ^ Number of connections to be kept open
                      -- in the pool.
-                     -> m ConnectionPool
+                     -> m (Pool backend)
 createPostgresqlPool = createPostgresqlPoolModified (const $ return ())
 
 -- | Same as 'createPostgresqlPool', but additionally takes a callback function
@@ -124,21 +127,22 @@
 --
 -- Since 2.1.3
 createPostgresqlPoolModified
-    :: (MonadIO m, MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m)
+    :: (MonadIO m, MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m, IsSqlBackend backend)
     => (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 ConnectionPool
+    -> m (Pool backend)
 createPostgresqlPoolModified modConn ci = createSqlPool $ open' modConn ci
 
 -- | Same as 'withPostgresqlPool', but instead of opening a pool
 -- of connections, only one connection is opened.
-withPostgresqlConn :: (MonadIO m, MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m)
-                   => ConnectionString -> (SqlBackend -> m a) -> m a
+withPostgresqlConn :: (MonadIO m, MonadBaseControl IO m, MonadLogger m, IsSqlBackend backend)
+                   => ConnectionString -> (backend -> m a) -> m a
 withPostgresqlConn = withSqlConn . open' (const $ return ())
 
-open' :: (PG.Connection -> IO ())
-      -> ConnectionString -> LogFunc -> IO SqlBackend
+open'
+    :: (IsSqlBackend backend)
+    => (PG.Connection -> IO ()) -> ConnectionString -> LogFunc -> IO backend
 open' modConn cstr logFunc = do
     conn <- PG.connectPostgreSQL cstr
     modConn conn
@@ -146,10 +150,10 @@
 
 
 -- | Generate a 'Connection' from a 'PG.Connection'
-openSimpleConn :: LogFunc -> PG.Connection -> IO SqlBackend
+openSimpleConn :: (IsSqlBackend backend) => LogFunc -> PG.Connection -> IO backend
 openSimpleConn logFunc conn = do
     smap <- newIORef $ Map.empty
-    return SqlBackend
+    return . mkPersistBackend $ SqlBackend
         { connPrepare    = prepare' conn
         , connStmtMap    = smap
         , connInsertSql  = insertSql'
@@ -899,18 +903,12 @@
 
 -- | get the SQL string for the table that a PeristEntity represents
 -- Useful for raw SQL queries
-tableName :: forall record.
-          ( PersistEntity record
-          , PersistEntityBackend record ~ SqlBackend
-          ) => record -> Text
+tableName :: (PersistEntity record) => record -> Text
 tableName = escape . tableDBName
 
 -- | get the SQL string for the field that an EntityField represents
 -- Useful for raw SQL queries
-fieldName :: forall record typ.
-          ( PersistEntity record
-          , PersistEntityBackend record ~ SqlBackend
-          ) => EntityField record typ -> Text
+fieldName :: (PersistEntity record) => EntityField record typ -> Text
 fieldName = escape . fieldDBName
 
 escape :: DBName -> Text
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:         2.2.2
+version:         2.5
 license:         MIT
 license-file:    LICENSE
 author:          Felipe Lessa, Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
                    , transformers          >= 0.2.1
                    , postgresql-simple     >= 0.4.0    && < 0.6
                    , postgresql-libpq      >= 0.6.1    && < 0.10
-                   , persistent            >= 2.2      && < 3
+                   , persistent            >= 2.5      && < 3
                    , containers            >= 0.2
                    , bytestring            >= 0.9
                    , text                  >= 0.7
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
                    , conduit               >= 0.5.3
                    , resourcet             >= 1.1
                    , monad-logger          >= 0.3.4
+                   , resource-pool
     exposed-modules: Database.Persist.Postgresql
     ghc-options:     -Wall