diff --git a/ChangeLog.md b/ChangeLog.md
--- a/ChangeLog.md
+++ b/ChangeLog.md
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 # Changelog for persistent-postgresql
 
+## 2.9.1
+* Add `openSimpleConnWithVersion` function. [#883](https://github.com/yesodweb/persistent/pull/883)
+
 ## 2.9.0
 
 * Added support for SQL isolation levels to via SqlBackend. [#812]
diff --git a/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs b/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
--- a/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
+++ b/Database/Persist/Postgresql.hs
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
     , ConnectionString
     , PostgresConf (..)
     , openSimpleConn
+    , openSimpleConnWithVersion
     , tableName
     , fieldName
     , mockMigration
@@ -235,11 +236,17 @@
 
 -- | Generate a 'SqlBackend' from a 'PG.Connection'.
 openSimpleConn :: (IsSqlBackend backend) => LogFunc -> PG.Connection -> IO backend
-openSimpleConn logFunc conn = do
+openSimpleConn = openSimpleConnWithVersion getServerVersion
+
+-- | Generate a 'SqlBackend' from a 'PG.Connection', but takes a callback for
+-- obtaining the server version.
+--
+-- @since 2.9.1
+openSimpleConnWithVersion :: (IsSqlBackend backend) => (PG.Connection -> IO (Maybe Double)) -> LogFunc -> PG.Connection -> IO backend
+openSimpleConnWithVersion getVer logFunc conn = do
     smap <- newIORef $ Map.empty
-    serverVersion <- getServerVersion conn
+    serverVersion <- getVer conn
     return $ createBackend logFunc serverVersion smap conn
-
 
 -- | Create the backend given a logging function, server version, mutable statement cell,
 -- and connection.
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:         2.9.0
+version:         2.9.1
 license:         MIT
 license-file:    LICENSE
 author:          Felipe Lessa, Michael Snoyman <michael@snoyman.com>
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 library
     build-depends:   base                  >= 4.8        && < 5
                    , transformers          >= 0.2.1
-                   , postgresql-simple     >= 0.4.0    && < 0.6
+                   , postgresql-simple     >= 0.4.0    && < 0.7
                    , postgresql-libpq      >= 0.6.1    && < 0.10
                    , persistent            >= 2.9      && < 3
                    , containers            >= 0.2