diff --git a/esqueleto.cabal b/esqueleto.cabal
index b89ad99..965b082 100644
--- a/esqueleto.cabal
+++ b/esqueleto.cabal
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ library
     , bytestring
     , conduit >=1.3
     , monad-logger
+    , mtl
     , persistent >=2.10.0 && <2.11
     , resourcet >=1.2
     , tagged >=0.2
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto.hs
index d082191..773fec1 100644
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto.hs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ module Database.Esqueleto
     -- * Helpers
   , valkey
   , valJ
+  , EsqueletoUpsert(..)
 
     -- * Re-exports
     -- $reexports
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Internal.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Internal.hs
index c464807..8db442f 100644
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Internal.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Internal.hs
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ import qualified Data.Text.Lazy.Builder as TLB
 
 import Data.Typeable (Typeable)
 import Text.Blaze.Html (Html)
+import Database.Persist.Class (OnlyOneUniqueKey)
+import Control.Monad.Reader (ReaderT)
+import Data.List.NonEmpty( NonEmpty( (:|) ) )
 
 -- | (Internal) Start a 'from' query with an entity. 'from'
 -- does two kinds of magic using 'fromStart', 'fromJoin' and
@@ -2883,3 +2886,87 @@ insertSelect = void . insertSelectCount
 insertSelectCount :: (MonadIO m, PersistEntity a) =>
   SqlQuery (SqlExpr (Insertion a)) -> SqlWriteT m Int64
 insertSelectCount = rawEsqueleto INSERT_INTO . fmap EInsertFinal
+
+-- | A class for allowing the use of upsert operation using
+-- esqueleto's types.
+class (PersistUniqueWrite backend,
+        PersistQueryWrite backend,
+        IsPersistBackend (BaseBackend backend),
+        BackendCompatible SqlBackend backend,
+        BackendCompatible SqlBackend (BaseBackend backend)) =>
+      EsqueletoUpsert backend  where
+    upsert
+        :: (MonadIO m, PersistRecordBackend record backend, OnlyOneUniqueKey record)
+        => record
+        -- ^ new record to insert
+        -> [SqlExpr (Update record)]
+        -- ^ updates to perform if the record already exists
+        -> ReaderT backend m (Entity record)
+        -- ^ the record in the database after the operation
+    upsert record updates = do
+        uniqueKey <- onlyUnique record
+        upsertBy uniqueKey record updates
+
+    upsertBy :: (MonadIO m, PersistRecordBackend record backend)
+        => Unique record
+        -- ^ uniqueness constraint to find by
+        -> record
+        -- ^ new record to insert
+        -> [SqlExpr (Update record)]
+        -- ^ updates to perform if the record already exists
+        -> ReaderT backend m (Entity record)
+        -- ^ the record in the database after the operation
+    upsertBy = defaultUpsert
+
+defaultUpsert
+    :: (MonadIO m, PersistRecordBackend record backend,
+        PersistQueryWrite backend,
+        PersistUniqueWrite backend,
+        IsPersistBackend (BaseBackend backend),
+        BackendCompatible SqlBackend backend,
+        BackendCompatible SqlBackend (BaseBackend backend))
+    => Unique record
+    -> record
+    -> [SqlExpr (Update record)]
+    -> ReaderT backend m (Entity record)
+defaultUpsert uniqueKey record updates = do
+    mrecord <- getBy uniqueKey
+    maybe (insertEntity record) updateGetEntity mrecord
+  where
+    updateGetEntity (Entity k _) = fmap head $ do
+      update $ \r -> do
+        set r updates
+        where_ (r ^. persistIdField ==. val k)
+      select $ from $ \r -> do
+        where_ (r ^. persistIdField ==. val k)
+        return r
+
+-- Currently only postgres implements connUpsertSql, check that '?' are
+-- added in the same order as postgres when adding connUpsertSql to another
+-- backend.
+instance EsqueletoUpsert SqlBackend where
+  upsertBy uniqueKey record updates = do
+    sqlB <- R.ask
+    maybe
+      (defaultUpsert uniqueKey record updates)
+      (handler sqlB)
+      (connUpsertSql sqlB)
+    where
+      addVals l = map toPersistValue (toPersistFields record) ++ l ++ persistUniqueToValues uniqueKey
+      entDef = entityDef (Just record)
+      uDef = head $ filter ((==) (persistUniqueToFieldNames uniqueKey) . uniqueFields) $ entityUniques entDef
+      updatesText conn = first builderToText $ renderUpdates conn updates
+      handler conn f = fmap head $ uncurry rawSql $
+        (***) (f entDef (uDef :| [])) addVals $ updatesText conn
+
+-- | Renders a [SqlExpr (Update val)] into a (TLB.Builder, [PersistValue]) with a given backend.
+renderUpdates :: BackendCompatible SqlBackend backend =>
+    backend
+    -> [SqlExpr (Update val)]
+    -> (TLB.Builder, [PersistValue])
+renderUpdates conn = uncommas' . concatMap renderUpdate
+    where
+      mk (ERaw _ f)        = [f info]
+      mk (ECompositeKey _) = throw (CompositeKeyErr MakeSetError) -- FIXME
+      renderUpdate (ESet f) = mk (f undefined) -- second parameter of f is always unused
+      info = (projectBackend conn, initialIdentState)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/PersistentImport.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/PersistentImport.hs
index 55e460b..43725b0 100644
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/PersistentImport.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/PersistentImport.hs
@@ -147,4 +147,4 @@ import Database.Persist.Sql hiding
   , selectKeysList, deleteCascadeWhere, (=.), (+=.), (-=.), (*=.), (/=.)
   , (==.), (!=.), (<.), (>.), (<=.), (>=.), (<-.), (/<-.), (||.)
   , listToJSON, mapToJSON, getPersistMap, limitOffsetOrder, selectSource
-  , update , count )
+  , update , count , upsertBy, upsert)
diff --git a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs
index 7818624..e50e6e4 100644
--- a/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs
+++ b/src/Database/Esqueleto/Internal/Sql.hs
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ module Database.Esqueleto.Internal.Sql
   , parens
   , toArgList
   , builderToText
+  , EsqueletoUpsert(..)
   ) where
 
 import Database.Esqueleto.Internal.Internal