diff --git a/spec/dummy_driver.cr b/spec/dummy_driver.cr
index 1143880..1add530 100644
--- a/spec/dummy_driver.cr
+++ b/spec/dummy_driver.cr
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ class DummyDriver < DB::Driver
 
     protected def perform_exec(args : Enumerable)
       set_params args
+      raise "forced exception due to query" if @query == "raise"
       DB::ExecResult.new 0i64, 0_i64
     end
 
diff --git a/spec/dummy_driver_spec.cr b/spec/dummy_driver_spec.cr
index 97a47da..e24af78 100644
--- a/spec/dummy_driver_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/dummy_driver_spec.cr
@@ -237,6 +237,14 @@ describe DummyDriver do
       end
     end
 
+    it "should raise executing raise query" do
+      with_dummy do |db|
+        expect_raises do
+          db.exec "raise"
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
     {% for value in [1, 1_i64, "hello", 1.5, 1.5_f32] %}
       it "should set positional arguments for {{value.id}}" do
         with_dummy do |db|
diff --git a/spec/result_set_spec.cr b/spec/result_set_spec.cr
index 21d8424..bb633fd 100644
--- a/spec/result_set_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/result_set_spec.cr
@@ -56,4 +56,12 @@ describe DB::ResultSet do
 
     cols.should eq(["c0", "c1"])
   end
+
+  it "gets all column names" do
+    with_dummy do |db|
+      db.query "1,2" do |rs|
+        rs.column_names.should eq(%w(c0 c1))
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/statement_spec.cr b/spec/statement_spec.cr
index 9621ed5..196c2ed 100644
--- a/spec/statement_spec.cr
+++ b/spec/statement_spec.cr
@@ -118,4 +118,13 @@ describe DB::Statement do
       rs.statement.should be(stmt)
     end
   end
+
+  it "connection should be released if error occurs during exec" do
+    with_dummy do |db|
+      expect_raises do
+        db.exec "raise"
+      end
+      db.@in_pool.should be_true
+    end
+  end
 end
diff --git a/src/db/mapping.cr b/src/db/mapping.cr
index b7b0093..c84b4b7 100644
--- a/src/db/mapping.cr
+++ b/src/db/mapping.cr
@@ -138,4 +138,7 @@ module DB
     end
   end
 
+  macro mapping(**properties)
+    ::DB.mapping({{properties}})
+  end
 end
diff --git a/src/db/query_methods.cr b/src/db/query_methods.cr
index 572ff20..f41596b 100644
--- a/src/db/query_methods.cr
+++ b/src/db/query_methods.cr
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ module DB
     # end
     # ```
     def query(query, *args)
-      prepare query, &.query(*args)
+      prepare(query).query(*args)
     end
 
     # Executes a *query* and yields a `ResultSet` with the results.
@@ -200,23 +200,13 @@ module DB
 
     # Performs the `query` and returns an `ExecResult`
     def exec(query, *args)
-      prepare query, &.exec(*args)
+      prepare(query).exec(*args)
     end
 
     # Performs the `query` and returns a single scalar value
     # puts db.scalar("SELECT MAX(name)").as(String) # => (a String)
     def scalar(query, *args)
-      prepare query, &.scalar(*args)
-    end
-
-    private def prepare(query)
-      stm = prepare(query)
-      begin
-        yield stm
-      rescue ex
-        stm.release_connection
-        raise ex
-      end
+      prepare(query).scalar(*args)
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/src/db/result_set.cr b/src/db/result_set.cr
index a3a4e6d..99d9c54 100644
--- a/src/db/result_set.cr
+++ b/src/db/result_set.cr
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ module DB
     # Returns the name of the column in `index` 0-based position.
     abstract def column_name(index : Int32) : String
 
+    # Returns the name of the columns.
+    def column_names
+      Array(String).new(column_count) { |i| column_name(i) }
+    end
+
     # Reads the next column value
     abstract def read
 
diff --git a/src/db/statement.cr b/src/db/statement.cr
index 55120b4..45a6997 100644
--- a/src/db/statement.cr
+++ b/src/db/statement.cr
@@ -74,9 +74,9 @@ module DB
     end
 
     private def perform_exec_and_release(args : Enumerable) : ExecResult
-      res = perform_exec(args)
+      return perform_exec(args)
+    ensure
       release_connection
-      res
     end
 
     protected abstract def perform_query(args : Enumerable) : ResultSet