diff --git a/packages/pg-pool/index.js b/packages/pg-pool/index.js
index f53a85ab1..0d54be906 100644
--- a/packages/pg-pool/index.js
+++ b/packages/pg-pool/index.js
@@ -277,30 +277,67 @@ class Pool extends EventEmitter {
       } else {
         this.log('new client connected')
 
-        if (this.options.maxLifetimeSeconds !== 0) {
-          const maxLifetimeTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
-            this.log('ending client due to expired lifetime')
-            this._expired.add(client)
-            const idleIndex = this._idle.findIndex((idleItem) => idleItem.client === client)
-            if (idleIndex !== -1) {
-              this._acquireClient(
-                client,
-                new PendingItem((err, client, clientRelease) => clientRelease()),
-                idleListener,
-                false
-              )
-            }
-          }, this.options.maxLifetimeSeconds * 1000)
-
-          maxLifetimeTimeout.unref()
-          client.once('end', () => clearTimeout(maxLifetimeTimeout))
+        if (this.options.onConnect) {
+          let hookResult
+          try {
+            hookResult = this.options.onConnect(client)
+          } catch (hookErr) {
+            this._clients = this._clients.filter((c) => c !== client)
+            client.end(() => {
+              this._pulseQueue()
+              if (!pendingItem.timedOut) {
+                pendingItem.callback(hookErr, undefined, NOOP)
+              }
+            })
+            return
+          }
+          if (hookResult && typeof hookResult.then === 'function') {
+            hookResult.then(
+              () => {
+                this._afterConnect(client, pendingItem, idleListener)
+              },
+              (hookErr) => {
+                this._clients = this._clients.filter((c) => c !== client)
+                client.end(() => {
+                  this._pulseQueue()
+                  if (!pendingItem.timedOut) {
+                    pendingItem.callback(hookErr, undefined, NOOP)
+                  }
+                })
+              }
+            )
+            return
+          }
         }
 
-        return this._acquireClient(client, pendingItem, idleListener, true)
+        return this._afterConnect(client, pendingItem, idleListener)
       }
     })
   }
 
+  _afterConnect(client, pendingItem, idleListener) {
+    if (this.options.maxLifetimeSeconds !== 0) {
+      const maxLifetimeTimeout = setTimeout(() => {
+        this.log('ending client due to expired lifetime')
+        this._expired.add(client)
+        const idleIndex = this._idle.findIndex((idleItem) => idleItem.client === client)
+        if (idleIndex !== -1) {
+          this._acquireClient(
+            client,
+            new PendingItem((err, client, clientRelease) => clientRelease()),
+            idleListener,
+            false
+          )
+        }
+      }, this.options.maxLifetimeSeconds * 1000)
+
+      maxLifetimeTimeout.unref()
+      client.once('end', () => clearTimeout(maxLifetimeTimeout))
+    }
+
+    return this._acquireClient(client, pendingItem, idleListener, true)
+  }
+
   // acquire a client for a pending work item
   _acquireClient(client, pendingItem, idleListener, isNew) {
     if (isNew) {
diff --git a/packages/pg-pool/test/lifecycle-hooks.js b/packages/pg-pool/test/lifecycle-hooks.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..05a706d95
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/pg-pool/test/lifecycle-hooks.js
@@ -0,0 +1,164 @@
+const describe = require('mocha').describe
+const it = require('mocha').it
+const expect = require('expect.js')
+
+const Pool = require('..')
+
+describe('lifecycle hooks', () => {
+  it('are called on connect', async () => {
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      onConnect: (client) => {
+        client.HOOK_CONNECT_COUNT = (client.HOOK_CONNECT_COUNT || 0) + 1
+      },
+    })
+    const client = await pool.connect()
+    expect(client.HOOK_CONNECT_COUNT).to.equal(1)
+    client.release()
+    const client2 = await pool.connect()
+    expect(client).to.equal(client2)
+    expect(client2.HOOK_CONNECT_COUNT).to.equal(1)
+    client.release()
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('are called on connect with an async hook', async () => {
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      onConnect: async (client) => {
+        const res = await client.query('SELECT 1 AS num')
+        client.HOOK_CONNECT_RESULT = res.rows[0].num
+      },
+    })
+    const client = await pool.connect()
+    expect(client.HOOK_CONNECT_RESULT).to.equal(1)
+    const res = await client.query('SELECT 1 AS num')
+    expect(res.rows[0].num).to.equal(1)
+    client.release()
+    const client2 = await pool.connect()
+    expect(client).to.equal(client2)
+    expect(client2.HOOK_CONNECT_RESULT).to.equal(1)
+    client.release()
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('errors out the connect call if the async connect hook rejects', async () => {
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      onConnect: async (client) => {
+        await client.query('SELECT INVALID HERE')
+      },
+    })
+    try {
+      await pool.connect()
+      throw new Error('Expected connect to throw')
+    } catch (err) {
+      expect(err.message).to.contain('invalid')
+    }
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('calls onConnect when using pool.query', async () => {
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      onConnect: async (client) => {
+        const res = await client.query('SELECT 1 AS num')
+        client.HOOK_CONNECT_RESULT = res.rows[0].num
+      },
+    })
+    const res = await pool.query('SELECT $1::text AS name', ['brianc'])
+    expect(res.rows[0].name).to.equal('brianc')
+    const client = await pool.connect()
+    expect(client.HOOK_CONNECT_RESULT).to.equal(1)
+    client.release()
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('recovers after a hook error', async () => {
+    let shouldError = true
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      onConnect: () => {
+        if (shouldError) {
+          throw new Error('connect hook error')
+        }
+      },
+    })
+    try {
+      await pool.connect()
+      throw new Error('Expected connect to throw')
+    } catch (err) {
+      expect(err.message).to.equal('connect hook error')
+    }
+    shouldError = false
+    const client = await pool.connect()
+    const res = await client.query('SELECT 1 AS num')
+    expect(res.rows[0].num).to.equal(1)
+    client.release()
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('calls onConnect for each new client', async () => {
+    let connectCount = 0
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      max: 2,
+      onConnect: async (client) => {
+        connectCount++
+        await client.query('SELECT 1')
+      },
+    })
+    const client1 = await pool.connect()
+    const client2 = await pool.connect()
+    expect(connectCount).to.equal(2)
+    expect(client1).to.not.equal(client2)
+    client1.release()
+    client2.release()
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('cleans up clients after repeated hook failures', async () => {
+    let errorCount = 0
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      max: 2,
+      onConnect: () => {
+        if (errorCount < 10) {
+          errorCount++
+          throw new Error('connect hook error')
+        }
+      },
+    })
+    for (let i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
+      let threw = false
+      try {
+        await pool.connect()
+      } catch (err) {
+        threw = true
+        expect(err.message).to.equal('connect hook error')
+      }
+      expect(threw).to.equal(true)
+    }
+    expect(errorCount).to.equal(10)
+    expect(pool.totalCount).to.equal(0)
+    expect(pool.idleCount).to.equal(0)
+    const client1 = await pool.connect()
+    const res1 = await client1.query('SELECT 1 AS num')
+    expect(res1.rows[0].num).to.equal(1)
+    const client2 = await pool.connect()
+    const res2 = await client2.query('SELECT 2 AS num')
+    expect(res2.rows[0].num).to.equal(2)
+    expect(pool.totalCount).to.equal(2)
+    client1.release()
+    client2.release()
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+
+  it('errors out the connect call if the connect hook throws', async () => {
+    const pool = new Pool({
+      onConnect: () => {
+        throw new Error('connect hook error')
+      },
+    })
+    try {
+      await pool.connect()
+      throw new Error('Expected connect to throw')
+    } catch (err) {
+      expect(err.message).to.equal('connect hook error')
+    }
+    await pool.end()
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/pg-pool/test/timeout.js b/packages/pg-pool/test/timeout.js
deleted file mode 100644
index e69de29bb..000000000