diff --git a/spec/database_spec.cr b/spec/database_spec.cr
index 3915a02..a59ab4b 100644
--- a/spec/database_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/database_spec.cr
@@ -98,6 +98,22 @@ describe DB::Database do
     end
   end
 
+  it "should not return connection to pool if checkout explicitly" do
+    DummyDriver::DummyConnection.clear_connections
+    DB.open "dummy://localhost:1027?initial_pool_size=1&max_pool_size=1&retry_attempts=0" do |db|
+      the_cnn = uninitialized DB::Connection
+      db.using_connection do |cnn|
+        the_cnn = cnn
+        db.pool.is_available?(cnn).should be_false
+        3.times do
+          cnn.exec("stmt1")
+          db.pool.is_available?(cnn).should be_false
+        end
+      end
+      db.pool.is_available?(the_cnn).should be_true
+    end
+  end
+
   describe "prepared_statements connection option" do
     it "defaults to true" do
       with_dummy "dummy://localhost:1027" do |db|
diff --git a/spec/pool_spec.cr b/spec/pool_spec.cr
index 1f59aaa..6a1612c 100644
--- a/spec/pool_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/pool_spec.cr
@@ -42,9 +42,19 @@ end
 
 class Closable
   include DB::Disposable
+  property before_checkout_called : Bool = false
+  property after_release_called : Bool = false
 
   protected def do_close
   end
+
+  def before_checkout
+    @before_checkout_called = true
+  end
+
+  def after_release
+    @after_release_called = true
+  end
 end
 
 describe DB::Pool do
@@ -56,7 +66,9 @@ describe DB::Pool do
 
   it "should get resource" do
     pool = DB::Pool.new { Closable.new }
-    pool.checkout.should be_a Closable
+    resource = pool.checkout
+    resource.should be_a Closable
+    resource.before_checkout_called.should be_true
   end
 
   it "should be available if not checkedout" do
@@ -74,8 +86,10 @@ describe DB::Pool do
   it "should be available if returned" do
     pool = DB::Pool.new { Closable.new }
     resource = pool.checkout
+    resource.after_release_called.should be_false
     pool.release resource
     pool.is_available?(resource).should be_true
+    resource.after_release_called.should be_true
   end
 
   it "should wait for available resource" do
diff --git a/src/db/connection.cr b/src/db/connection.cr
index 4e02e01..2d256a0 100644
--- a/src/db/connection.cr
+++ b/src/db/connection.cr
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ module DB
     @statements_cache = StringKeyCache(Statement).new
     @transaction = false
     getter? prepared_statements : Bool
+    # :nodoc:
+    property auto_release : Bool = true
 
     def initialize(@database : Database)
       @prepared_statements = @database.prepared_statements?
@@ -60,9 +62,18 @@ module DB
       @database.pool.delete self
     end
 
+    # :nodoc:
+    protected def before_checkout
+      @auto_release = true
+    end
+
+    # :nodoc:
+    protected def after_release
+    end
+
     # :nodoc:
     def release_from_statement
-      @database.return_to_pool(self) unless @transaction
+      @database.return_to_pool(self) if @auto_release && !@transaction
     end
 
     # :nodoc:
diff --git a/src/db/database.cr b/src/db/database.cr
index f69d5b3..ecf4ffd 100644
--- a/src/db/database.cr
+++ b/src/db/database.cr
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ module DB
     # when the block ends
     def using_connection
       connection = @pool.checkout
+      connection.auto_release = false
       begin
         yield connection
       ensure
diff --git a/src/db/pool.cr b/src/db/pool.cr
index ada556d..7ad7c55 100644
--- a/src/db/pool.cr
+++ b/src/db/pool.cr
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ module DB
                  end
 
       @available.delete resource
+      resource.before_checkout
       resource
     end
 
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ module DB
         resource = ref.target
         if resource && is_available?(resource)
           @available.delete resource
+          resource.before_checkout
           return {resource, true}
         end
       end
@@ -67,6 +69,7 @@ module DB
     def release(resource : T) : Nil
       if can_increase_idle_pool
         @available << resource
+        resource.after_release
         @availability_channel.send nil if are_waiting_for_resource?
       else
         resource.close