diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/Settings.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/Settings.java
index bdd0ac3250..4bd691aec2 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/Settings.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/Settings.java
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ public class Settings
     @XmlElement(defaultValue = "true")
     protected Boolean transformPatternsUnnecessaryDistinct = true;
     @XmlElement(defaultValue = "true")
+    protected Boolean transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses = true;
+    @XmlElement(defaultValue = "true")
     protected Boolean transformPatternsCountConstant = true;
     @XmlElement(defaultValue = "true")
     protected Boolean transformPatternsTrim = true;
@@ -1677,6 +1679,43 @@ public class Settings
         this.transformPatternsUnnecessaryDistinct = value;
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Transform <code>[ NOT ] EXISTS (SELECT DISTINCT a, b FROM t ORDER BY c LIMIT d)</code> to <code>[ NOT ] EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM t)</code>.
+     * <p>
+     * In <code>EXISTS</code> subqueries, quite a few <code>SELECT</code> clauses are meaningless, and can
+     * thus be removed. These include:
+     * <ul>
+     * <li><code>SELECT</code> (any projection can be ignored)</li>
+     * <li><code>DISTINCT</code></li>
+     * <li><code>ORDER BY</code></li>
+     * <li><code>LIMIT</code> (except <code>LIMIT 0</code>, in case of which {@link #transformPatternsTrivialPredicates} applies).</li>
+     * </ul>
+     * <p>
+     * To enable this feature, {@link #transformPatterns} must be enabled as well.
+     * <p>
+     * This feature is available in the commercial distribution only.
+     * 
+     * @return
+     *     possible object is
+     *     {@link Boolean }
+     *     
+     */
+    public Boolean isTransformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses() {
+        return transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Sets the value of the transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses property.
+     * 
+     * @param value
+     *     allowed object is
+     *     {@link Boolean }
+     *     
+     */
+    public void setTransformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses(Boolean value) {
+        this.transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses = value;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Transform <code>COUNT(1)</code> or any other <code>COUNT(const)</code> to <code>COUNT(*)</code>.
      * <p>
@@ -5367,6 +5406,11 @@ public class Settings
         return this;
     }
 
+    public Settings withTransformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses(Boolean value) {
+        setTransformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses(value);
+        return this;
+    }
+
     public Settings withTransformPatternsCountConstant(Boolean value) {
         setTransformPatternsCountConstant(value);
         return this;
@@ -6455,6 +6499,7 @@ public class Settings
         builder.append("transformPatterns", transformPatterns);
         builder.append("transformPatternsLogging", transformPatternsLogging);
         builder.append("transformPatternsUnnecessaryDistinct", transformPatternsUnnecessaryDistinct);
+        builder.append("transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses", transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses);
         builder.append("transformPatternsCountConstant", transformPatternsCountConstant);
         builder.append("transformPatternsTrim", transformPatternsTrim);
         builder.append("transformPatternsNotNot", transformPatternsNotNot);
@@ -7040,6 +7085,15 @@ public class Settings
                 return false;
             }
         }
+        if (transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses == null) {
+            if (other.transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses!= null) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        } else {
+            if (!transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses.equals(other.transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses)) {
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
         if (transformPatternsCountConstant == null) {
             if (other.transformPatternsCountConstant!= null) {
                 return false;
@@ -8363,6 +8417,7 @@ public class Settings
         result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatterns == null)? 0 :transformPatterns.hashCode()));
         result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatternsLogging == null)? 0 :transformPatternsLogging.hashCode()));
         result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatternsUnnecessaryDistinct == null)? 0 :transformPatternsUnnecessaryDistinct.hashCode()));
+        result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses == null)? 0 :transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses.hashCode()));
         result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatternsCountConstant == null)? 0 :transformPatternsCountConstant.hashCode()));
         result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatternsTrim == null)? 0 :transformPatternsTrim.hashCode()));
         result = ((prime*result)+((transformPatternsNotNot == null)? 0 :transformPatternsNotNot.hashCode()));
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Patterns.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Patterns.java
index 3f04a6ac50..babc144da4 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Patterns.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/impl/Patterns.java
@@ -2021,6 +2021,45 @@ package org.jooq.impl;
 
 
 
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
 
 
 
diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/resources/org/jooq/xsd/jooq-runtime-3.18.0.xsd b/jOOQ/src/main/resources/org/jooq/xsd/jooq-runtime-3.18.0.xsd
index d5aa2b07bf..66523ec829 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/resources/org/jooq/xsd/jooq-runtime-3.18.0.xsd
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/resources/org/jooq/xsd/jooq-runtime-3.18.0.xsd
@@ -400,6 +400,23 @@ To enable this feature, {@link #transformPatterns} must be enabled as well.
 This feature is available in the commercial distribution only.]]></jxb:javadoc></jxb:property></appinfo></annotation>
       </element>
       
+      <element name="transformPatternsUnnecessaryExistsSubqueryClauses" type="boolean" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1" default="true">
+        <annotation><appinfo><jxb:property><jxb:javadoc><![CDATA[Transform <code>[ NOT ] EXISTS (SELECT DISTINCT a, b FROM t ORDER BY c LIMIT d)</code> to <code>[ NOT ] EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM t)</code>.
+<p>
+In <code>EXISTS</code> subqueries, quite a few <code>SELECT</code> clauses are meaningless, and can
+thus be removed. These include:
+<ul>
+<li><code>SELECT</code> (any projection can be ignored)</li>
+<li><code>DISTINCT</code></li>
+<li><code>ORDER BY</code></li>
+<li><code>LIMIT</code> (except <code>LIMIT 0</code>, in case of which {@link #transformPatternsTrivialPredicates} applies).</li>
+</ul>
+<p>
+To enable this feature, {@link #transformPatterns} must be enabled as well.
+<p>
+This feature is available in the commercial distribution only.]]></jxb:javadoc></jxb:property></appinfo></annotation>
+      </element>
+      
       <element name="transformPatternsCountConstant" type="boolean" minOccurs="0" maxOccurs="1" default="true">
         <annotation><appinfo><jxb:property><jxb:javadoc><![CDATA[Transform <code>COUNT(1)</code> or any other <code>COUNT(const)</code> to <code>COUNT(*)</code>.
 <p>