diff --git a/c/libpq.h b/c/libpq.h
index e3cf312..f931016 100644
--- a/c/libpq.h
+++ b/c/libpq.h
@@ -40,11 +40,12 @@ typedef enum { PQTRANS_IDLE, PQTRANS_ACTIVE, PQTRANS_INTRANS, PQTRANS_INERROR, P
     X(PQclosePrepared, PGresult *, PGconn *, const char *) \
     X(PQcmdTuples, char *, PGresult *) \
     X(PQconnectdb, PGconn *, const char *) \
-    X(PQdescribePrepared, PGresult *, PGconn *, const char *) \
+    X(PQenterPipelineMode, int, PGconn *) \
     X(PQerrorMessage, char *, const PGconn *) \
     X(PQexec, PGresult *, PGconn *, const char *) \
     X(PQexecParams, PGresult *, PGconn *, const char *, int, const Oid *, const char * const *, const int *, const int *, int) \
     X(PQexecPrepared, PGresult *, PGconn *, const char *, int, const char * const *, const int *, const int *, int) \
+    X(PQexitPipelineMode, int, PGconn *conn) \
     X(PQfinish, void, PGconn *) \
     X(PQfmod, int, const PGresult *, int) \
     X(PQfname, char *, const PGresult *, int) \
@@ -52,18 +53,21 @@ typedef enum { PQTRANS_IDLE, PQTRANS_ACTIVE, PQTRANS_INTRANS, PQTRANS_INERROR, P
     X(PQftype, Oid, const PGresult *, int) \
     X(PQgetisnull, int, const PGresult *, int, int) \
     X(PQgetlength, int, const PGresult *, int, int) \
+    X(PQgetResult, PGresult *, PGconn *) \
     X(PQgetvalue, char *, const PGresult *, int, int) \
     X(PQlibVersion, int, void) \
     X(PQnfields, int, const PGresult *) \
     X(PQnparams, int, const PGresult *) \
     X(PQntuples, int, const PGresult *) \
     X(PQparamtype, Oid, const PGresult *, int) \
-    X(PQprepare, PGresult *, PGconn *, const char *, const char *, int, const Oid *) \
+    X(PQpipelineSync, int, PGconn *) \
     X(PQresStatus, char *, ExecStatusType) \
     X(PQresultErrorField, char *, const PGresult *, int) \
-    X(PQresultErrorMessage, char *, const PGresult *res) \
+    X(PQresultErrorMessage, char *, const PGresult *) \
     X(PQresultStatus, ExecStatusType, const PGresult *) \
     X(PQresultVerboseErrorMessage, char *, const PGresult *, PGVerbosity, PGContextVisibility) \
+    X(PQsendDescribePrepared, int, PGconn *, const char *) \
+    X(PQsendPrepare, int, PGconn *, const char *, const char *, int, const Oid *) \
     X(PQserverVersion, int, const PGconn *) \
     X(PQstatus, ConnStatusType, const PGconn *) \
     X(PQtrace, void, PGconn *, FILE *) \
diff --git a/c/pgconn.c b/c/pgconn.c
index c12c465..606207c 100644
--- a/c/pgconn.c
+++ b/c/pgconn.c
@@ -261,6 +261,9 @@ static void fupg_txn_destroy(pTHX_ fupg_txn *t) {
 /* XXX: It feels a bit wasteful to load *all* types; even on an empty database
  * that's ~55k of data, but it's easier and (potentially) faster than fetching
  * each type seperately as we encounter them.
+ * Perhaps an easier optimization is to filter out all table-based composites
+ * and their array types by default, I've never seen anyone use those types for
+ * I/O and that would shrink the data by nearly a factor 5.
  */
 static void fupg_refresh_types(pTHX_ fupg_conn *c) {
     safefree(c->types);
@@ -354,19 +357,41 @@ static void fupg_st_prepare(pTHX_ fupg_st *st) {
 
     snprintf(st->name, sizeof(st->name), "fupg%"UVuf, ++st->conn->prep_counter);
 
-    /* TODO: Pipeline these two commands, no need for two round-trips with the server */
-    PGresult *r = PQprepare(st->conn->conn, st->name, st->query, 0, NULL);
-    if (!r) fupg_conn_croak(st->conn , "prepare");
-    if (PQresultStatus(r) != PGRES_COMMAND_OK)
-        fupg_result_croak(r, "prepare", st->query);
-    PQclear(r);
+    /* Send prepare + describe in a pipeline to avoid a double round-trip with the server */
+    PQenterPipelineMode(st->conn->conn);
+    PQsendPrepare(st->conn->conn, st->name, st->query, 0, NULL);
+    PQsendDescribePrepared(st->conn->conn, st->name);
+    PQpipelineSync(st->conn->conn);
+    PGresult *prep = PQgetResult(st->conn->conn); PQgetResult(st->conn->conn); /* NULL */
+    PGresult *desc = PQgetResult(st->conn->conn); PQgetResult(st->conn->conn); /* NULL */
+    PGresult *sync = PQgetResult(st->conn->conn);
+    PQexitPipelineMode(st->conn->conn);
+
+    if (!prep) {
+        PQclear(desc); PQclear(sync);
+        fupg_conn_croak(st->conn , "prepare");
+    }
+    if (PQresultStatus(prep) != PGRES_COMMAND_OK) {
+        PQclear(desc); PQclear(sync);
+        fupg_result_croak(prep, "prepare", st->query);
+    }
+    PQclear(prep);
     st->prepared = 1;
 
-    r = PQdescribePrepared(st->conn->conn, st->name);
-    if (!r) fupg_conn_croak(st->conn , "prepare");
-    if (PQresultStatus(r) != PGRES_COMMAND_OK)
-        fupg_result_croak(r, "prepare", st->query);
-    st->describe = r;
+    if (!desc) {
+        PQclear(sync);
+        fupg_conn_croak(st->conn , "prepare");
+    }
+    if (PQresultStatus(desc) != PGRES_COMMAND_OK) {
+        PQclear(sync);
+        fupg_result_croak(desc, "prepare", st->query);
+    }
+    st->describe = desc;
+
+    if (!sync) fupg_conn_croak(st->conn , "prepare");
+    if (PQresultStatus(sync) != PGRES_PIPELINE_SYNC)
+        fupg_result_croak(sync, "prepare", st->query);
+    PQclear(sync);
 }
 
 static SV *fupg_st_params(pTHX_ fupg_st *st) {