diff --git a/sqlx-core/src/pool/inner.rs b/sqlx-core/src/pool/inner.rs
index bbcc43134e..b79dea3f90 100644
--- a/sqlx-core/src/pool/inner.rs
+++ b/sqlx-core/src/pool/inner.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use crossbeam_queue::ArrayQueue;
 
 use crate::sync::{AsyncSemaphore, AsyncSemaphoreReleaser};
 
+use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::cmp;
 use std::future::Future;
 use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicU32, AtomicUsize, Ordering};
@@ -324,6 +325,36 @@ impl<DB: Database> PoolInner<DB> {
         Ok(acquired)
     }
 
+    /// Attempts to get connect options, possibly modify using before_connect, then connect.
+    ///
+    /// Wrapping this code in a timeout allows the total time taken for these steps to
+    /// be bounded by the connection deadline.
+    async fn get_connect_options_and_connect(
+        self: &Arc<Self>,
+        num_attempts: u32,
+    ) -> Result<DB::Connection, Error> {
+        // clone the connect options arc so it can be used without holding the RwLockReadGuard
+        // across an async await point
+        let connect_options_arc = self
+            .connect_options
+            .read()
+            .expect("write-lock holder panicked")
+            .clone();
+
+        let connect_options = if let Some(callback) = &self.options.before_connect {
+            callback(connect_options_arc.as_ref(), num_attempts)
+                .await
+                .map_err(|error| {
+                    tracing::error!(%error, "error returned from before_connect");
+                    error
+                })?
+        } else {
+            Cow::Borrowed(connect_options_arc.as_ref())
+        };
+
+        connect_options.connect().await
+    }
+
     pub(super) async fn connect(
         self: &Arc<Self>,
         deadline: Instant,
@@ -335,21 +366,17 @@ impl<DB: Database> PoolInner<DB> {
 
         let mut backoff = Duration::from_millis(10);
         let max_backoff = deadline_as_timeout(deadline)? / 5;
+        let mut num_attempts: u32 = 0;
 
         loop {
             let timeout = deadline_as_timeout(deadline)?;
-
-            // clone the connect options arc so it can be used without holding the RwLockReadGuard
-            // across an async await point
-            let connect_options = self
-                .connect_options
-                .read()
-                .expect("write-lock holder panicked")
-                .clone();
+            num_attempts += 1;
 
             // result here is `Result<Result<C, Error>, TimeoutError>`
             // if this block does not return, sleep for the backoff timeout and try again
-            match crate::rt::timeout(timeout, connect_options.connect()).await {
+            match crate::rt::timeout(timeout, self.get_connect_options_and_connect(num_attempts))
+                .await
+            {
                 // successfully established connection
                 Ok(Ok(mut raw)) => {
                     // See comment on `PoolOptions::after_connect`
diff --git a/sqlx-core/src/pool/options.rs b/sqlx-core/src/pool/options.rs
index 96dbf8ee3d..17b2c8ea04 100644
--- a/sqlx-core/src/pool/options.rs
+++ b/sqlx-core/src/pool/options.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ use crate::pool::inner::PoolInner;
 use crate::pool::Pool;
 use futures_core::future::BoxFuture;
 use log::LevelFilter;
+use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::fmt::{self, Debug, Formatter};
 use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
@@ -44,6 +45,18 @@ use std::time::{Duration, Instant};
 /// the perspectives of both API designer and consumer.
 pub struct PoolOptions<DB: Database> {
     pub(crate) test_before_acquire: bool,
+    pub(crate) before_connect: Option<
+        Arc<
+            dyn Fn(
+                    &<DB::Connection as Connection>::Options,
+                    u32,
+                )
+                    -> BoxFuture<'_, Result<Cow<'_, <DB::Connection as Connection>::Options>, Error>>
+                + 'static
+                + Send
+                + Sync,
+        >,
+    >,
     pub(crate) after_connect: Option<
         Arc<
             dyn Fn(&mut DB::Connection, PoolConnectionMetadata) -> BoxFuture<'_, Result<(), Error>>
@@ -94,6 +107,7 @@ impl<DB: Database> Clone for PoolOptions<DB> {
     fn clone(&self) -> Self {
         PoolOptions {
             test_before_acquire: self.test_before_acquire,
+            before_connect: self.before_connect.clone(),
             after_connect: self.after_connect.clone(),
             before_acquire: self.before_acquire.clone(),
             after_release: self.after_release.clone(),
@@ -143,6 +157,7 @@ impl<DB: Database> PoolOptions<DB> {
     pub fn new() -> Self {
         Self {
             // User-specifiable routines
+            before_connect: None,
             after_connect: None,
             before_acquire: None,
             after_release: None,
@@ -339,6 +354,54 @@ impl<DB: Database> PoolOptions<DB> {
         self
     }
 
+    /// Perform an asynchronous action before connecting to the database.
+    ///
+    /// This operation is performed on every attempt to connect, including retries. The
+    /// current `ConnectOptions` is passed, and this may be passed unchanged, or modified
+    /// after cloning. The current connection attempt is passed as the second parameter
+    /// (starting at 1).
+    ///
+    /// If the operation returns with an error, then the connection attempt fails without
+    /// attempting further retries. The operation therefore may need to implement error
+    /// handling and/or value caching to avoid failing the connection attempt.
+    ///
+    /// # Example: Per-Request Authentication
+    /// This callback may be used to modify values in the database's `ConnectOptions`, before
+    /// connecting to the database.
+    ///
+    /// This example is written for PostgreSQL but can likely be adapted to other databases.
+    ///
+    /// ```no_run
+    /// # async fn f() -> Result<(), Box<dyn std::error::Error>> {
+    /// use std::borrow::Cow;
+    /// use sqlx::Executor;
+    /// use sqlx::postgres::PgPoolOptions;
+    ///
+    /// let pool = PgPoolOptions::new()
+    ///     .before_connect(move |opts, _num_attempts| Box::pin(async move {
+    ///         Ok(Cow::Owned(opts.clone().password("abc")))
+    ///     }))
+    ///     .connect("postgres:// …").await?;
+    /// # Ok(())
+    /// # }
+    /// ```
+    ///
+    /// For a discussion on why `Box::pin()` is required, see [the type-level docs][Self].
+    pub fn before_connect<F>(mut self, callback: F) -> Self
+    where
+        for<'c> F: Fn(
+                &'c <DB::Connection as Connection>::Options,
+                u32,
+            )
+                -> BoxFuture<'c, crate::Result<Cow<'c, <DB::Connection as Connection>::Options>>>
+            + 'static
+            + Send
+            + Sync,
+    {
+        self.before_connect = Some(Arc::new(callback));
+        self
+    }
+
     /// Perform an asynchronous action after connecting to the database.
     ///
     /// If the operation returns with an error then the error is logged, the connection is closed