diff --git a/query.ts b/query.ts
index 1a9fadf..e0bde7f 100644
--- a/query.ts
+++ b/query.ts
@@ -345,6 +345,7 @@ export interface Row extends Iterable<unknown, void, void> {
 }
 
 export interface QueryOptions {
+  readonly simple: boolean;
   readonly chunk_size: number;
   readonly stdin: ReadableStream<Uint8Array> | null;
   readonly stdout: WritableStream<Uint8Array> | null;
@@ -359,6 +360,11 @@ export class Query<T = Row>
     this.#f = f;
   }
 
+  simple(simple = true) {
+    const f = this.#f;
+    return new Query((o) => f({ simple, ...o }));
+  }
+
   chunked(chunk_size = 1) {
     const f = this.#f;
     return new Query((o) => f({ chunk_size, ...o }));
diff --git a/test.ts b/test.ts
index 6dff5e3..8fa6fb0 100644
--- a/test.ts
+++ b/test.ts
@@ -2,9 +2,9 @@ import pglue, { PostgresError, SqlTypeError } from "./mod.ts";
 import { expect } from "jsr:@std/expect";
 import { toText } from "jsr:@std/streams";
 
-async function connect() {
+async function connect(params?: Record<string, string>) {
   const pg = await pglue.connect(`postgres://test:test@localhost:5432/test`, {
-    runtime_params: { client_min_messages: "INFO" },
+    runtime_params: { client_min_messages: "INFO", ...params },
   });
 
   return pg.on("log", (_level, ctx, msg) => {
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ Deno.test(`sql injection`, async () => {
   expect(name).toBe(input);
 });
 
-Deno.test(`pubsub`, async () => {
+Deno.test(`listen/notify`, async () => {
   await using pg = await connect();
   const sent: string[] = [];
 
@@ -152,6 +152,8 @@ Deno.test(`pubsub`, async () => {
     sent.push(payload);
     await ch.notify(payload);
   }
+
+  expect(sent.length).toBe(0);
 });
 
 Deno.test(`transactions`, async () => {
@@ -195,15 +197,35 @@ Deno.test(`streaming`, async () => {
 
   await pg.query`create table my_table (field text not null)`;
 
-  for (let i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
+  for (let i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
     await pg.query`insert into my_table (field) values (${i})`;
   }
 
   let i = 0;
-  for await (const chunk of pg.query`select * from my_table`.chunked(10)) {
-    expect(chunk.length).toBe(10);
+  for await (const chunk of pg.query`select * from my_table`.chunked(5)) {
+    expect(chunk.length).toBe(5);
     for (const row of chunk) expect(row.field).toBe(`${i++}`);
   }
 
-  expect(i).toBe(100);
+  expect(i).toBe(20);
+});
+
+Deno.test(`simple`, async () => {
+  await using pg = await connect();
+  await using _tx = await pg.begin();
+
+  const rows = await pg.query`
+    create table my_table (field text not null);
+    insert into my_table (field) values ('one'), ('two'), ('three');
+    select * from my_table;
+    select * from my_table where field = 'two';
+  `.simple();
+
+  expect(rows.length).toBe(4);
+
+  const [{ field: a }, { field: b }, { field: c }, { field: d }] = rows;
+  expect(a).toBe("one");
+  expect(b).toBe("two");
+  expect(c).toBe("three");
+  expect(d).toBe("two");
 });
diff --git a/wire.ts b/wire.ts
index 9f3f4ff..9467bd4 100644
--- a/wire.ts
+++ b/wire.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ import {
 } from "./ser.ts";
 import {
   type CommandResult,
+  format,
   is_sql,
   Query,
   type ResultStream,
@@ -916,18 +917,15 @@ function wire_impl(
             }),
           async () => {
             await read(ParseComplete);
-            const param_desc = await read(ParameterDescription);
+            const ser_params = make_param_ser(await read(ParameterDescription));
 
             const msg = msg_check_err(await read_raw());
-            const row_desc =
+            const Row =
               msg_type(msg) === NoData.type
-                ? { columns: [] }
-                : ser_decode(RowDescription, msg);
+                ? EmptyRow
+                : make_row_ctor(ser_decode(RowDescription, msg));
 
-            return {
-              ser_params: make_param_ser(param_desc),
-              Row: make_row_ctor(row_desc),
-            };
+            return { ser_params, Row };
           }
         );
       } catch (e) {
@@ -962,6 +960,7 @@ function wire_impl(
     new (columns: (BinaryLike | null)[]): Row;
   }
 
+  const EmptyRow = make_row_ctor({ columns: [] });
   function make_row_ctor({ columns }: RowDescription) {
     const Row = jit.compiled<RowConstructor>`function Row(xs) {
       ${jit.map(" ", columns, ({ name, type_oid }, i) => {
@@ -1017,11 +1016,15 @@ function wire_impl(
         case EmptyQueryResponse.type:
           return { done: true as const, rows, tag: "" };
 
+        case RowDescription.type:
+          Row = make_row_ctor(ser_decode(RowDescription, msg));
+          continue;
+
         case CopyInResponse.type:
           continue;
 
         case CopyOutResponse.type:
-          await read_copy_out(stdout);
+          await read_copy_out(stdout), (stdout = null);
           continue;
       }
     }
@@ -1065,6 +1068,53 @@ function wire_impl(
     }
   }
 
+  async function* execute_simple(
+    query: string,
+    stdin: ReadableStream<Uint8Array> | null,
+    stdout: WritableStream<Uint8Array> | null
+  ): ResultStream<Row> {
+    log("debug", { query: query }, `executing simple query`);
+
+    const { chunks, err } = await pipeline(
+      async () => {
+        await write(QueryMessage, { query });
+        return write_copy_in(stdin);
+      },
+      async () => {
+        for (let chunks = [], err; ; ) {
+          const msg = await read_raw();
+          switch (msg_type(msg)) {
+            default:
+            case ReadyForQuery.type:
+              return { chunks, err };
+
+            case RowDescription.type: {
+              const Row = make_row_ctor(ser_decode(RowDescription, msg));
+              const { rows } = await read_rows(Row, stdout);
+              chunks.push(rows);
+              stdout = null;
+              continue;
+            }
+
+            case EmptyQueryResponse.type:
+            case CommandComplete.type:
+              continue;
+
+            case ErrorResponse.type: {
+              const { fields } = ser_decode(ErrorResponse, msg);
+              err = new PostgresError(fields);
+              continue;
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    );
+
+    yield* chunks;
+    if (err) throw err;
+    return { tag: "" };
+  }
+
   async function* execute_fast(
     st: Statement,
     params: unknown[],
@@ -1097,7 +1147,7 @@ function wire_impl(
           if (stdin !== null) {
             await write(msg_BE, { B, E });
             await write_copy_in(stdin);
-            await write(Close, C);
+            return write(Close, C);
           } else {
             return write(msg_BEcC, { B, E, c: {}, C });
           }
@@ -1155,7 +1205,7 @@ function wire_impl(
 
           if (stdin !== null) {
             await write(msg_BE, { B, E });
-            await write_copy_in(stdin);
+            return write_copy_in(stdin);
           } else {
             return write(msg_BEc, { B, E, c: {} });
           }
@@ -1186,15 +1236,20 @@ function wire_impl(
     }
   }
 
-  function query(s: SqlFragment) {
-    const { query, params } = sql.format(s);
-    let st = st_cache.get(query);
-    if (!st) st_cache.set(query, (st = new Statement(query)));
+  function query(sql: SqlFragment) {
+    return new Query(
+      ({ simple = false, chunk_size = 0, stdin = null, stdout = null }) => {
+        const { query, params } = format(sql);
+        if (simple) {
+          if (!params.length) return execute_simple(query, stdin, stdout);
+          else throw new WireError(`simple query cannot be parameterised`);
+        }
 
-    return new Query(({ chunk_size = 0, stdin = null, stdout = null }) =>
-      chunk_size !== 0
-        ? execute_chunked(st, params, chunk_size, stdin, stdout)
-        : execute_fast(st, params, stdin, stdout)
+        let st = st_cache.get(query);
+        if (!st) st_cache.set(query, (st = new Statement(query)));
+        if (!chunk_size) return execute_fast(st, params, stdin, stdout);
+        else return execute_chunked(st, params, chunk_size, stdin, stdout);
+      }
     );
   }