diff --git a/Database/PostgreSQL/LibPQ.hsc b/Database/PostgreSQL/LibPQ.hsc
--- a/Database/PostgreSQL/LibPQ.hsc
+++ b/Database/PostgreSQL/LibPQ.hsc
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@
                                                )
 import qualified Data.ByteString as B
 
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700 && __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 706
 import Control.Concurrent (newMVar, tryTakeMVar)
 #endif
 
@@ -266,7 +266,9 @@
     do connPtr <- B.useAsCString conninfo c_PQconnectdb
        if connPtr == nullPtr
            then fail "libpq failed to allocate a PGconn structure"
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 706
+           else Conn `fmap` FC.newForeignPtr connPtr (pqfinish connPtr)
+#elif __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700
            else Conn `fmap` newForeignPtrOnce connPtr (pqfinish connPtr)
 #else
            else Conn `fmap` newForeignPtr p_PQfinish connPtr
@@ -279,13 +281,21 @@
     do connPtr <- B.useAsCString connStr c_PQconnectStart
        if connPtr == nullPtr
            then fail "libpq failed to allocate a PGconn structure"
-#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 706
+           else Conn `fmap` FC.newForeignPtr connPtr (pqfinish connPtr)
+#elif __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700
            else Conn `fmap` newForeignPtrOnce connPtr (pqfinish connPtr)
 #else
            else Conn `fmap` newForeignPtr p_PQfinish connPtr
 #endif
 
 #if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700
+-- | This covers the case when a connection is closed while other Haskell
+--   threads are using GHC's IO manager to wait on the descriptor.  This is
+--   commonly the case with asynchronous notifications, for example.  Since
+--   libpq is responsible for opening and closing the file descriptor, GHC's
+--   IO manager needs to be informed that the file descriptor has been
+--   closed.  The IO manager will then raise an exception in those threads.
 pqfinish :: Ptr PGconn -> IO ()
 pqfinish conn = do
    mfd <- c_PQsocket conn
@@ -294,7 +304,9 @@
            -- This case may be worth investigating further
            c_PQfinish conn
      fd -> closeFdWith (\_ -> c_PQfinish conn) (Fd fd)
+#endif
 
+#if __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ >= 700 && __GLASGOW_HASKELL__ < 706
 -- | Workaround for bug in 'FC.newForeignPtr' before base 4.6.  Ensure the
 -- finalizer is only run once, to prevent a segfault.  See GHC ticket #7170
 --
@@ -417,7 +429,7 @@
          (#const PGRES_POLLING_OK)      -> return PollingOk
          (#const PGRES_POLLING_WRITING) -> return PollingWriting
          (#const PGRES_POLLING_FAILED)  -> return PollingFailed
-         _ -> error $ "unexpected polling status " ++ show code
+         _ -> fail $ "unexpected polling status " ++ show code
 
 
 -- | Closes the connection to the server.
@@ -516,17 +528,17 @@
        -> IO ConnStatus
 status connection = do
   stat <- withConn connection c_PQstatus
-  return $ case stat of
-             (#const CONNECTION_OK)               -> ConnectionOk
-             (#const CONNECTION_BAD)              -> ConnectionBad
-             (#const CONNECTION_STARTED)          -> ConnectionStarted
-             (#const CONNECTION_MADE)             -> ConnectionMade
-             (#const CONNECTION_AWAITING_RESPONSE)-> ConnectionAwaitingResponse
-             (#const CONNECTION_AUTH_OK)          -> ConnectionAuthOk
-             (#const CONNECTION_SETENV)           -> ConnectionSetEnv
-             (#const CONNECTION_SSL_STARTUP)      -> ConnectionSSLStartup
-             --(#const CONNECTION_NEEDED)           -> ConnectionNeeded
-             c -> error $ "Unknown connection status " ++ show c
+  case stat of
+    (#const CONNECTION_OK)               -> return ConnectionOk
+    (#const CONNECTION_BAD)              -> return ConnectionBad
+    (#const CONNECTION_STARTED)          -> return ConnectionStarted
+    (#const CONNECTION_MADE)             -> return ConnectionMade
+    (#const CONNECTION_AWAITING_RESPONSE)-> return ConnectionAwaitingResponse
+    (#const CONNECTION_AUTH_OK)          -> return ConnectionAuthOk
+    (#const CONNECTION_SETENV)           -> return ConnectionSetEnv
+    (#const CONNECTION_SSL_STARTUP)      -> return ConnectionSSLStartup
+    --(#const CONNECTION_NEEDED)           -> ConnectionNeeded
+    c -> fail $ "Unknown connection status " ++ show c
 
 
 data TransactionStatus = TransIdle    -- ^ currently idle
@@ -544,13 +556,13 @@
                   -> IO TransactionStatus
 transactionStatus connection = do
     stat <- withConn connection c_PQtransactionStatus
-    return $ case stat of
-               (#const PQTRANS_IDLE)    -> TransIdle
-               (#const PQTRANS_ACTIVE)  -> TransActive
-               (#const PQTRANS_INTRANS) -> TransInTrans
-               (#const PQTRANS_INERROR) -> TransInError
-               (#const PQTRANS_UNKNOWN) -> TransUnknown
-               c -> error $ "Unknown transaction status " ++ show c
+    case stat of
+      (#const PQTRANS_IDLE)    -> return TransIdle
+      (#const PQTRANS_ACTIVE)  -> return TransActive
+      (#const PQTRANS_INTRANS) -> return TransInTrans
+      (#const PQTRANS_INERROR) -> return TransInError
+      (#const PQTRANS_UNKNOWN) -> return TransUnknown
+      c -> fail $ "Unknown transaction status " ++ show c
 
 
 -- | Looks up a current parameter setting of the server.
@@ -1180,9 +1192,9 @@
     do num <- withForeignPtr res $ \resPtr ->
               B.useAsCString columnName $ \columnNamePtr ->
                   c_PQfnumber resPtr columnNamePtr
-       return $ if num == -1
-                  then Nothing
-                  else Just $ toColumn num
+       return $! if num == -1
+                   then Nothing
+                   else Just $ toColumn num
 
 
 -- | Returns the OID of the table from which the given column was
@@ -1502,7 +1514,7 @@
 
 putCopyCString :: Connection -> CStringLen -> IO CopyInResult
 putCopyCString conn (str, len) =
-    fmap toCopyInResult $
+    toCopyInResult <$!>
         withConn conn $ \ptr -> c_PQputCopyData ptr str (fromIntegral len)
 
 
@@ -1517,10 +1529,10 @@
 -- result status of the @COPY@ command.  Then return to normal operation.
 putCopyEnd :: Connection -> Maybe B.ByteString -> IO CopyInResult
 putCopyEnd conn Nothing =
-    fmap toCopyInResult $
+    toCopyInResult <$!>
         withConn conn $ \ptr -> c_PQputCopyEnd ptr nullPtr
 putCopyEnd conn (Just errormsg) =
-    fmap toCopyInResult $
+    toCopyInResult <$!>
         B.useAsCString errormsg $ \errormsg_cstr ->
             withConn conn $ \ptr -> c_PQputCopyEnd ptr errormsg_cstr
 
@@ -1543,13 +1555,13 @@
 getCopyData conn async = alloca $ \strp -> withConn conn $ \c -> do
     len <- c_PQgetCopyData c strp (if async then 1 else 0)
     if len <= 0
-      then return $ case compare len (-1) of
-                      LT -> CopyOutError
-                      EQ -> CopyOutDone
-                      GT -> CopyOutWouldBlock
+      then return $! case compare len (-1) of
+                       LT -> CopyOutError
+                       EQ -> CopyOutDone
+                       GT -> CopyOutWouldBlock
       else do
         fp <- newForeignPtr p_PQfreemem =<< peek strp
-        return (CopyOutRow (B.fromForeignPtr fp 0 (fromIntegral len)))
+        return $! CopyOutRow (B.fromForeignPtr fp 0 (fromIntegral len))
 
 
 -- $asynccommand
@@ -1756,7 +1768,7 @@
 setnonblocking connection blocking =
     do let arg = fromIntegral $ fromEnum blocking
        stat <- withConn connection $ \ptr -> c_PQsetnonblocking ptr arg
-       return $ stat == 0
+       return $! stat == 0
 
 
 -- | Returns the blocking status of the database connection.
@@ -1927,7 +1939,7 @@
                B.useAsCString enc $ \s ->
                    c_PQsetClientEncoding c s
 
-       return $ stat == 0
+       return $! stat == 0
 
 
 data Verbosity = ErrorsTerse
@@ -1967,14 +1979,7 @@
 withConn :: Connection
          -> (Ptr PGconn -> IO b)
          -> IO b
-withConn connection f =
-    withConn' connection $ flip withForeignPtr f
-
-
-withConn' :: Connection
-          -> (ForeignPtr PGconn -> IO b)
-          -> IO b
-withConn' (Conn fp) f = f fp
+withConn (Conn fp) f = withForeignPtr fp f
 
 
 enumFromConn :: (Integral a, Enum b) => Connection
@@ -2069,6 +2074,11 @@
                 ReadWriteMode -> (#const INV_READ) .|. (#const INV_WRITE)
                 AppendMode    -> (#const INV_WRITE)
 
+(<$!>) :: (a -> b) -> IO a -> IO b
+f <$!> ma = ma >>= \a -> return $! f a
+infixr 0 <$!>
+{-# INLINE (<$!>) #-}
+
 toMaybeOid :: Oid -> Maybe Oid
 toMaybeOid oid | oid == invalidOid = Nothing
                | otherwise         = Just oid
@@ -2088,7 +2098,7 @@
 loCreat :: Connection -> IO (Maybe Oid)
 loCreat connection
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
-        toMaybeOid `fmap` c_lo_creat c (loMode ReadMode)
+        toMaybeOid <$!> c_lo_creat c (loMode ReadMode)
 
 -- | Creates a new large object with a particular Object ID.  Returns
 -- 'Nothing' if the requested Object ID is already in use by some other
@@ -2098,7 +2108,7 @@
 loCreate :: Connection -> Oid -> IO (Maybe Oid)
 loCreate connection oid
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
-        toMaybeOid `fmap` c_lo_create c oid
+        toMaybeOid <$!> c_lo_create c oid
 
 -- | Imports an operating system file as a large object.  Note that the
 -- file is read by the client interface library, not by the server; so it
@@ -2109,7 +2119,7 @@
 loImport connection filepath
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
         withCString filepath $ \f -> do
-          toMaybeOid `fmap` c_lo_import c f
+          toMaybeOid <$!> c_lo_import c f
 
 -- | Imports an operating system file as a large object with the given
 -- Object ID.  Combines the behavior of 'loImport' and 'loCreate'
@@ -2118,7 +2128,7 @@
 loImportWithOid connection filepath oid
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
         withCString filepath $ \f -> do
-          toMaybeOid `fmap` c_lo_import_with_oid c f oid
+          toMaybeOid <$!> c_lo_import_with_oid c f oid
 
 -- | Exports a large object into a operating system file.  Note that
 -- the file is written by the client interface library, not the server.
@@ -2128,7 +2138,7 @@
 loExport connection oid filepath
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
         withCString filepath $ \f -> do
-          negError `fmap` c_lo_export c oid f
+          negError <$!> c_lo_export c oid f
 
 -- | Opens an existing large object for reading or writing.  The Oid specifies
 -- the large object to open.  A large object cannot be opened before it is
@@ -2185,7 +2195,7 @@
 loWrite connection (LoFd fd) bytes
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
         B.unsafeUseAsCStringLen bytes $ \(byteptr,len) -> do
-          nonnegInt `fmap` c_lo_write c fd byteptr (fromIntegral len)
+          nonnegInt <$!> c_lo_write c fd byteptr (fromIntegral len)
 
 -- | @loRead conn fd len@ reads up to @len@ bytes from the large object
 -- descriptor @fd@.  In the event of an error,  'Nothing' is returned.
@@ -2224,7 +2234,7 @@
 loTell :: Connection -> LoFd -> IO (Maybe Int)
 loTell connection (LoFd fd)
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
-        nonnegInt `fmap` c_lo_tell c fd
+        nonnegInt <$!> c_lo_tell c fd
 
 -- | Truncates a large object to a given length.  If the length is greater
 -- than the current large object,  then the large object is extended with
@@ -2238,7 +2248,7 @@
 loTruncate :: Connection -> LoFd -> Int -> IO (Maybe ())
 loTruncate connection (LoFd fd) size
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
-        negError `fmap` c_lo_truncate c fd (fromIntegral size)
+        negError <$!> c_lo_truncate c fd (fromIntegral size)
 
 -- | Closes a large object descriptor.  Any large object descriptors that
 -- remain open at the end of a transaction will be closed automatically.
@@ -2246,14 +2256,14 @@
 loClose :: Connection -> LoFd -> IO (Maybe ())
 loClose connection (LoFd fd)
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
-        negError `fmap` c_lo_close c fd
+        negError <$!> c_lo_close c fd
 
 -- | Removes a large object from the database.
 
 loUnlink :: Connection -> Oid -> IO (Maybe ())
 loUnlink connection oid
     = withConn connection $ \c -> do
-        negError `fmap` c_lo_unlink c oid
+        negError <$!> c_lo_unlink c oid
 
 foreign import ccall        "libpq-fe.h PQconnectdb"
     c_PQconnectdb :: CString ->IO (Ptr PGconn)
diff --git a/postgresql-libpq.cabal b/postgresql-libpq.cabal
--- a/postgresql-libpq.cabal
+++ b/postgresql-libpq.cabal
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 Name:                postgresql-libpq
-Version:             0.8.2.1
+Version:             0.8.2.2
 Synopsis:            low-level binding to libpq
 
 Description:         This is a binding to libpq: the C application
@@ -38,4 +38,4 @@
 source-repository this
   type:     git
   location: http://github.com/lpsmith/postgresql-libpq
-  tag:      v0.8.2.1
+  tag:      v0.8.2.2