diff --git a/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/_/testcases/TransactionTests.java b/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/_/testcases/TransactionTests.java
index 654a4161f8..ba4093fbfd 100644
--- a/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/_/testcases/TransactionTests.java
+++ b/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/_/testcases/TransactionTests.java
@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@ import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 import java.sql.Connection;
 import java.sql.Date;
 import java.sql.SQLException;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger;
 
 import org.jooq.Configuration;
 import org.jooq.ConnectionProvider;
+import org.jooq.DSLContext;
 import org.jooq.Record1;
 import org.jooq.Record2;
 import org.jooq.Record3;
@@ -106,8 +108,12 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
     }
 
     public void testTransactionsWithJDBCSimple() throws Exception {
+        DSLContext create = create();
+        TransactionalConnectionProvider provider = new TransactionalConnectionProvider(create.configuration().connectionProvider());
+        create.configuration().set(provider);
+
         try {
-            create().transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
+            create.transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
                 @Override
                 public Integer run(Configuration configuration) {
                     assertAutoCommit(configuration.connectionProvider(), false);
@@ -125,17 +131,24 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
             fail();
         }
         catch (MyRuntimeException expected) {
+            assertEquals(1, provider.acquire.get());
+            assertEquals(1, provider.release.get());
+
             assertEquals("No", expected.getMessage());
-            assertEquals(2, create().fetchCount(TAuthor()));
-            assertAutoCommit(create().configuration().connectionProvider(), true);
+            assertEquals(2, create.fetchCount(TAuthor()));
+            assertAutoCommit(create.configuration().connectionProvider(), true);
         }
 
-        assertEquals(2, create().fetchCount(TAuthor()));
+        assertEquals(2, create.fetchCount(TAuthor()));
     }
 
     public void testTransactionsWithJDBCCheckedException() throws Exception {
+        DSLContext create = create();
+        TransactionalConnectionProvider provider = new TransactionalConnectionProvider(create.configuration().connectionProvider());
+        create.configuration().set(provider);
+
         try {
-            create().transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
+            create.transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
                 @Override
                 public Integer run(Configuration configuration) throws MyCheckedException {
                     assertAutoCommit(configuration.connectionProvider(), false);
@@ -153,13 +166,16 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
             fail();
         }
         catch (DataAccessException expected) {
+            assertEquals(1, provider.acquire.get());
+            assertEquals(1, provider.release.get());
+
             assertEquals(MyCheckedException.class, expected.getCause().getClass());
             assertEquals("No", expected.getCause().getMessage());
-            assertEquals(2, create().fetchCount(TAuthor()));
-            assertAutoCommit(create().configuration().connectionProvider(), true);
+            assertEquals(2, create.fetchCount(TAuthor()));
+            assertAutoCommit(create.configuration().connectionProvider(), true);
         }
 
-        assertEquals(2, create().fetchCount(TAuthor()));
+        assertEquals(2, create.fetchCount(TAuthor()));
     }
 
     public void testTransactionsWithJDBCNestedWithSavepoints() throws Exception {
@@ -168,8 +184,12 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
         final int[] inserted = new int[1];
         final int[] updated = new int[1];
 
+        DSLContext create = create();
+        TransactionalConnectionProvider provider = new TransactionalConnectionProvider(create.configuration().connectionProvider());
+        create.configuration().set(provider);
+
         Integer result =
-        create().transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
+        create.transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
             @Override
             public Integer run(Configuration c1) throws MyCheckedException {
                 assertAutoCommit(c1.connectionProvider(), false);
@@ -215,7 +235,9 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
             }
         });
 
-        assertEquals(3, create().fetchCount(TAuthor()));
+        assertEquals(1, provider.acquire.get());
+        assertEquals(1, provider.release.get());
+        assertEquals(3, create.fetchCount(TAuthor()));
         assertEquals(42, (int) result);
     }
 
@@ -224,8 +246,12 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
         final int[] inserted = new int[1];
         final int[] updated = new int[1];
 
+        DSLContext create = create();
+        TransactionalConnectionProvider provider = new TransactionalConnectionProvider(create.configuration().connectionProvider());
+        create.configuration().set(provider);
+
         try {
-            create().transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
+            create.transaction(new Transactional<Integer>() {
                 @Override
                 public Integer run(Configuration c1) throws MyCheckedException {
                     assertAutoCommit(c1.connectionProvider(), false);
@@ -266,7 +292,10 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
         }
 
         catch (MyRuntimeException expected) {
-            assertEquals(2, create().fetchCount(TAuthor()));
+            assertEquals(1, provider.acquire.get());
+            assertEquals(1, provider.release.get());
+
+            assertEquals(2, create.fetchCount(TAuthor()));
             assertEquals(MyRuntimeException.class, expected.getClass());
             assertEquals("No", expected.getMessage());
         }
@@ -287,4 +316,29 @@ extends BaseTest<A, AP, B, S, B2S, BS, L, X, DATE, BOOL, D, T, U, UU, I, IPK, T7
                 provider.release(c);
         }
     }
+
+    private static class TransactionalConnectionProvider implements ConnectionProvider {
+
+        private final ConnectionProvider delegate;
+        private final AtomicInteger acquire;
+        private final AtomicInteger release;
+
+        TransactionalConnectionProvider(ConnectionProvider delegate) {
+            this.delegate = delegate;
+            this.acquire = new AtomicInteger();
+            this.release = new AtomicInteger();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public Connection acquire() throws DataAccessException {
+            acquire.incrementAndGet();
+            return delegate.acquire();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void release(Connection connection) throws DataAccessException {
+            release.incrementAndGet();
+            delegate.release(connection);
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/jOOQAbstractTest.java b/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/jOOQAbstractTest.java
index fff1a93c07..d533420175 100644
--- a/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/jOOQAbstractTest.java
+++ b/jOOQ-test/src/test/java/org/jooq/test/jOOQAbstractTest.java
@@ -101,9 +101,7 @@ import org.jooq.conf.RenderMapping;
 import org.jooq.conf.Settings;
 import org.jooq.conf.SettingsTools;
 import org.jooq.impl.DSL;
-import org.jooq.impl.DefaultConnectionProvider;
 import org.jooq.impl.DefaultExecuteListenerProvider;
-import org.jooq.impl.DefaultTransactionProvider;
 import org.jooq.test._.converters.Boolean_10;
 import org.jooq.test._.converters.Boolean_TF_LC;
 import org.jooq.test._.converters.Boolean_TF_UC;
@@ -977,7 +975,6 @@ public abstract class jOOQAbstractTest<
 
         return DSL.using(c
             .derive(cp)
-            .derive(new DefaultTransactionProvider((DefaultConnectionProvider) c.connectionProvider()))
             .derive(
                 DefaultExecuteListenerProvider.providers(
                     new JDBCLifecycleListener(),
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ConnectionProvider.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ConnectionProvider.java
index 495fca396a..8bcc5ededa 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ConnectionProvider.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/ConnectionProvider.java
@@ -52,6 +52,12 @@ import org.jooq.exception.DataAccessException;
  * behaviour into jOOQ's internals. jOOQ will try to acquire a new JDBC
  * {@link Connection} from the connection provider as early as needed, and will
  * release it as early as possible.
+ * <p>
+ * {@link TransactionProvider} implementations may choose to influence
+ * {@link ConnectionProvider} behaviour, e.g. by acquiring connections upon
+ * {@link TransactionProvider#begin(TransactionContext)} and by releasing
+ * connections only upon {@link TransactionProvider#commit(TransactionContext)},
+ * or {@link TransactionProvider#rollback(TransactionContext)}.
  *
  * @author Aaron Digulla
  * @author Lukas Eder
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionContext.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionContext.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5cbd73cc98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionContext.java
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2014, Data Geekery GmbH (http://www.datageekery.com)
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This work is dual-licensed
+ * - under the Apache Software License 2.0 (the "ASL")
+ * - under the jOOQ License and Maintenance Agreement (the "jOOQ License")
+ * =============================================================================
+ * You may choose which license applies to you:
+ *
+ * - If you're using this work with Open Source databases, you may choose
+ *   either ASL or jOOQ License.
+ * - If you're using this work with at least one commercial database, you must
+ *   choose jOOQ License
+ *
+ * For more information, please visit http://www.jooq.org/licenses
+ *
+ * Apache Software License 2.0:
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ * jOOQ License and Maintenance Agreement:
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Data Geekery grants the Customer the non-exclusive, timely limited and
+ * non-transferable license to install and use the Software under the terms of
+ * the jOOQ License and Maintenance Agreement.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed with a LIMITED WARRANTY. See the jOOQ License
+ * and Maintenance Agreement for more details: http://www.jooq.org/licensing
+ */
+package org.jooq;
+
+/**
+ * A context object that is used to pass arguments to the various methods of
+ * {@link TransactionProvider}.
+ *
+ * @author Lukas Eder
+ */
+public interface TransactionContext {
+
+    /**
+     * The configuration scoped to this transaction and its nested transactions.
+     */
+    Configuration configuration();
+
+    /**
+     * A user-defined transaction object, obtained from
+     * {@link TransactionProvider#begin(TransactionContext)}.
+     *
+     * @return The transaction object. May be <code>null</code>.
+     */
+    Transaction transaction();
+
+    /**
+     * The exception that has caused the rollback.
+     *
+     * @return The exception. May be <code>null</code>.
+     */
+    Exception cause();
+}
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionProvider.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionProvider.java
index 0615914b67..f37be678ab 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionProvider.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/TransactionProvider.java
@@ -53,10 +53,9 @@ import org.jooq.impl.DefaultTransactionProvider;
  * A new {@link Configuration} copy is created from the calling
  * {@link DSLContext} for the scope of a single transactions. Implementors may
  * freely add custom data to {@link Configuration#data()}, in order to share
- * information between {@link #begin(Configuration)} and
- * {@link #commit(Configuration, Transaction)} or
- * {@link #rollback(Configuration, Transaction, Exception)}, as well as to share
- * information with nested transactions.
+ * information between {@link #begin(TransactionContext)} and
+ * {@link #commit(TransactionContext)} or {@link #rollback(TransactionContext)},
+ * as well as to share information with nested transactions.
  * <p>
  * Implementors may freely choose whether they support nested transactions. An
  * example implementation supporting nested transactions is
@@ -73,8 +72,8 @@ public interface TransactionProvider {
      * This method begins a new transaction with a {@link Configuration} scoped
      * for this transaction. The resulting {@link Transaction} object may be
      * used by implementors to identify the transaction when
-     * {@link #commit(Configuration, Transaction)} or
-     * {@link #rollback(Configuration, Transaction, Exception)} is called.
+     * {@link #commit(TransactionContext)} or
+     * {@link #rollback(TransactionContext)} is called.
      *
      * @param Configuration the configuration scoped to this transaction and its
      *            nested transactions.
@@ -82,27 +81,27 @@ public interface TransactionProvider {
      * @throws DataAccessException Any exception issued by the underlying
      *             database.
      */
-    Transaction begin(Configuration configuration) throws DataAccessException;
+    Transaction begin(TransactionContext ctx) throws DataAccessException;
 
     /**
      * @param Configuration the configuration scoped to this transaction and its
      *            nested transactions.
      * @param transaction The user-defined transaction object returned from
-     *            {@link #begin(Configuration)}. May be <code>null</code>.
+     *            {@link #begin(TransactionContext)}. May be <code>null</code>.
      * @throws DataAccessException Any exception issued by the underlying
      *             database.
      */
-    void commit(Configuration configuration, Transaction transaction) throws DataAccessException;
+    void commit(TransactionContext ctx) throws DataAccessException;
 
     /**
      * @param Configuration the configuration scoped to this transaction and its
      *            nested transactions.
      * @param transaction The user-defined transaction object returned from
-     *            {@link #begin(Configuration)}. May be <code>null</code>.
+     *            {@link #begin(TransactionContext)}. May be <code>null</code>.
      * @param cause The exception that has caused the rollback.
      * @throws DataAccessException Any exception issued by the underlying
      *             database.
      */
-    void rollback(Configuration configuration, Transaction transaction, Exception cause) throws DataAccessException;
+    void rollback(TransactionContext ctx) throws DataAccessException;
 
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultConfiguration.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultConfiguration.java
index 3d195db6a6..8f3b6fb3ba 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultConfiguration.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultConfiguration.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 package org.jooq.impl;
 
 import static org.jooq.SQLDialect.SQL99;
+import static org.jooq.impl.Utils.DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.io.ObjectInputStream;
@@ -520,7 +521,11 @@ public class DefaultConfiguration implements Configuration {
      */
     @Override
     public final ConnectionProvider connectionProvider() {
-        return connectionProvider;
+
+        // [#3229] If we're currently in a transaction, return that transaction's
+        // local DefaultConnectionProvider, not the one from this configuration
+        ConnectionProvider transactional = (ConnectionProvider) data(DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION);
+        return transactional == null ? connectionProvider : transactional;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -528,10 +533,11 @@ public class DefaultConfiguration implements Configuration {
      */
     @Override
     public final TransactionProvider transactionProvider() {
-        if (transactionProvider instanceof NoTransactionProvider &&
-            connectionProvider  instanceof DefaultConnectionProvider) {
 
-            return new DefaultTransactionProvider((DefaultConnectionProvider) connectionProvider);
+        // [#3229] If transactions are used in client code, the default behaviour
+        // is assumed automatically, for convenience.
+        if (transactionProvider instanceof NoTransactionProvider) {
+            return new DefaultTransactionProvider(connectionProvider);
         }
 
         return transactionProvider;
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultDSLContext.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultDSLContext.java
index 6158052f5f..689b1dc605 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultDSLContext.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultDSLContext.java
@@ -176,7 +176,6 @@ import org.jooq.Sequence;
 import org.jooq.Table;
 import org.jooq.TableLike;
 import org.jooq.TableRecord;
-import org.jooq.Transaction;
 import org.jooq.TransactionProvider;
 import org.jooq.Transactional;
 import org.jooq.TruncateIdentityStep;
@@ -293,19 +292,19 @@ public class DefaultDSLContext implements DSLContext, Serializable {
 
     @Override
     public <T> T transaction(Transactional<T> transactional) {
-        Configuration local = configuration.derive();
-        TransactionProvider provider = local.transactionProvider();
-
-        Transaction transaction = null;
         T result = null;
 
+        DefaultTransactionContext ctx = new DefaultTransactionContext(configuration.derive());
+        TransactionProvider provider = configuration.derive().transactionProvider();
+
         try {
-            transaction = provider.begin(local);
-            result = transactional.run(local);
-            provider.commit(local, transaction);
+            ctx.transaction = provider.begin(ctx);
+            result = transactional.run(configuration.derive());
+            provider.commit(ctx);
         }
         catch (Exception cause) {
-            provider.rollback(local, transaction, cause);
+            ctx.cause = cause;
+            provider.rollback(ctx);
 
             if (cause instanceof RuntimeException) {
                 throw (RuntimeException) cause;
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionContext.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionContext.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..efd500573b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionContext.java
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2009-2014, Data Geekery GmbH (http://www.datageekery.com)
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This work is dual-licensed
+ * - under the Apache Software License 2.0 (the "ASL")
+ * - under the jOOQ License and Maintenance Agreement (the "jOOQ License")
+ * =============================================================================
+ * You may choose which license applies to you:
+ *
+ * - If you're using this work with Open Source databases, you may choose
+ *   either ASL or jOOQ License.
+ * - If you're using this work with at least one commercial database, you must
+ *   choose jOOQ License
+ *
+ * For more information, please visit http://www.jooq.org/licenses
+ *
+ * Apache Software License 2.0:
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ *
+ * jOOQ License and Maintenance Agreement:
+ * -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ * Data Geekery grants the Customer the non-exclusive, timely limited and
+ * non-transferable license to install and use the Software under the terms of
+ * the jOOQ License and Maintenance Agreement.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed with a LIMITED WARRANTY. See the jOOQ License
+ * and Maintenance Agreement for more details: http://www.jooq.org/licensing
+ */
+package org.jooq.impl;
+
+import org.jooq.Configuration;
+import org.jooq.Transaction;
+import org.jooq.TransactionContext;
+
+/**
+ * @author Lukas Eder
+ */
+class DefaultTransactionContext implements TransactionContext {
+
+    private final Configuration configuration;
+    Transaction                 transaction;
+    Exception                   cause;
+
+    DefaultTransactionContext(Configuration configuration) {
+        this.configuration = configuration;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public final Configuration configuration() {
+        return configuration;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public final Transaction transaction() {
+        return transaction;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public final Exception cause() {
+        return cause;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionProvider.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionProvider.java
index ba95290cb5..ee4f169074 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionProvider.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/DefaultTransactionProvider.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@
 package org.jooq.impl;
 
 import static org.jooq.impl.Utils.DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_AUTOCOMMIT;
+import static org.jooq.impl.Utils.DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION;
 import static org.jooq.impl.Utils.DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_SAVEPOINTS;
 
 import java.sql.Connection;
@@ -48,7 +49,9 @@ import java.sql.Savepoint;
 import java.util.Stack;
 
 import org.jooq.Configuration;
+import org.jooq.ConnectionProvider;
 import org.jooq.Transaction;
+import org.jooq.TransactionContext;
 import org.jooq.TransactionProvider;
 
 /**
@@ -57,17 +60,18 @@ import org.jooq.TransactionProvider;
  * This implementation is entirely based on JDBC transactions and is intended to
  * work with {@link DefaultConnectionProvider} (which is implicitly created when
  * using {@link DSL#using(Connection)}). It supports nested transactions by
- * modelling them implicitly with JDBC {@link Savepoint}s, if supported by the
+ * modeling them implicitly with JDBC {@link Savepoint}s, if supported by the
  * underlying JDBC driver.
  *
  * @author Lukas Eder
  */
 public class DefaultTransactionProvider implements TransactionProvider {
 
-    private final DefaultConnectionProvider connection;
+    private final ConnectionProvider  provider;
+    private Connection                connection;
 
-    public DefaultTransactionProvider(DefaultConnectionProvider connection) {
-        this.connection = connection;
+    public DefaultTransactionProvider(ConnectionProvider provider) {
+        this.provider = provider;
     }
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
@@ -86,35 +90,46 @@ public class DefaultTransactionProvider implements TransactionProvider {
         Boolean autoCommit = (Boolean) configuration.data(DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_AUTOCOMMIT);
 
         if (autoCommit == null) {
-            autoCommit = connection.getAutoCommit();
+            autoCommit = connection(configuration).getAutoCommit();
             configuration.data(DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_AUTOCOMMIT, autoCommit);
         }
 
         return autoCommit;
     }
 
+    private final DefaultConnectionProvider connection(Configuration configuration) {
+        DefaultConnectionProvider connectionWrapper = (DefaultConnectionProvider) configuration.data(DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION);
+
+        if (connectionWrapper == null) {
+            connectionWrapper = new DefaultConnectionProvider(connection);
+            configuration.data(DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION, connectionWrapper);
+        }
+
+        return connectionWrapper;
+    }
+
     @Override
-    public final Transaction begin(Configuration configuration) {
-        Stack<Savepoint> savepoints = savepoints(configuration);
+    public final Transaction begin(TransactionContext ctx) {
+        Stack<Savepoint> savepoints = savepoints(ctx.configuration());
 
         // This is the top-level transaction
         if (savepoints.isEmpty()) {
-            autoCommit(configuration, false);
+            brace(ctx.configuration(), true);
         }
 
-        savepoints.push(connection.setSavepoint());
+        savepoints.push(connection(ctx.configuration()).setSavepoint());
         return null;
     }
 
     @Override
-    public final void commit(Configuration configuration, Transaction transaction) {
-        Stack<Savepoint> savepoints = savepoints(configuration);
+    public final void commit(TransactionContext ctx) {
+        Stack<Savepoint> savepoints = savepoints(ctx.configuration());
         savepoints.pop();
 
         // This is the top-level transaction
         if (savepoints.isEmpty()) {
-            connection.commit();
-            autoCommit(configuration, true);
+            connection(ctx.configuration()).commit();
+            brace(ctx.configuration(), false);
         }
 
         // Nested commits have no effect
@@ -123,17 +138,17 @@ public class DefaultTransactionProvider implements TransactionProvider {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public final void rollback(Configuration configuration, Transaction transaction, Exception cause) {
-        Stack<Savepoint> savepoints = savepoints(configuration);
+    public final void rollback(TransactionContext ctx) {
+        Stack<Savepoint> savepoints = savepoints(ctx.configuration());
         Savepoint savepoint = savepoints.pop();
 
         try {
-            connection.rollback(savepoint);
+            connection(ctx.configuration()).rollback(savepoint);
         }
 
         finally {
             if (savepoints.isEmpty())
-                autoCommit(configuration, true);
+                brace(ctx.configuration(), false);
         }
     }
 
@@ -141,13 +156,24 @@ public class DefaultTransactionProvider implements TransactionProvider {
      * Ensure an <code>autoCommit</code> value on the connection, if it was set
      * to <code>true</code>, originally.
      */
-    private void autoCommit(Configuration configuration, boolean newValue) {
-        boolean oldValue = autoCommit(configuration);
+    private void brace(Configuration configuration, boolean start) {
+        if (start) {
+            connection = provider.acquire();
+        }
+
+        boolean autoCommit = autoCommit(configuration);
 
         // Transactions cannot run with autoCommit = true. Change the value for
         // the duration of a transaction
-        if (oldValue == true) {
-            connection.setAutoCommit(newValue);
+        if (autoCommit == true) {
+            connection(configuration).setAutoCommit(!start);
+        }
+
+        if (!start) {
+            provider.release(connection);
+
+            connection = null;
+            configuration.data().remove(DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION);
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MergeImpl.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MergeImpl.java
index 73cdb10bd7..71f37c9d6d 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MergeImpl.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/MergeImpl.java
@@ -69,7 +69,6 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 
-import org.jooq.BindContext;
 import org.jooq.Clause;
 import org.jooq.Condition;
 import org.jooq.Configuration;
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/NoTransactionProvider.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/NoTransactionProvider.java
index e6d0194946..50ac67df7a 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/NoTransactionProvider.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/NoTransactionProvider.java
@@ -40,8 +40,8 @@
  */
 package org.jooq.impl;
 
-import org.jooq.Configuration;
 import org.jooq.Transaction;
+import org.jooq.TransactionContext;
 import org.jooq.TransactionProvider;
 
 /**
@@ -52,17 +52,17 @@ import org.jooq.TransactionProvider;
 public class NoTransactionProvider implements TransactionProvider {
 
     @Override
-    public final Transaction begin(Configuration configuration) {
+    public final Transaction begin(TransactionContext ctx) {
         throw new UnsupportedOperationException("No transaction provider configured");
     }
 
     @Override
-    public final void commit(Configuration configuration, Transaction transaction) {
+    public final void commit(TransactionContext ctx) {
         throw new UnsupportedOperationException("No transaction provider configured");
     }
 
     @Override
-    public final void rollback(Configuration configuration, Transaction transaction, Exception cause) {
+    public final void rollback(TransactionContext ctx) {
         throw new UnsupportedOperationException("No transaction provider configured");
     }
 }
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Utils.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Utils.java
index dc31ccb7fa..9f99113de4 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Utils.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Utils.java
@@ -261,6 +261,12 @@ final class Utils {
      */
     static final String          DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_SAVEPOINTS = "org.jooq.configuration.default-transaction-provider-savepoints";
 
+    /**
+     * [#1629] The {@link DefaultConnectionProvider} instance to be used during
+     * the transaction.
+     */
+    static final String          DATA_DEFAULT_TRANSACTION_PROVIDER_CONNECTION = "org.jooq.configuration.default-transaction-provider-connection-provider";
+
     /**
      * [#2965] These are {@link ConcurrentHashMap}s containing caches for
      * reflection information.