proposal: psql \setfileref

diff --git a/src/bin/psql/command.c b/src/bin/psql/command.c
index a9a2fdb..af38ff9 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/command.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/command.c
@@ -1363,6 +1363,32 @@ exec_command(const char *cmd,
 		free(envval);
 	}
 
+	/* \setfileref - set variable by reference on file */
+	else if (strcmp(cmd, "setfileref") == 0)
+	{
+		char	   *name = psql_scan_slash_option(scan_state,
+												  OT_NORMAL, NULL, false);
+
+		char	   *ref = psql_scan_slash_option(scan_state,
+										 OT_NORMAL, NULL, false);
+
+		success = false;
+
+		if (!name || !ref)
+		{
+			psql_error("\\%s: missing required argument\n", cmd);
+			success = false;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			if (!SetFileRef(pset.vars, name, ref))
+			{
+				psql_error("\\%s: error while setting variable\n", cmd);
+				success = false;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* \sf -- show a function's source code */
 	else if (strcmp(cmd, "sf") == 0 || strcmp(cmd, "sf+") == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.c b/src/bin/psql/common.c
index a7789df..b160228 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "command.h"
 #include "copy.h"
+#include "catalog/pg_type.h"
 #include "crosstabview.h"
 #include "fe_utils/mbprint.h"
 
@@ -33,7 +34,6 @@ static bool ExecQueryUsingCursor(const char *query, double *elapsed_msec);
 static bool command_no_begin(const char *query);
 static bool is_select_command(const char *query);
 
-
 /*
  * openQueryOutputFile --- attempt to open a query output file
  *
@@ -109,6 +109,120 @@ setQFout(const char *fname)
 	return true;
 }
 
+void
+psql_reset_query_params(void)
+{
+	int			i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < pset.nparams; i++)
+		if (pset.params[i] != NULL)
+		{
+			PQfreemem(pset.params[i]);
+			pset.params[i] = NULL;
+		}
+
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Load a content of the file_ref related file to query params buffer.
+ * When escaping is requested, then the text content is expected.
+ * Without escaping the bytea content is expected and related bytea
+ * escaping is processed.
+ */
+static char *
+get_file_ref_content(const char *value, bool escape, bool as_ident)
+{
+	PQExpBufferData		buffer;
+	FILE			   *fd = NULL;
+	char			   *fname;
+	char			   *escaped_value;
+	char				line[1024];
+	size_t				size;
+
+	fname = pstrdup(value);
+
+	expand_tilde(&fname);
+	if (!fname)
+	{
+		psql_error("missing valid path to file\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	canonicalize_path(fname);
+
+	fd = fopen(fname, PG_BINARY_R);
+	if (!fd)
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* can append another parameter */
+	if (pset.nparams >= MAX_BINARY_PARAMS)
+	{
+		psql_error("too much binary parameters");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (!pset.db)
+	{
+		psql_error("cannot escape without active connection\n");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	initPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+
+	while ((size = fread(line, 1, sizeof(line), fd)) > 0)
+		appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&buffer, line, size);
+
+	if (ferror(fd))
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (escape)
+	{
+		if (as_ident)
+			escaped_value =
+				PQescapeIdentifier(pset.db, buffer.data, buffer.len);
+		else
+			escaped_value =
+				PQescapeLiteral(pset.db, buffer.data, buffer.len);
+		pset.paramTypes[pset.nparams] = UNKNOWNOID;
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		escaped_value = (char *)
+				PQescapeByteaConn(pset.db,
+					(const unsigned char *) buffer.data, buffer.len, &size);
+		pset.paramTypes[pset.nparams] = BYTEAOID;
+	}
+
+	/* fname, buffer is not necessary longer */
+	PQfreemem(fname);
+	termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+
+	if (escaped_value == NULL)
+	{
+		const char *error = PQerrorMessage(pset.db);
+
+		psql_error("%s", error);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	pset.params[pset.nparams] = escaped_value;
+
+	snprintf(line, sizeof(line) - 1, "$%d", ++pset.nparams);
+
+	return pstrdup(line);
+}
 
 /*
  * Variable-fetching callback for flex lexer
@@ -125,11 +239,15 @@ psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
 {
 	char	   *result;
 	const char *value;
+	bool        is_file_ref;
 
-	value = GetVariable(pset.vars, varname);
+	value = (char *) GetVariableOrFileRef(pset.vars, varname, &is_file_ref);
 	if (!value)
 		return NULL;
 
+	if (is_file_ref)
+		return get_file_ref_content(value, escape, as_ident);
+
 	if (escape)
 	{
 		char	   *escaped_value;
@@ -1287,7 +1405,16 @@ SendQuery(const char *query)
 		if (pset.timing)
 			INSTR_TIME_SET_CURRENT(before);
 
-		results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
+		if (pset.nparams > 0)
+			results = PQexecParams(pset.db, query,
+										pset.nparams,
+										pset.paramTypes,
+										(const char * const *) pset.params,
+										NULL,
+										NULL,
+										0);
+		else
+			results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
 
 		/* these operations are included in the timing result: */
 		ResetCancelConn();
@@ -1432,7 +1559,6 @@ sendquery_cleanup:
 	return OK;
 }
 
-
 /*
  * ExecQueryUsingCursor: run a SELECT-like query using a cursor
  *
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.h b/src/bin/psql/common.h
index bdcb58f..4f46b9c 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ extern int	PSQLexecWatch(const char *query, const printQueryOpt *opt);
 
 extern bool SendQuery(const char *query);
 
+void psql_reset_query_params(void);
+
 extern bool is_superuser(void);
 extern bool standard_strings(void);
 extern const char *session_username(void);
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
index 37dfa4d..23fd6d3 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ const PsqlScanCallbacks psqlscan_callbacks = {
 	psql_error
 };
 
-
 /*
  * Main processing loop for reading lines of input
  *	and sending them to the backend.
@@ -403,6 +402,9 @@ MainLoop(FILE *source)
 		psql_scan_finish(scan_state);
 		free(line);
 
+		/* reset binary parameters */
+		psql_reset_query_params();
+
 		if (slashCmdStatus == PSQL_CMD_TERMINATE)
 		{
 			successResult = EXIT_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/settings.h b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
index 8cfe9d2..2874704 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/settings.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ enum trivalue
 	TRI_YES
 };
 
+#define MAX_BINARY_PARAMS		32
+
 typedef struct _psqlSettings
 {
 	PGconn	   *db;				/* connection to backend */
@@ -135,6 +137,9 @@ typedef struct _psqlSettings
 	const char *prompt3;
 	PGVerbosity verbosity;		/* current error verbosity level */
 	PGContextVisibility show_context;	/* current context display level */
+	int		nparams;
+	Oid		paramTypes[MAX_BINARY_PARAMS];
+	char	*params[MAX_BINARY_PARAMS];
 } PsqlSettings;
 
 extern PsqlSettings pset;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index 7ce05fb..05715a6 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	char		password[100];
 	char	   *password_prompt = NULL;
 	bool		new_pass;
+	int			i;
 
 	set_pglocale_pgservice(argv[0], PG_TEXTDOMAIN("psql"));
 
@@ -140,6 +141,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	pset.cur_cmd_source = stdin;
 	pset.cur_cmd_interactive = false;
 
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < MAX_BINARY_PARAMS; i++)
+		pset.params[i] = NULL;
+
 	/* We rely on unmentioned fields of pset.popt to start out 0/false/NULL */
 	pset.popt.topt.format = PRINT_ALIGNED;
 	pset.popt.topt.border = 1;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
index 50a45eb..ff4bf73 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		"\\f", "\\g", "\\gexec", "\\gset", "\\h", "\\help", "\\H", "\\i", "\\ir", "\\l",
 		"\\lo_import", "\\lo_export", "\\lo_list", "\\lo_unlink",
 		"\\o", "\\p", "\\password", "\\prompt", "\\pset", "\\q", "\\qecho", "\\r",
-		"\\s", "\\set", "\\setenv", "\\sf", "\\sv", "\\t", "\\T",
+		"\\s", "\\set", "\\setenv", "\\setfileref", "\\sf", "\\sv", "\\t", "\\T",
 		"\\timing", "\\unset", "\\x", "\\w", "\\watch", "\\z", "\\!", NULL
 	};
 
@@ -3128,6 +3128,12 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
 	}
 
+	else if (Matches2("\\setfileref", MatchAny))
+	{
+		completion_charp = "\\";
+		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Finally, we look through the list of "things", such as TABLE, INDEX and
 	 * check if that was the previous word. If so, execute the query to get a
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/variables.c b/src/bin/psql/variables.c
index f43f418..1c12719 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/variables.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/variables.c
@@ -71,6 +71,31 @@ GetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name)
 		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
 		{
 			/* this is correct answer when value is NULL, too */
+
+			return current->value;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *
+GetVariableOrFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, bool *is_file_ref)
+{
+	struct _variable *current;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return NULL;
+
+	for (current = space->next; current; current = current->next)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
+		{
+			/* this is correct answer when value is NULL, too */
+
+			if (is_file_ref)
+				*is_file_ref = current->is_file_ref;
+
 			return current->value;
 		}
 	}
@@ -178,7 +203,7 @@ PrintVariables(VariableSpace space)
 	for (ptr = space->next; ptr; ptr = ptr->next)
 	{
 		if (ptr->value)
-			printf("%s = '%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->value);
+			printf("%s = %s'%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->is_file_ref ? "^" : "", ptr->value);
 		if (cancel_pressed)
 			break;
 	}
@@ -218,6 +243,47 @@ SetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value)
 	/* not present, make new entry */
 	current = pg_malloc(sizeof *current);
 	current->name = pg_strdup(name);
+	current->is_file_ref = false;
+	current->value = pg_strdup(value);
+	current->assign_hook = NULL;
+	current->next = NULL;
+	previous->next = current;
+	return true;
+}
+
+bool
+SetFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value)
+{
+	struct _variable *current,
+			   *previous;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return false;
+
+	if (!valid_variable_name(name))
+		return false;
+
+	if (!value)
+		return DeleteVariable(space, name);
+
+	for (previous = space, current = space->next;
+		 current;
+		 previous = current, current = current->next)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
+		{
+			/* found entry, so update */
+			if (current->value)
+				free(current->value);
+			current->value = pg_strdup(value);
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* not present, make new entry */
+	current = pg_malloc(sizeof *current);
+	current->is_file_ref = true;
+	current->name = pg_strdup(name);
 	current->value = pg_strdup(value);
 	current->assign_hook = NULL;
 	current->next = NULL;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/variables.h b/src/bin/psql/variables.h
index d7a05a1..8b24441 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/variables.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/variables.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ struct _variable
 {
 	char	   *name;
 	char	   *value;
+	bool		is_file_ref;
 	VariableAssignHook assign_hook;
 	struct _variable *next;
 };
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ typedef struct _variable *VariableSpace;
 
 VariableSpace CreateVariableSpace(void);
 const char *GetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
+const char *GetVariableOrFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, bool *is_file_ref);
 
 bool		ParseVariableBool(const char *value, const char *name);
 int ParseVariableNum(const char *val,
@@ -49,6 +51,7 @@ int GetVariableNum(VariableSpace space,
 void		PrintVariables(VariableSpace space);
 
 bool		SetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value);
+bool		SetFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value);
 bool		SetVariableAssignHook(VariableSpace space, const char *name, VariableAssignHook hook);
 bool		SetVariableBool(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
 bool		DeleteVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name);

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 4806e77..9fb9cd9 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -2714,6 +2714,24 @@ testdb=&gt; <userinput>\setenv LESS -imx4F</userinput>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
+        <term><literal>\setfileref <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ <replaceable class="parameter">value</replaceable> ]</literal></term>
+
+        <listitem>
+        <para>
+        Sets the internal variable name as a reference to the file path
+        set as value. To unset a variable, use the <command>\unset</command> command.
+
+        File references are shown as file path prefixed with the ^ character
+        when using the <command>\set</command> command alone.
+
+        Valid variable names can contain characters, digits, and underscores.
+        See the section Variables below for details. Variable names are
+        case-sensitive.
+        </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <varlistentry>
         <term><literal>\sf[+] <replaceable class="parameter">function_description</> </literal></term>
 
         <listitem>
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/command.c b/src/bin/psql/command.c
index a9a2fdb..daa40b2 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/command.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/command.c
@@ -1363,6 +1363,41 @@ exec_command(const char *cmd,
 		free(envval);
 	}
 
+	/* \setfileref - set variable by reference on file */
+	else if (strcmp(cmd, "setfileref") == 0)
+	{
+		char	   *name = psql_scan_slash_option(scan_state,
+												  OT_NORMAL, NULL, false);
+
+		char	   *ref = psql_scan_slash_option(scan_state,
+										 OT_NORMAL, NULL, false);
+
+		success = false;
+
+		if (!name && !ref)
+		{
+			/* list all variables */
+			PrintSetFileRefVariables(pset.vars);
+			success = true;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			if (!name || !ref)
+			{
+				psql_error("\\%s: missing required argument\n", cmd);
+				success = false;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				if (!SetFileRef(pset.vars, name, ref))
+				{
+					psql_error("\\%s: error while setting variable\n", cmd);
+					success = false;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* \sf -- show a function's source code */
 	else if (strcmp(cmd, "sf") == 0 || strcmp(cmd, "sf+") == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.c b/src/bin/psql/common.c
index a7789df..64fa5a2 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.c
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <math.h>
 #include <signal.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
 #ifndef WIN32
 #include <unistd.h>				/* for write() */
 #else
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "command.h"
 #include "copy.h"
+#include "catalog/pg_type.h"
 #include "crosstabview.h"
 #include "fe_utils/mbprint.h"
 
@@ -33,7 +36,6 @@ static bool ExecQueryUsingCursor(const char *query, double *elapsed_msec);
 static bool command_no_begin(const char *query);
 static bool is_select_command(const char *query);
 
-
 /*
  * openQueryOutputFile --- attempt to open a query output file
  *
@@ -109,6 +111,143 @@ setQFout(const char *fname)
 	return true;
 }
 
+void
+psql_reset_query_params(void)
+{
+	int			i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < pset.nparams; i++)
+		if (pset.params[i] != NULL)
+		{
+			PQfreemem(pset.params[i]);
+			pset.params[i] = NULL;
+		}
+
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Load a content of the file_ref related file to query params buffer.
+ * When escaping is requested, then the text content is expected.
+ * Without escaping the bytea content is expected and related bytea
+ * escaping is processed.
+ */
+static char *
+get_file_ref_content(const char *value, bool escape, bool as_ident)
+{
+	PQExpBufferData		buffer;
+	FILE			   *fd = NULL;
+	char			   *fname;
+	char			   *escaped_value;
+	char				line[1024];
+	size_t				size;
+	struct				stat fst;
+
+	fname = pstrdup(value);
+
+	expand_tilde(&fname);
+	if (!fname)
+	{
+		psql_error("missing valid path to file\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	canonicalize_path(fname);
+
+	fd = fopen(fname, PG_BINARY_R);
+	if (!fd)
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* ensure, max size of file content < 1GB */
+	if (fstat(fileno(fd), &fst) == -1)
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (fst.st_size > ((int64) 1024) * 1024 * 1024)
+	{
+		psql_error("file %s is too big (bigger than 1GB)\n", fname);
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* can append another parameter */
+	if (pset.nparams >= MAX_BINARY_PARAMS)
+	{
+		psql_error("too much binary parameters");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (!pset.db)
+	{
+		psql_error("cannot escape without active connection\n");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	initPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+
+	while ((size = fread(line, 1, sizeof(line), fd)) > 0)
+		appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&buffer, line, size);
+
+	if (ferror(fd))
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (escape)
+	{
+		if (as_ident)
+		{
+			/* Identifiers should not be passed as query parameters */
+			psql_error("A file reference cannot be used as a identifier");
+			PQfreemem(fname);
+			termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			/* escaping is not necessary for text parameters */
+			escaped_value = pstrdup(buffer.data);
+			pset.paramTypes[pset.nparams] = TEXTOID;
+		}
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		escaped_value = (char *)
+				PQescapeByteaConn(pset.db,
+					(const unsigned char *) buffer.data, buffer.len, &size);
+		pset.paramTypes[pset.nparams] = BYTEAOID;
+	}
+
+	/* fname, buffer is not necessary longer */
+	PQfreemem(fname);
+	termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+
+	if (escaped_value == NULL)
+	{
+		const char *error = PQerrorMessage(pset.db);
+
+		psql_error("%s", error);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	pset.params[pset.nparams] = escaped_value;
+
+	snprintf(line, sizeof(line) - 1, "$%d", ++pset.nparams);
+
+	return pstrdup(line);
+}
 
 /*
  * Variable-fetching callback for flex lexer
@@ -125,11 +264,15 @@ psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
 {
 	char	   *result;
 	const char *value;
+	bool        is_file_ref;
 
-	value = GetVariable(pset.vars, varname);
+	value = (char *) GetVariableOrFileRef(pset.vars, varname, &is_file_ref);
 	if (!value)
 		return NULL;
 
+	if (is_file_ref)
+		return get_file_ref_content(value, escape, as_ident);
+
 	if (escape)
 	{
 		char	   *escaped_value;
@@ -1287,7 +1430,16 @@ SendQuery(const char *query)
 		if (pset.timing)
 			INSTR_TIME_SET_CURRENT(before);
 
-		results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
+		if (pset.nparams > 0)
+			results = PQexecParams(pset.db, query,
+										pset.nparams,
+										pset.paramTypes,
+										(const char * const *) pset.params,
+										NULL,
+										NULL,
+										0);
+		else
+			results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
 
 		/* these operations are included in the timing result: */
 		ResetCancelConn();
@@ -1432,7 +1584,6 @@ sendquery_cleanup:
 	return OK;
 }
 
-
 /*
  * ExecQueryUsingCursor: run a SELECT-like query using a cursor
  *
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.h b/src/bin/psql/common.h
index bdcb58f..4f46b9c 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ extern int	PSQLexecWatch(const char *query, const printQueryOpt *opt);
 
 extern bool SendQuery(const char *query);
 
+void psql_reset_query_params(void);
+
 extern bool is_superuser(void);
 extern bool standard_strings(void);
 extern const char *session_username(void);
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
index 37dfa4d..23fd6d3 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ const PsqlScanCallbacks psqlscan_callbacks = {
 	psql_error
 };
 
-
 /*
  * Main processing loop for reading lines of input
  *	and sending them to the backend.
@@ -403,6 +402,9 @@ MainLoop(FILE *source)
 		psql_scan_finish(scan_state);
 		free(line);
 
+		/* reset binary parameters */
+		psql_reset_query_params();
+
 		if (slashCmdStatus == PSQL_CMD_TERMINATE)
 		{
 			successResult = EXIT_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/settings.h b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
index 8cfe9d2..2874704 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/settings.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ enum trivalue
 	TRI_YES
 };
 
+#define MAX_BINARY_PARAMS		32
+
 typedef struct _psqlSettings
 {
 	PGconn	   *db;				/* connection to backend */
@@ -135,6 +137,9 @@ typedef struct _psqlSettings
 	const char *prompt3;
 	PGVerbosity verbosity;		/* current error verbosity level */
 	PGContextVisibility show_context;	/* current context display level */
+	int		nparams;
+	Oid		paramTypes[MAX_BINARY_PARAMS];
+	char	*params[MAX_BINARY_PARAMS];
 } PsqlSettings;
 
 extern PsqlSettings pset;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index 7ce05fb..05715a6 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	char		password[100];
 	char	   *password_prompt = NULL;
 	bool		new_pass;
+	int			i;
 
 	set_pglocale_pgservice(argv[0], PG_TEXTDOMAIN("psql"));
 
@@ -140,6 +141,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	pset.cur_cmd_source = stdin;
 	pset.cur_cmd_interactive = false;
 
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < MAX_BINARY_PARAMS; i++)
+		pset.params[i] = NULL;
+
 	/* We rely on unmentioned fields of pset.popt to start out 0/false/NULL */
 	pset.popt.topt.format = PRINT_ALIGNED;
 	pset.popt.topt.border = 1;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
index 50a45eb..ff4bf73 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		"\\f", "\\g", "\\gexec", "\\gset", "\\h", "\\help", "\\H", "\\i", "\\ir", "\\l",
 		"\\lo_import", "\\lo_export", "\\lo_list", "\\lo_unlink",
 		"\\o", "\\p", "\\password", "\\prompt", "\\pset", "\\q", "\\qecho", "\\r",
-		"\\s", "\\set", "\\setenv", "\\sf", "\\sv", "\\t", "\\T",
+		"\\s", "\\set", "\\setenv", "\\setfileref", "\\sf", "\\sv", "\\t", "\\T",
 		"\\timing", "\\unset", "\\x", "\\w", "\\watch", "\\z", "\\!", NULL
 	};
 
@@ -3128,6 +3128,12 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
 	}
 
+	else if (Matches2("\\setfileref", MatchAny))
+	{
+		completion_charp = "\\";
+		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Finally, we look through the list of "things", such as TABLE, INDEX and
 	 * check if that was the previous word. If so, execute the query to get a
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/variables.c b/src/bin/psql/variables.c
index f43f418..74b3f7b 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/variables.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/variables.c
@@ -71,6 +71,31 @@ GetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name)
 		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
 		{
 			/* this is correct answer when value is NULL, too */
+
+			return current->value;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *
+GetVariableOrFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, bool *is_file_ref)
+{
+	struct _variable *current;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return NULL;
+
+	for (current = space->next; current; current = current->next)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
+		{
+			/* this is correct answer when value is NULL, too */
+
+			if (is_file_ref)
+				*is_file_ref = current->is_file_ref;
+
 			return current->value;
 		}
 	}
@@ -178,7 +203,7 @@ PrintVariables(VariableSpace space)
 	for (ptr = space->next; ptr; ptr = ptr->next)
 	{
 		if (ptr->value)
-			printf("%s = '%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->value);
+			printf("%s = %s'%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->is_file_ref ? "^" : "", ptr->value);
 		if (cancel_pressed)
 			break;
 	}
@@ -218,6 +243,64 @@ SetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value)
 	/* not present, make new entry */
 	current = pg_malloc(sizeof *current);
 	current->name = pg_strdup(name);
+	current->is_file_ref = false;
+	current->value = pg_strdup(value);
+	current->assign_hook = NULL;
+	current->next = NULL;
+	previous->next = current;
+	return true;
+}
+
+void
+PrintSetFileRefVariables(VariableSpace space)
+{
+	struct _variable *ptr;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return;
+
+	for (ptr = space->next; ptr; ptr = ptr->next)
+	{
+		if (ptr->is_file_ref && ptr->value)
+			printf("%s = '%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->value);
+		if (cancel_pressed)
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
+bool
+SetFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value)
+{
+	struct _variable *current,
+			   *previous;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return false;
+
+	if (!valid_variable_name(name))
+		return false;
+
+	if (!value)
+		return DeleteVariable(space, name);
+
+	for (previous = space, current = space->next;
+		 current;
+		 previous = current, current = current->next)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
+		{
+			/* found entry, so update */
+			if (current->value)
+				free(current->value);
+			current->value = pg_strdup(value);
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* not present, make new entry */
+	current = pg_malloc(sizeof *current);
+	current->is_file_ref = true;
+	current->name = pg_strdup(name);
 	current->value = pg_strdup(value);
 	current->assign_hook = NULL;
 	current->next = NULL;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/variables.h b/src/bin/psql/variables.h
index d7a05a1..bad4e37 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/variables.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/variables.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ struct _variable
 {
 	char	   *name;
 	char	   *value;
+	bool		is_file_ref;
 	VariableAssignHook assign_hook;
 	struct _variable *next;
 };
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ typedef struct _variable *VariableSpace;
 
 VariableSpace CreateVariableSpace(void);
 const char *GetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
+const char *GetVariableOrFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, bool *is_file_ref);
 
 bool		ParseVariableBool(const char *value, const char *name);
 int ParseVariableNum(const char *val,
@@ -47,8 +49,11 @@ int GetVariableNum(VariableSpace space,
 			   bool allowtrail);
 
 void		PrintVariables(VariableSpace space);
+void		PrintSetFileRefVariables(VariableSpace space);
+
 
 bool		SetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value);
+bool		SetFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value);
 bool		SetVariableAssignHook(VariableSpace space, const char *name, VariableAssignHook hook);
 bool		SetVariableBool(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
 bool		DeleteVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
diff --git a/src/test/regress/input/misc.source b/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
index dd2d1b2..1ca29fb 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
@@ -263,6 +263,29 @@ select i, length(t), octet_length(t), oldstyle_length(i,t) from oldstyle_test;
 drop table oldstyle_test;
 
 --
+-- psql refvariables
+--
+
+CREATE TABLE test_setref(a text, b bytea);
+
+-- use two different ways for import data - result should be same
+\lo_import @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+\set lo_oid :LASTOID
+INSERT INTO test_setref (b) VALUES(lo_get(:lo_oid));
+\lo_unlink :lo_oid
+SELECT md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+
+\setfileref testdata @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+INSERT INTO test_setref VALUES(convert_from(:testdata, current_setting('server_encoding')), :testdata);
+SELECT md5(a), md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+INSERT INTO test_setref(a) VALUES(:'testdata');
+SELECT md5(a) FROM test_setref;
+
+DROP TABLE test_setref;
+
+--
 -- functional joins
 --
 
diff --git a/src/test/regress/output/misc.source b/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
index 574ef0d..a26b461 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
@@ -700,6 +700,39 @@ select i, length(t), octet_length(t), oldstyle_length(i,t) from oldstyle_test;
 
 drop table oldstyle_test;
 --
+-- psql refvariables
+--
+CREATE TABLE test_setref(a text, b bytea);
+-- use two different ways for import data - result should be same
+\lo_import @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+\set lo_oid :LASTOID
+INSERT INTO test_setref (b) VALUES(lo_get(:lo_oid));
+\lo_unlink :lo_oid
+SELECT md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                
+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+\setfileref testdata @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+INSERT INTO test_setref VALUES(convert_from(:testdata, current_setting('server_encoding')), :testdata);
+SELECT md5(a), md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                |               md5                
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb | e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+INSERT INTO test_setref(a) VALUES(:'testdata');
+SELECT md5(a) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                
+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+DROP TABLE test_setref;
+--
 -- functional joins
 --
 --

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 4806e77..9fb9cd9 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -2714,6 +2714,24 @@ testdb=&gt; <userinput>\setenv LESS -imx4F</userinput>
       </varlistentry>
 
       <varlistentry>
+        <term><literal>\setfileref <replaceable class="parameter">name</replaceable> [ <replaceable class="parameter">value</replaceable> ]</literal></term>
+
+        <listitem>
+        <para>
+        Sets the internal variable name as a reference to the file path
+        set as value. To unset a variable, use the <command>\unset</command> command.
+
+        File references are shown as file path prefixed with the ^ character
+        when using the <command>\set</command> command alone.
+
+        Valid variable names can contain characters, digits, and underscores.
+        See the section Variables below for details. Variable names are
+        case-sensitive.
+        </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <varlistentry>
         <term><literal>\sf[+] <replaceable class="parameter">function_description</> </literal></term>
 
         <listitem>
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/command.c b/src/bin/psql/command.c
index a9a2fdb..daa40b2 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/command.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/command.c
@@ -1363,6 +1363,41 @@ exec_command(const char *cmd,
 		free(envval);
 	}
 
+	/* \setfileref - set variable by reference on file */
+	else if (strcmp(cmd, "setfileref") == 0)
+	{
+		char	   *name = psql_scan_slash_option(scan_state,
+												  OT_NORMAL, NULL, false);
+
+		char	   *ref = psql_scan_slash_option(scan_state,
+										 OT_NORMAL, NULL, false);
+
+		success = false;
+
+		if (!name && !ref)
+		{
+			/* list all variables */
+			PrintSetFileRefVariables(pset.vars);
+			success = true;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			if (!name || !ref)
+			{
+				psql_error("\\%s: missing required argument\n", cmd);
+				success = false;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				if (!SetFileRef(pset.vars, name, ref))
+				{
+					psql_error("\\%s: error while setting variable\n", cmd);
+					success = false;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	/* \sf -- show a function's source code */
 	else if (strcmp(cmd, "sf") == 0 || strcmp(cmd, "sf+") == 0)
 	{
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.c b/src/bin/psql/common.c
index a7789df..58b0065 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.c
@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <math.h>
 #include <signal.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
+
 #ifndef WIN32
 #include <unistd.h>				/* for write() */
 #else
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "settings.h"
 #include "command.h"
 #include "copy.h"
+#include "catalog/pg_type.h"
 #include "crosstabview.h"
 #include "fe_utils/mbprint.h"
 
@@ -33,7 +36,6 @@ static bool ExecQueryUsingCursor(const char *query, double *elapsed_msec);
 static bool command_no_begin(const char *query);
 static bool is_select_command(const char *query);
 
-
 /*
  * openQueryOutputFile --- attempt to open a query output file
  *
@@ -109,6 +111,150 @@ setQFout(const char *fname)
 	return true;
 }
 
+void
+psql_reset_query_params(void)
+{
+	int			i;
+
+	for (i = 0; i < pset.nparams; i++)
+		if (pset.params[i] != NULL)
+		{
+			PQfreemem(pset.params[i]);
+			pset.params[i] = NULL;
+		}
+
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Load a content of the file_ref related file to query params buffer.
+ * When escaping is requested, then the text content is expected.
+ * Without escaping the bytea content is expected and related bytea
+ * escaping is processed.
+ */
+static char *
+get_file_ref_content(const char *value, bool escape, bool as_ident)
+{
+	PQExpBufferData		buffer;
+	FILE			   *fd = NULL;
+	char			   *fname;
+	char			   *escaped_value;
+	char				line[1024];
+	size_t				size;
+	struct stat			fst;
+
+	fname = pstrdup(value);
+
+	expand_tilde(&fname);
+	if (!fname)
+	{
+		psql_error("missing valid path to file\n");
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	canonicalize_path(fname);
+
+	fd = fopen(fname, PG_BINARY_R);
+	if (!fd)
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* ensure, max size of file content < 1GB */
+	if (fstat(fileno(fd), &fst) == -1)
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (!S_ISREG(fst.st_mode))
+	{
+		psql_error("referenced file of file ref variable is not regular file\n");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (fst.st_size > ((int64) 1024) * 1024 * 1024)
+	{
+		psql_error("file %s is too big (bigger than 1GB)\n", fname);
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	/* can append another parameter */
+	if (pset.nparams >= MAX_BINARY_PARAMS)
+	{
+		psql_error("too much binary parameters");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (!pset.db)
+	{
+		psql_error("cannot escape without active connection\n");
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	initPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+
+	while ((size = fread(line, 1, sizeof(line), fd)) > 0)
+		appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&buffer, line, size);
+
+	if (ferror(fd))
+	{
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+		PQfreemem(fname);
+		termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (escape)
+	{
+		if (as_ident)
+		{
+			/* Identifiers should not be passed as query parameters */
+			psql_error("A file reference cannot be used as a identifier");
+			PQfreemem(fname);
+			termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+			return NULL;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			/* escaping is not necessary for text parameters */
+			escaped_value = pstrdup(buffer.data);
+			pset.paramTypes[pset.nparams] = TEXTOID;
+		}
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		escaped_value = (char *)
+				PQescapeByteaConn(pset.db,
+					(const unsigned char *) buffer.data, buffer.len, &size);
+		pset.paramTypes[pset.nparams] = BYTEAOID;
+	}
+
+	/* fname, buffer is not necessary longer */
+	PQfreemem(fname);
+	termPQExpBuffer(&buffer);
+
+	if (escaped_value == NULL)
+	{
+		const char *error = PQerrorMessage(pset.db);
+
+		psql_error("%s", error);
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
+	pset.params[pset.nparams] = escaped_value;
+
+	snprintf(line, sizeof(line) - 1, "$%d", ++pset.nparams);
+
+	return pstrdup(line);
+}
 
 /*
  * Variable-fetching callback for flex lexer
@@ -125,11 +271,15 @@ psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
 {
 	char	   *result;
 	const char *value;
+	bool        is_file_ref;
 
-	value = GetVariable(pset.vars, varname);
+	value = (char *) GetVariableOrFileRef(pset.vars, varname, &is_file_ref);
 	if (!value)
 		return NULL;
 
+	if (is_file_ref)
+		return get_file_ref_content(value, escape, as_ident);
+
 	if (escape)
 	{
 		char	   *escaped_value;
@@ -1287,7 +1437,16 @@ SendQuery(const char *query)
 		if (pset.timing)
 			INSTR_TIME_SET_CURRENT(before);
 
-		results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
+		if (pset.nparams > 0)
+			results = PQexecParams(pset.db, query,
+										pset.nparams,
+										pset.paramTypes,
+										(const char * const *) pset.params,
+										NULL,
+										NULL,
+										0);
+		else
+			results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
 
 		/* these operations are included in the timing result: */
 		ResetCancelConn();
@@ -1432,7 +1591,6 @@ sendquery_cleanup:
 	return OK;
 }
 
-
 /*
  * ExecQueryUsingCursor: run a SELECT-like query using a cursor
  *
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.h b/src/bin/psql/common.h
index bdcb58f..4f46b9c 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.h
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ extern int	PSQLexecWatch(const char *query, const printQueryOpt *opt);
 
 extern bool SendQuery(const char *query);
 
+void psql_reset_query_params(void);
+
 extern bool is_superuser(void);
 extern bool standard_strings(void);
 extern const char *session_username(void);
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
index 37dfa4d..23fd6d3 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
@@ -23,7 +23,6 @@ const PsqlScanCallbacks psqlscan_callbacks = {
 	psql_error
 };
 
-
 /*
  * Main processing loop for reading lines of input
  *	and sending them to the backend.
@@ -403,6 +402,9 @@ MainLoop(FILE *source)
 		psql_scan_finish(scan_state);
 		free(line);
 
+		/* reset binary parameters */
+		psql_reset_query_params();
+
 		if (slashCmdStatus == PSQL_CMD_TERMINATE)
 		{
 			successResult = EXIT_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/settings.h b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
index 8cfe9d2..2874704 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/settings.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ enum trivalue
 	TRI_YES
 };
 
+#define MAX_BINARY_PARAMS		32
+
 typedef struct _psqlSettings
 {
 	PGconn	   *db;				/* connection to backend */
@@ -135,6 +137,9 @@ typedef struct _psqlSettings
 	const char *prompt3;
 	PGVerbosity verbosity;		/* current error verbosity level */
 	PGContextVisibility show_context;	/* current context display level */
+	int		nparams;
+	Oid		paramTypes[MAX_BINARY_PARAMS];
+	char	*params[MAX_BINARY_PARAMS];
 } PsqlSettings;
 
 extern PsqlSettings pset;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index 7ce05fb..05715a6 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -107,6 +107,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	char		password[100];
 	char	   *password_prompt = NULL;
 	bool		new_pass;
+	int			i;
 
 	set_pglocale_pgservice(argv[0], PG_TEXTDOMAIN("psql"));
 
@@ -140,6 +141,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	pset.cur_cmd_source = stdin;
 	pset.cur_cmd_interactive = false;
 
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+	for (i = 0; i < MAX_BINARY_PARAMS; i++)
+		pset.params[i] = NULL;
+
 	/* We rely on unmentioned fields of pset.popt to start out 0/false/NULL */
 	pset.popt.topt.format = PRINT_ALIGNED;
 	pset.popt.topt.border = 1;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
index 50a45eb..ff4bf73 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
@@ -1294,7 +1294,7 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		"\\f", "\\g", "\\gexec", "\\gset", "\\h", "\\help", "\\H", "\\i", "\\ir", "\\l",
 		"\\lo_import", "\\lo_export", "\\lo_list", "\\lo_unlink",
 		"\\o", "\\p", "\\password", "\\prompt", "\\pset", "\\q", "\\qecho", "\\r",
-		"\\s", "\\set", "\\setenv", "\\sf", "\\sv", "\\t", "\\T",
+		"\\s", "\\set", "\\setenv", "\\setfileref", "\\sf", "\\sv", "\\t", "\\T",
 		"\\timing", "\\unset", "\\x", "\\w", "\\watch", "\\z", "\\!", NULL
 	};
 
@@ -3128,6 +3128,12 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
 	}
 
+	else if (Matches2("\\setfileref", MatchAny))
+	{
+		completion_charp = "\\";
+		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Finally, we look through the list of "things", such as TABLE, INDEX and
 	 * check if that was the previous word. If so, execute the query to get a
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/variables.c b/src/bin/psql/variables.c
index f43f418..d75a590 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/variables.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/variables.c
@@ -71,6 +71,31 @@ GetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name)
 		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
 		{
 			/* this is correct answer when value is NULL, too */
+
+			return current->value;
+		}
+	}
+
+	return NULL;
+}
+
+const char *
+GetVariableOrFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, bool *is_file_ref)
+{
+	struct _variable *current;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return NULL;
+
+	for (current = space->next; current; current = current->next)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
+		{
+			/* this is correct answer when value is NULL, too */
+
+			if (is_file_ref)
+				*is_file_ref = current->is_file_ref;
+
 			return current->value;
 		}
 	}
@@ -178,7 +203,7 @@ PrintVariables(VariableSpace space)
 	for (ptr = space->next; ptr; ptr = ptr->next)
 	{
 		if (ptr->value)
-			printf("%s = '%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->value);
+			printf("%s = %s'%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->is_file_ref ? "^" : "", ptr->value);
 		if (cancel_pressed)
 			break;
 	}
@@ -218,6 +243,64 @@ SetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value)
 	/* not present, make new entry */
 	current = pg_malloc(sizeof *current);
 	current->name = pg_strdup(name);
+	current->is_file_ref = false;
+	current->value = pg_strdup(value);
+	current->assign_hook = NULL;
+	current->next = NULL;
+	previous->next = current;
+	return true;
+}
+
+void
+PrintSetFileRefVariables(VariableSpace space)
+{
+	struct _variable *ptr;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return;
+
+	for (ptr = space->next; ptr; ptr = ptr->next)
+	{
+		if (ptr->is_file_ref && ptr->value)
+			printf("%s = ^'%s'\n", ptr->name, ptr->value);
+		if (cancel_pressed)
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
+bool
+SetFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value)
+{
+	struct _variable *current,
+			   *previous;
+
+	if (!space)
+		return false;
+
+	if (!valid_variable_name(name))
+		return false;
+
+	if (!value)
+		return DeleteVariable(space, name);
+
+	for (previous = space, current = space->next;
+		 current;
+		 previous = current, current = current->next)
+	{
+		if (strcmp(current->name, name) == 0)
+		{
+			/* found entry, so update */
+			if (current->value)
+				free(current->value);
+			current->value = pg_strdup(value);
+			return true;
+		}
+	}
+
+	/* not present, make new entry */
+	current = pg_malloc(sizeof *current);
+	current->is_file_ref = true;
+	current->name = pg_strdup(name);
 	current->value = pg_strdup(value);
 	current->assign_hook = NULL;
 	current->next = NULL;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/variables.h b/src/bin/psql/variables.h
index d7a05a1..bad4e37 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/variables.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/variables.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ struct _variable
 {
 	char	   *name;
 	char	   *value;
+	bool		is_file_ref;
 	VariableAssignHook assign_hook;
 	struct _variable *next;
 };
@@ -34,6 +35,7 @@ typedef struct _variable *VariableSpace;
 
 VariableSpace CreateVariableSpace(void);
 const char *GetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
+const char *GetVariableOrFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, bool *is_file_ref);
 
 bool		ParseVariableBool(const char *value, const char *name);
 int ParseVariableNum(const char *val,
@@ -47,8 +49,11 @@ int GetVariableNum(VariableSpace space,
 			   bool allowtrail);
 
 void		PrintVariables(VariableSpace space);
+void		PrintSetFileRefVariables(VariableSpace space);
+
 
 bool		SetVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value);
+bool		SetFileRef(VariableSpace space, const char *name, const char *value);
 bool		SetVariableAssignHook(VariableSpace space, const char *name, VariableAssignHook hook);
 bool		SetVariableBool(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
 bool		DeleteVariable(VariableSpace space, const char *name);
diff --git a/src/test/regress/input/misc.source b/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
index dd2d1b2..1ca29fb 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
@@ -263,6 +263,29 @@ select i, length(t), octet_length(t), oldstyle_length(i,t) from oldstyle_test;
 drop table oldstyle_test;
 
 --
+-- psql refvariables
+--
+
+CREATE TABLE test_setref(a text, b bytea);
+
+-- use two different ways for import data - result should be same
+\lo_import @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+\set lo_oid :LASTOID
+INSERT INTO test_setref (b) VALUES(lo_get(:lo_oid));
+\lo_unlink :lo_oid
+SELECT md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+
+\setfileref testdata @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+INSERT INTO test_setref VALUES(convert_from(:testdata, current_setting('server_encoding')), :testdata);
+SELECT md5(a), md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+INSERT INTO test_setref(a) VALUES(:'testdata');
+SELECT md5(a) FROM test_setref;
+
+DROP TABLE test_setref;
+
+--
 -- functional joins
 --
 
diff --git a/src/test/regress/output/misc.source b/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
index 574ef0d..a26b461 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
@@ -700,6 +700,39 @@ select i, length(t), octet_length(t), oldstyle_length(i,t) from oldstyle_test;
 
 drop table oldstyle_test;
 --
+-- psql refvariables
+--
+CREATE TABLE test_setref(a text, b bytea);
+-- use two different ways for import data - result should be same
+\lo_import @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+\set lo_oid :LASTOID
+INSERT INTO test_setref (b) VALUES(lo_get(:lo_oid));
+\lo_unlink :lo_oid
+SELECT md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                
+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+\setfileref testdata @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+INSERT INTO test_setref VALUES(convert_from(:testdata, current_setting('server_encoding')), :testdata);
+SELECT md5(a), md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                |               md5                
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb | e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+INSERT INTO test_setref(a) VALUES(:'testdata');
+SELECT md5(a) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                
+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+DROP TABLE test_setref;
+--
 -- functional joins
 --
 --

diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.c b/src/bin/psql/common.c
index a7789df..dbf3ffa 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <math.h>
 #include <signal.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #ifndef WIN32
 #include <unistd.h>				/* for write() */
 #else
@@ -168,6 +169,142 @@ psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
 	return result;
 }
 
+/*
+ * file-content-fetching callback for flex lexer.
+ */
+char *
+psql_get_file_content(const char *filename, bool escape, bool binary, bool quote)
+{
+	FILE	   *fd;
+	char	   *fname = pg_strdup(filename);
+	char	   *result = NULL;
+
+	expand_tilde(&fname);
+	canonicalize_path(fname);
+
+	fd = fopen(fname, PG_BINARY_R);
+	if (fd)
+	{
+		struct stat		fst;
+
+		if (fstat(fileno(fd), &fst) != -1)
+		{
+			if (S_ISREG(fst.st_mode))
+			{
+				if (fst.st_size <= ((int64) 1024) * 1024 * 1024)
+				{
+					size_t				size;
+					PQExpBufferData		raw_data;
+					char				buf[512];
+
+					initPQExpBuffer(&raw_data);
+
+					if (!escape && quote)
+						appendPQExpBufferChar(&raw_data, '\'');
+
+					while ((size = fread(buf, 1, sizeof(buf), fd)) > 0)
+						appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&raw_data, buf, size);
+
+					if (!ferror(fd) && !(PQExpBufferDataBroken(raw_data)))
+					{
+						if (escape)
+						{
+							if (binary)
+							{
+								unsigned char  *escaped_value;
+								size_t			escaped_size;
+
+								escaped_value = PQescapeByteaConn(pset.db,
+										(const unsigned char *) raw_data.data, raw_data.len,
+																  &escaped_size);
+
+								if (escaped_value != NULL)
+								{
+									if (quote)
+									{
+										PQExpBufferData		finalbuf;
+
+										initPQExpBuffer(&finalbuf);
+										appendPQExpBufferChar(&finalbuf, '\'');
+										appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&finalbuf,
+												(const char *) escaped_value, escaped_size - 1);
+										appendPQExpBufferChar(&finalbuf, '\'');
+										PQfreemem(escaped_value);
+
+										result = finalbuf.data;
+									}
+									else
+										result = (char *) escaped_value;
+								}
+								else
+									psql_error("%s\n", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
+							}
+							else
+							{
+								/* escape text */
+								if (quote)
+								{
+									result = PQescapeLiteral(pset.db,
+																raw_data.data, raw_data.len);
+									if (result == NULL)
+										psql_error("%s\n", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
+								}
+								else
+								{
+									int		error;
+
+									result = pg_malloc(raw_data.len * 2 + 1);
+									PQescapeStringConn(pset.db, result, raw_data.data, raw_data.len, &error);
+									if (error)
+									{
+										psql_error("%s\n", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
+										PQfreemem(result);
+										result = NULL;
+									}
+								}
+							}
+						}
+						else
+						{
+							/* returns raw data, without any transformations */
+							if (quote)
+								appendPQExpBufferChar(&raw_data, '\'');
+
+							if (PQExpBufferDataBroken(raw_data))
+								psql_error("out of memory\n");
+							else
+								result = raw_data.data;
+						}
+					}
+					else
+					{
+						if (PQExpBufferDataBroken(raw_data))
+							psql_error("out of memory\n");
+						else
+							psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+					}
+
+					if (result != raw_data.data)
+						termPQExpBuffer(&raw_data);
+				}
+				else
+					psql_error("%s is too big (greather than 1GB)\n", fname);
+			}
+			else
+				psql_error("%s is not regular file\n", fname);
+		}
+		else
+			psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+
+		fclose(fd);
+	}
+	else
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+
+	PQfreemem(fname);
+
+	return result;
+}
 
 /*
  * Error reporting for scripts. Errors should look like
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.h b/src/bin/psql/common.h
index bdcb58f..6b8ae67 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.h
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ extern bool openQueryOutputFile(const char *fname, FILE **fout, bool *is_pipe);
 extern bool setQFout(const char *fname);
 
 extern char *psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident);
+extern char *psql_get_file_content(const char *filename, bool escape, bool binary, bool quote);
 
 extern void psql_error(const char *fmt,...) pg_attribute_printf(1, 2);
 
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
index 37dfa4d..bf1d89f 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 /* callback functions for our flex lexer */
 const PsqlScanCallbacks psqlscan_callbacks = {
 	psql_get_variable,
+	psql_get_file_content,
 	psql_error
 };
 
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
index 86832a8..1b1080c 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
+++ b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "postgres_fe.h"
 
 #include "psqlscanslash.h"
+#include "common.h"
 
 #include "libpq-fe.h"
 }
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ static enum slash_option_type option_type;
 static char *option_quote;
 static int	unquoted_option_chars;
 static int	backtick_start_offset;
+static int	curlybracket_start_offset;
 
 
 /* Return values from yylex() */
@@ -54,6 +56,7 @@ static int	backtick_start_offset;
 
 
 static void evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state);
+static void evaluate_curlybrackets(PsqlScanState state);
 
 #define ECHO psqlscan_emit(cur_state, yytext, yyleng)
 
@@ -98,6 +101,7 @@ extern void slash_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
 %x xslashdquote
 %x xslashwholeline
 %x xslashend
+%x xslashcurlybrackets
 
 /*
  * Assorted character class definitions that should match psqlscan.l.
@@ -228,6 +232,14 @@ other			.
 					BEGIN(xslashdquote);
 				}
 
+"{"				{
+					curlybracket_start_offset = output_buf->len;
+					ECHO;
+					*option_quote = '{';
+					unquoted_option_chars = 0;
+					BEGIN(xslashcurlybrackets);
+				}
+
 :{variable_char}+	{
 					/* Possible psql variable substitution */
 					if (option_type == OT_NO_EVAL ||
@@ -362,6 +374,21 @@ other			.
 
 }
 
+<xslashcurlybrackets>{
+	/* curly brackets: copy everything until next right curly bracket */
+
+"}"				{
+					/* In NO_EVAL mode, don't evaluate the command */
+					ECHO;
+					if (option_type != OT_NO_EVAL)
+						evaluate_curlybrackets(cur_state);
+					BEGIN(xslasharg);
+				}
+
+{other}|\n		{ ECHO; }
+
+}
+
 <xslashdquote>{
 	/* double-quoted text: copy verbatim, including the double quotes */
 
@@ -580,6 +607,7 @@ psql_scan_slash_option(PsqlScanState state,
 		case xslashquote:
 		case xslashbackquote:
 		case xslashdquote:
+		case xslashcurlybrackets:
 			/* must have hit EOL inside quotes */
 			state->callbacks->write_error("unterminated quoted string\n");
 			termPQExpBuffer(&mybuf);
@@ -755,3 +783,107 @@ evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state)
 
 	termPQExpBuffer(&cmd_output);
 }
+
+static void
+evaluate_curlybrackets(PsqlScanState state)
+{
+	PQExpBuffer output_buf = state->output_buf;
+	char   *cmdline = output_buf->data + curlybracket_start_offset;
+	char   *cmdlinebuf;
+	char   *endptr;
+	bool	read_file = false;
+	bool	binary = false;
+	bool	escape = false;
+	bool	quote = false;
+
+	cmdlinebuf = pg_strdup(output_buf->data + curlybracket_start_offset);
+
+	/* skip initial left bracket */
+	cmdline = cmdlinebuf + 1;
+
+	/* skip initial spaces */
+	while (*cmdline == ' ')
+		cmdline++;
+
+	/* we should to remove final right bracket and trim spaces */
+	endptr = cmdline + strlen(cmdline);
+	*(--endptr) = '\0';
+	endptr--;
+	while (*endptr == ' ' && endptr > cmdline)
+		endptr--;
+
+	endptr[1] = '\0';
+
+	if (*cmdline != '\0')
+	{
+		char   *cptr = cmdline;
+		int		clen;
+		char   cname[10];
+
+		/* find a end of statement */
+		while (*cptr != ' ' && *cptr != '\0')
+			cptr++;
+
+		clen = cptr - cmdline;
+		if (clen < 10)
+		{
+			strncpy(cname, cmdline, clen);
+			cname[clen] = '\0';
+
+			if (strcmp(cname, "r") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rb") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+				binary = true;
+				escape = true;
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rq") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+				escape = true;
+				quote = true;
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rbq") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+				escape = true;
+				binary = true;
+				quote = true;
+			}
+			else
+				state->callbacks->write_error("%s: unsupported psql content command", cname);
+
+			if (read_file)
+			{
+				/* skip initial spaces */
+				while (*cptr == ' ')
+					cptr++;
+
+				if (cptr != '\0')
+				{
+					char *content = psql_get_file_content(cptr, escape, binary, quote);
+
+					if (content != NULL)
+					{
+						output_buf->len = curlybracket_start_offset;
+						output_buf->data[output_buf->len] = '\0';
+
+						appendPQExpBufferStr(output_buf, content);
+						PQfreemem(content);
+					}
+				}
+				else
+					state->callbacks->write_error("%s: missing expected file name", cname);
+			}
+		}
+		else
+			state->callbacks->write_error("%s: psql content command is too long", cmdline);
+	}
+	else
+		state->callbacks->write_error("empty psql content command");
+
+	PQfreemem(cmdlinebuf);
+}
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
index b556c00..b8d6c83 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ extern char *filename_completion_function();
 #endif
 
 /* word break characters */
-#define WORD_BREAKS		"\t\n@$><=;|&{() "
+#define WORD_BREAKS		"\t\n@$><=;|&() "
 
 /*
  * Since readline doesn't let us pass any state through to the tab completion
@@ -1343,6 +1343,11 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		"\\timing", "\\unset", "\\x", "\\w", "\\watch", "\\z", "\\!", NULL
 	};
 
+	/* psql's content commands. */
+	static const char *const content_commands[] = {
+		"{r", "{rq", "{rb", "{rbq", NULL
+	};
+
 	(void) end;					/* "end" is not used */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_RL_COMPLETION_APPEND_CHARACTER
@@ -1368,6 +1373,10 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 	if (text[0] == '\\')
 		COMPLETE_WITH_LIST_CS(backslash_commands);
 
+	else if (text[0] == '{')
+	{
+		COMPLETE_WITH_LIST_CS(content_commands);
+	}
 	/* If current word is a variable interpolation, handle that case */
 	else if (text[0] == ':' && text[1] != ':')
 	{
@@ -3222,6 +3231,11 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		completion_charp = "\\";
 		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
 	}
+	else if (TailMatchesCS1("\{r|\{rb|\{rq|\{rbq"))
+	{
+		completion_charp = "{";
+		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Finally, we look through the list of "things", such as TABLE, INDEX and
diff --git a/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l b/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
index 55067b4..1bfbf12 100644
--- a/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
+++ b/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
  */
 typedef int YYSTYPE;
 
+static int curlybracket_start_offset;
+
 /*
  * Set the type of yyextra; we use it as a pointer back to the containing
  * PsqlScanState.
@@ -71,6 +73,8 @@ typedef int YYSTYPE;
 extern int	psql_yyget_column(yyscan_t yyscanner);
 extern void psql_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
 
+static void evaluate_curlybrackets(PsqlScanState state, int start_offset);
+
 %}
 
 %option reentrant
@@ -115,6 +119,7 @@ extern void psql_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
  *  <xuiend> end of a quoted identifier with Unicode escapes, UESCAPE can follow
  *  <xus> quoted string with Unicode escapes
  *  <xusend> end of a quoted string with Unicode escapes, UESCAPE can follow
+ *  <xcb>	curly bracket string
  *
  * Note: we intentionally don't mimic the backend's <xeu> state; we have
  * no need to distinguish it from <xe> state, and no good way to get out
@@ -133,6 +138,7 @@ extern void psql_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
 %x xuiend
 %x xus
 %x xusend
+%x xcb
 
 /*
  * In order to make the world safe for Windows and Mac clients as well as
@@ -673,6 +679,22 @@ other			.
 					}
 				}
 
+"{"				{
+					curlybracket_start_offset = cur_state->output_buf->len;
+					BEGIN(xcb);
+					ECHO;
+				}
+
+<xcb>"}"		{
+					ECHO;
+					evaluate_curlybrackets(cur_state, curlybracket_start_offset);
+					BEGIN(INITIAL);
+				}
+
+<xcb>.			{
+					ECHO;
+				}
+
 	/*
 	 * psql-specific rules to handle backslash commands and variable
 	 * substitution.  We want these before {self}, also.
@@ -1426,3 +1448,114 @@ psqlscan_escape_variable(PsqlScanState state, const char *txt, int len,
 		psqlscan_emit(state, txt, len);
 	}
 }
+
+/*
+ * evaluate a content command in curly brackets
+ */
+static void
+evaluate_curlybrackets(PsqlScanState state, int start_offset)
+{
+	PQExpBuffer output_buf = state->output_buf;
+	char   *cmdline;
+	char   *cmdlinebuf;
+	char   *endptr;
+	bool	read_file = false;
+	bool	binary = false;
+	bool	escape = false;
+	bool	quote = false;
+
+	cmdlinebuf = pg_strdup(output_buf->data + start_offset);
+
+	/* skip initial left bracket */
+	cmdline = cmdlinebuf + 1;
+
+	/* skip initial spaces */
+	while (*cmdline == ' ')
+		cmdline++;
+
+	/* we should to remove final right bracket, and trim spaces */
+	endptr = cmdline + strlen(cmdline);
+	*(--endptr) = '\0';
+	endptr--;
+	while (*endptr == ' ' && endptr > cmdline)
+		endptr--;
+
+	endptr[1] = '\0';
+
+	if (*cmdline != '\0')
+	{
+		char   *cptr = cmdline;
+		int		clen;
+		char   cname[10];
+
+		/* find a end of statement */
+		while (*cptr != ' ' && *cptr != '\0')
+			cptr++;
+
+		clen = cptr - cmdline;
+		if (clen < 10)
+		{
+			strncpy(cname, cmdline, clen);
+			cname[clen] = '\0';
+
+			if (strcmp(cname, "r") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rb") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+				binary = true;
+				escape = true;
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rq") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+				escape = true;
+				quote = true;
+			}
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rbq") == 0)
+			{
+				read_file = true;
+				escape = true;
+				binary = true;
+				quote = true;
+			}
+			else
+				state->callbacks->write_error("%s: unsupported psql content command\n", cname);
+
+			if (read_file)
+			{
+				/* skip initial spaces */
+				while (*cptr == ' ')
+					cptr++;
+
+				if (cptr != '\0')
+				{
+					if (state->callbacks->get_file_content)
+					{
+						char *content = state->callbacks->get_file_content(cptr,
+												  escape, binary, quote);
+
+						if (content != NULL)
+						{
+							output_buf->len = start_offset;
+							output_buf->data[output_buf->len] = '\0';
+
+							appendPQExpBufferStr(output_buf, content);
+							PQfreemem(content);
+						}
+					}
+				}
+				else
+					state->callbacks->write_error("%s: missing expected file name\n", cname);
+			}
+		}
+		else
+			state->callbacks->write_error("%s: psql content command is too long\n", cmdline);
+	}
+	else
+		state->callbacks->write_error("empty psql content command\n");
+
+	PQfreemem(cmdlinebuf);
+}
diff --git a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
index 1f10ecc..93dfa5e 100644
--- a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
+++ b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ typedef struct PsqlScanCallbacks
 	/* Fetch value of a variable, as a pfree'able string; NULL if unknown */
 	/* This pointer can be NULL if no variable substitution is wanted */
 	char	   *(*get_variable) (const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident);
+	/* Fetch content of a file, as a pfree'able string */
+	char	   *(*get_file_content) (const char *filename, bool escape, bool binary, bool quote);
 	/* Print an error message someplace appropriate */
 	/* (very old gcc versions don't support attributes on function pointers) */
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 2410bee..141df6f 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -2991,6 +2991,57 @@ testdb=&gt; <userinput>\setenv LESS -imx4F</userinput>
   </refsect3>
  </refsect2>
 
+  <refsect2 id="APP-PSQL-content-commands">
+    <title>Content Commands</title>
+
+    <para>
+     These commands inject some content to processed query.
+
+<programlisting>
+testdb=&gt; <userinput>CREATE TABLE my_table(id int, image bytea);</userinput>
+testdb=&gt; <userinput>INSERT INTO my_table VALUES(1, {rbq ~/avatar.gif } ); </userinput>
+</programlisting>
+
+     <variablelist>
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><literal>{r <replaceable class="parameter">filename</>}</literal></term>
+        <listitem>
+        <para>
+         Returns content of file.
+        </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><literal>{rb <replaceable class="parameter">filename</>}</literal></term>
+        <listitem>
+        <para>
+         Returns content of binary file encoded to hex code.
+        </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><literal>{rq <replaceable class="parameter">filename</>}</literal></term>
+        <listitem>
+        <para>
+         Returns content of file, escaped and quoted as string literal
+        </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+
+      <varlistentry>
+        <term><literal>{rb <replaceable class="parameter">filename</>}</literal></term>
+        <listitem>
+        <para>
+         Returns content of binary file encoded to hex code and quoted.
+        </para>
+        </listitem>
+      </varlistentry>
+     </variablelist>
+    </para>
+  </refsect2>
+
  <refsect2>
   <title>Advanced Features</title>
 
diff --git a/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c b/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c
index a7fdd8a..43f699f 100644
--- a/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c
+++ b/src/bin/pgbench/pgbench.c
@@ -462,6 +462,7 @@ static void setalarm(int seconds);
 /* callback functions for our flex lexer */
 static const PsqlScanCallbacks pgbench_callbacks = {
 	NULL,						/* don't need get_variable functionality */
+	NULL,						/* don't need eval_content_command functionality */
 	pgbench_error
 };
 
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.c b/src/bin/psql/common.c
index a7789df..de7fecd 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.c
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <math.h>
 #include <signal.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #ifndef WIN32
 #include <unistd.h>				/* for write() */
 #else
@@ -168,6 +169,211 @@ psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
 	return result;
 }
 
+#define READFILE_NONE				(0)
+#define READFILE_NOESCAPE			(1 << 0)
+#define READFILE_ESCAPE_TEXT		(1 << 1)
+#define READFILE_ESCAPE_BINARY		(1 << 2)
+#define READFILE_QUOTE				(1 << 3)
+
+/*
+ * file-content-fetching callback for read file content commands.
+ */
+static char *
+get_file_content(char *fname, int mode)
+{
+	FILE	   *fd;
+	char	   *result = NULL;
+
+	expand_tilde(&fname);
+	canonicalize_path(fname);
+
+	fd = fopen(fname, PG_BINARY_R);
+	if (fd)
+	{
+		struct stat		fst;
+
+		if (fstat(fileno(fd), &fst) != -1)
+		{
+			if (S_ISREG(fst.st_mode))
+			{
+				if (fst.st_size <= ((int64) 1024) * 1024 * 1024)
+				{
+					size_t				size;
+					PQExpBufferData		raw_data;
+					char				buf[512];
+
+					initPQExpBuffer(&raw_data);
+
+					while ((size = fread(buf, 1, sizeof(buf), fd)) > 0)
+						appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&raw_data, buf, size);
+
+					if (!ferror(fd) && !(PQExpBufferDataBroken(raw_data)))
+					{
+						if (!(mode & READFILE_NOESCAPE))
+						{
+							if (mode & READFILE_ESCAPE_BINARY)
+							{
+								unsigned char	   *escaped_value;
+								size_t				escaped_size;
+
+								escaped_value = PQescapeByteaConn(pset.db,
+										(const unsigned char *) raw_data.data, raw_data.len,
+																  &escaped_size);
+
+								if (escaped_value)
+								{
+									if (mode & READFILE_QUOTE)
+									{
+										PQExpBufferData		resultbuf;
+
+										initPQExpBuffer(&resultbuf);
+
+										appendPQExpBufferChar(&resultbuf, '\'');
+										appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(&resultbuf,
+												(const char *) escaped_value, escaped_size - 1);
+										appendPQExpBufferChar(&resultbuf, '\'');
+										PQfreemem(escaped_value);
+
+										if (PQExpBufferDataBroken(resultbuf))
+											psql_error("out of memory\n");
+										else
+											result = resultbuf.data;
+									}
+									else
+										result = (char *) escaped_value;
+								}
+								else
+									psql_error("%s\n", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
+							}
+							else
+							{
+								/*
+								 * should be READFILE_ESCAPE_TEXT & READFILE_QUOTE
+								 * escaping of text file has not sense without quoting
+								 */
+								result = PQescapeLiteral(pset.db,
+															raw_data.data, raw_data.len);
+								if (result == NULL)
+									psql_error("%s\n", PQerrorMessage(pset.db));
+							}
+						}
+						else
+							result = raw_data.data;
+					}
+					else
+					{
+						if (PQExpBufferDataBroken(raw_data))
+							psql_error("out of memory\n");
+						else
+							psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+					}
+
+					if (result != raw_data.data)
+						termPQExpBuffer(&raw_data);
+				}
+				else
+					psql_error("%s is too big (greather than 1GB)\n", fname);
+			}
+			else
+				psql_error("%s is not regular file\n", fname);
+		}
+		else
+			psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+
+		fclose(fd);
+	}
+	else
+		psql_error("%s: %s\n", fname, strerror(errno));
+
+	return result;
+}
+
+/*
+ * a implementation of psql content commands - curly bracket
+ * commands.
+ *
+ * It does nothing, when command is not detected - like evaluation of
+ * psql variables. Usually the SQL statement fails on syntax error - the
+ * behave is same like evaluation of psql variable.
+ */
+void
+psql_eval_content_command(PQExpBuffer output_buf, int start_offset)
+{
+	char   *content_command;
+	char   *cptr;
+	int		readfile_mode = READFILE_NONE;
+
+	/* do updatable copy of input buffer, input buffer should not be changed */
+	content_command = pg_strdup(output_buf->data + start_offset);
+
+	/* skip initial left bracket */
+	cptr = content_command + 1;
+
+	/* skip initial spaces */
+	while (*cptr == ' ')
+		cptr++;
+
+	if (*cptr != '\0')
+	{
+		char   *cname = cptr;
+
+		/* find a end of statement */
+		while (*cptr != ' ' && *cptr != '\0')
+			cptr++;
+
+		/* the space is required in supported commands */
+		if (*cptr != '\0')
+		{
+			*cptr++ = '\0';
+
+			if (strcmp(cname, "r") == 0)
+				readfile_mode = READFILE_NOESCAPE;
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rb") == 0)
+				readfile_mode = READFILE_ESCAPE_BINARY;
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rq") == 0)
+				readfile_mode = READFILE_ESCAPE_TEXT | READFILE_QUOTE;
+			else if (strcmp(cname, "rbq") == 0)
+				readfile_mode = READFILE_ESCAPE_BINARY | READFILE_QUOTE;
+
+			if (readfile_mode != READFILE_NONE)
+			{
+				/* parse file name from the rest of content command */
+
+				/* skip initial spaces */
+				while (*cptr == ' ')
+					cptr++;
+
+				if (cptr != '\0')
+				{
+					char *eptr = cptr + strlen(cptr) - 1 - 1;		/* drop right bracket */
+
+					while (*eptr == ' ' && eptr > cptr)
+						eptr--;
+
+					eptr[1] = '\0';
+
+					if (cptr != '\0')
+					{
+						char *result = get_file_content(cptr, readfile_mode);
+
+						if (result != NULL)
+						{
+							/* remove content command text from output buffer */
+							output_buf->len = start_offset;
+							output_buf->data[output_buf->len] = '\0';
+
+							/* append the result of content command */
+							appendPQExpBufferStr(output_buf, result);
+							PQfreemem(result);
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	PQfreemem(content_command);
+}
 
 /*
  * Error reporting for scripts. Errors should look like
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.h b/src/bin/psql/common.h
index bdcb58f..18a9c86 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include <setjmp.h>
 
 #include "libpq-fe.h"
+#include "pqexpbuffer.h"
 #include "fe_utils/print.h"
 
 #define atooid(x)  ((Oid) strtoul((x), NULL, 10))
@@ -19,6 +20,7 @@ extern bool openQueryOutputFile(const char *fname, FILE **fout, bool *is_pipe);
 extern bool setQFout(const char *fname);
 
 extern char *psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident);
+extern void psql_eval_content_command(PQExpBuffer output_buf, int start_offset);
 
 extern void psql_error(const char *fmt,...) pg_attribute_printf(1, 2);
 
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
index 37dfa4d..69c697b 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 /* callback functions for our flex lexer */
 const PsqlScanCallbacks psqlscan_callbacks = {
 	psql_get_variable,
+	psql_eval_content_command,
 	psql_error
 };
 
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
index 86832a8..06b34a4 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
+++ b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 #include "postgres_fe.h"
 
 #include "psqlscanslash.h"
+#include "common.h"
 
 #include "libpq-fe.h"
 }
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ static enum slash_option_type option_type;
 static char *option_quote;
 static int	unquoted_option_chars;
 static int	backtick_start_offset;
+static int	curlybracket_start_offset;
 
 
 /* Return values from yylex() */
@@ -98,6 +100,7 @@ extern void slash_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
 %x xslashdquote
 %x xslashwholeline
 %x xslashend
+%x xslashcurlybrackets
 
 /*
  * Assorted character class definitions that should match psqlscan.l.
@@ -228,6 +231,14 @@ other			.
 					BEGIN(xslashdquote);
 				}
 
+"{"				{
+					curlybracket_start_offset = output_buf->len;
+					ECHO;
+					*option_quote = '{';
+					unquoted_option_chars = 0;
+					BEGIN(xslashcurlybrackets);
+				}
+
 :{variable_char}+	{
 					/* Possible psql variable substitution */
 					if (option_type == OT_NO_EVAL ||
@@ -362,6 +373,25 @@ other			.
 
 }
 
+<xslashcurlybrackets>{
+	/* curly brackets: copy everything until next right curly bracket */
+
+"}"				{
+					/* In NO_EVAL mode, don't evaluate the command */
+					ECHO;
+					if (option_type != OT_NO_EVAL)
+					{
+						if (cur_state->callbacks->eval_content_command)
+							cur_state->callbacks->eval_content_command(cur_state->output_buf,
+														curlybracket_start_offset);
+					}
+					BEGIN(xslasharg);
+				}
+
+{other}|\n		{ ECHO; }
+
+}
+
 <xslashdquote>{
 	/* double-quoted text: copy verbatim, including the double quotes */
 
@@ -580,6 +610,7 @@ psql_scan_slash_option(PsqlScanState state,
 		case xslashquote:
 		case xslashbackquote:
 		case xslashdquote:
+		case xslashcurlybrackets:
 			/* must have hit EOL inside quotes */
 			state->callbacks->write_error("unterminated quoted string\n");
 			termPQExpBuffer(&mybuf);
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
index b556c00..b8d6c83 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ extern char *filename_completion_function();
 #endif
 
 /* word break characters */
-#define WORD_BREAKS		"\t\n@$><=;|&{() "
+#define WORD_BREAKS		"\t\n@$><=;|&() "
 
 /*
  * Since readline doesn't let us pass any state through to the tab completion
@@ -1343,6 +1343,11 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		"\\timing", "\\unset", "\\x", "\\w", "\\watch", "\\z", "\\!", NULL
 	};
 
+	/* psql's content commands. */
+	static const char *const content_commands[] = {
+		"{r", "{rq", "{rb", "{rbq", NULL
+	};
+
 	(void) end;					/* "end" is not used */
 
 #ifdef HAVE_RL_COMPLETION_APPEND_CHARACTER
@@ -1368,6 +1373,10 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 	if (text[0] == '\\')
 		COMPLETE_WITH_LIST_CS(backslash_commands);
 
+	else if (text[0] == '{')
+	{
+		COMPLETE_WITH_LIST_CS(content_commands);
+	}
 	/* If current word is a variable interpolation, handle that case */
 	else if (text[0] == ':' && text[1] != ':')
 	{
@@ -3222,6 +3231,11 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 		completion_charp = "\\";
 		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
 	}
+	else if (TailMatchesCS1("\{r|\{rb|\{rq|\{rbq"))
+	{
+		completion_charp = "{";
+		matches = completion_matches(text, complete_from_files);
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Finally, we look through the list of "things", such as TABLE, INDEX and
diff --git a/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l b/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
index 55067b4..49d6dae 100644
--- a/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
+++ b/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@
  */
 typedef int YYSTYPE;
 
+static int curlybracket_start_offset;
+
 /*
  * Set the type of yyextra; we use it as a pointer back to the containing
  * PsqlScanState.
@@ -115,6 +117,7 @@ extern void psql_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
  *  <xuiend> end of a quoted identifier with Unicode escapes, UESCAPE can follow
  *  <xus> quoted string with Unicode escapes
  *  <xusend> end of a quoted string with Unicode escapes, UESCAPE can follow
+ *  <xcb>	curly bracket string
  *
  * Note: we intentionally don't mimic the backend's <xeu> state; we have
  * no need to distinguish it from <xe> state, and no good way to get out
@@ -133,6 +136,7 @@ extern void psql_yyset_column(int column_no, yyscan_t yyscanner);
 %x xuiend
 %x xus
 %x xusend
+%x xcb
 
 /*
  * In order to make the world safe for Windows and Mac clients as well as
@@ -673,6 +677,24 @@ other			.
 					}
 				}
 
+"{"				{
+					curlybracket_start_offset = cur_state->output_buf->len;
+					BEGIN(xcb);
+					ECHO;
+				}
+
+<xcb>"}"		{
+					BEGIN(INITIAL);
+					ECHO;
+					if (cur_state->callbacks->eval_content_command)
+						cur_state->callbacks->eval_content_command(cur_state->output_buf,
+																  curlybracket_start_offset);
+				}
+
+<xcb>.|\n			{
+					ECHO;
+				}
+
 	/*
 	 * psql-specific rules to handle backslash commands and variable
 	 * substitution.  We want these before {self}, also.
diff --git a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
index 1f10ecc..a70a40e 100644
--- a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
+++ b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ typedef struct PsqlScanCallbacks
 	/* Fetch value of a variable, as a pfree'able string; NULL if unknown */
 	/* This pointer can be NULL if no variable substitution is wanted */
 	char	   *(*get_variable) (const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident);
+	/* eval psql content command */
+	void	   (*eval_content_command) (PQExpBuffer output_buf, int start_offset);
 	/* Print an error message someplace appropriate */
 	/* (very old gcc versions don't support attributes on function pointers) */
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
diff --git a/src/test/regress/input/misc.source b/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
index dd2d1b2..bca752f 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/input/misc.source
@@ -273,3 +273,21 @@ drop table oldstyle_test;
 --
 -- rewrite rules
 --
+
+--
+-- psql content commands
+--
+CREATE TABLE test_setref(a text, b bytea);
+
+-- use two different ways for import data - result should be same
+\lo_import @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+\set lo_oid :LASTOID
+INSERT INTO test_setref (b) VALUES(lo_get(:lo_oid));
+\lo_unlink :lo_oid
+SELECT md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+
+INSERT INTO test_setref(a,b) VALUES({rq @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data}, {rbq @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data});
+SELECT md5(a), md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+
+DROP TABLE test_setref;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/output/misc.source b/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
index 574ef0d..0c8eb97 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/output/misc.source
@@ -708,3 +708,27 @@ drop table oldstyle_test;
 --
 -- rewrite rules
 --
+--
+-- psql content commands
+--
+CREATE TABLE test_setref(a text, b bytea);
+-- use two different ways for import data - result should be same
+\lo_import @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data
+\set lo_oid :LASTOID
+INSERT INTO test_setref (b) VALUES(lo_get(:lo_oid));
+\lo_unlink :lo_oid
+SELECT md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                
+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+TRUNCATE test_setref;
+INSERT INTO test_setref(a,b) VALUES({rq @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data}, {rbq @abs_builddir@/data/hash.data});
+SELECT md5(a), md5(b) FROM test_setref;
+               md5                |               md5                
+----------------------------------+----------------------------------
+ e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb | e446fe6ea5a347e69670633412c7f8cb
+(1 row)
+
+DROP TABLE test_setref;

diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.c b/src/bin/psql/common.c
index a7789df..57dd8f0 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.c
@@ -119,9 +119,13 @@ setQFout(const char *fname)
  * If "escape" is true, return the value suitably quoted and escaped,
  * as an identifier or string literal depending on "as_ident".
  * (Failure in escaping should lead to returning NULL.)
+ *
+ * When "from_query" is true, then the variable can be passed as query parameter,
+ * when it is not used as identifier (as_ident:false), when escape is not required
+ * (escaping changes the content).
  */
 char *
-psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
+psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident, bool from_query)
 {
 	char	   *result;
 	const char *value;
@@ -130,6 +134,26 @@ psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident)
 	if (!value)
 		return NULL;
 
+	if (from_query && pset.parametrized_queries)
+	{
+		if (!escape && !as_ident)
+		{
+			char		printbuf[5];
+
+			if (pset.nparams > MAX_QUERY_PARAMS)
+			{
+				psql_error("too much parameters (more than %d)\n",
+									  MAX_QUERY_PARAMS);
+				return NULL;
+			}
+
+			pset.params[pset.nparams++] = value;
+			snprintf(printbuf, sizeof(printbuf) - 1, "$%d", pset.nparams);
+
+			return pstrdup(printbuf);
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (escape)
 	{
 		char	   *escaped_value;
@@ -1287,7 +1311,16 @@ SendQuery(const char *query)
 		if (pset.timing)
 			INSTR_TIME_SET_CURRENT(before);
 
-		results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
+		if (pset.nparams > 0)
+			results = PQexecParams(pset.db, query,
+									  pset.nparams,
+									  NULL,
+									  (const char * const *) pset.params,
+									  NULL,
+									  NULL,
+									  0);
+		else
+			results = PQexec(pset.db, query);
 
 		/* these operations are included in the timing result: */
 		ResetCancelConn();
@@ -1382,6 +1415,9 @@ SendQuery(const char *query)
 
 	ClearOrSaveResult(results);
 
+	/* the number of query parameters are not necessary now */
+	pset.nparams = 0;
+
 	/* Possible microtiming output */
 	if (pset.timing)
 		PrintTiming(elapsed_msec);
@@ -1488,7 +1524,16 @@ ExecQueryUsingCursor(const char *query, double *elapsed_msec)
 	appendPQExpBuffer(&buf, "DECLARE _psql_cursor NO SCROLL CURSOR FOR\n%s",
 					  query);
 
-	results = PQexec(pset.db, buf.data);
+	if (pset.nparams > 0)
+		results = PQexecParams(pset.db, buf.data,
+								  pset.nparams,
+								  NULL,
+								  (const char * const *) pset.params,
+								  NULL,
+								  NULL,
+								  0);
+	else
+		results = PQexec(pset.db, buf.data);
 	OK = AcceptResult(results) &&
 		(PQresultStatus(results) == PGRES_COMMAND_OK);
 	ClearOrSaveResult(results);
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/common.h b/src/bin/psql/common.h
index bdcb58f..79f8c91 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/common.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/common.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 extern bool openQueryOutputFile(const char *fname, FILE **fout, bool *is_pipe);
 extern bool setQFout(const char *fname);
 
-extern char *psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident);
+extern char *psql_get_variable(const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident, bool from_query);
 
 extern void psql_error(const char *fmt,...) pg_attribute_printf(1, 2);
 
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/help.c b/src/bin/psql/help.c
index a69c4dd..3c62146 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/help.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/help.c
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ helpVariables(unsigned short int pager)
 	 * Windows builds currently print one more line than non-Windows builds.
 	 * Using the larger number is fine.
 	 */
-	output = PageOutput(88, pager ? &(pset.popt.topt) : NULL);
+	output = PageOutput(90, pager ? &(pset.popt.topt) : NULL);
 
 	fprintf(output, _("List of specially treated variables\n\n"));
 
@@ -352,6 +352,8 @@ helpVariables(unsigned short int pager)
 	fprintf(output, _("  LASTOID            value of the last affected OID\n"));
 	fprintf(output, _("  ON_ERROR_ROLLBACK  if set, an error doesn't stop a transaction (uses implicit savepoints)\n"));
 	fprintf(output, _("  ON_ERROR_STOP      stop batch execution after error\n"));
+	fprintf(output, _("  PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES\n"
+					  "                     pass psql's variables as query parameters\n"));
 	fprintf(output, _("  PORT               server port of the current connection\n"));
 	fprintf(output, _("  PROMPT1            specifies the standard psql prompt\n"));
 	fprintf(output, _("  PROMPT2            specifies the prompt used when a statement continues from a previous line\n"));
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
index 37dfa4d..cb6a2ee 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/mainloop.c
@@ -403,6 +403,9 @@ MainLoop(FILE *source)
 		psql_scan_finish(scan_state);
 		free(line);
 
+		/* reset a number of query parameters */
+		pset.nparams = 0;
+
 		if (slashCmdStatus == PSQL_CMD_TERMINATE)
 		{
 			successResult = EXIT_SUCCESS;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
index 86832a8..4a34f29 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
+++ b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ other			.
 															 yyleng - 1);
 						value = cur_state->callbacks->get_variable(varname,
 																   false,
+																   false,
 																   false);
 						free(varname);
 
@@ -271,7 +272,7 @@ other			.
 						ECHO;
 					else
 					{
-						psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, false);
+						psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, false, false);
 						*option_quote = ':';
 					}
 					unquoted_option_chars = 0;
@@ -283,7 +284,7 @@ other			.
 						ECHO;
 					else
 					{
-						psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, true);
+						psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, true, false);
 						*option_quote = ':';
 					}
 					unquoted_option_chars = 0;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/settings.h b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
index 8cfe9d2..77e4611 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/settings.h
+++ b/src/bin/psql/settings.h
@@ -77,6 +77,8 @@ enum trivalue
 	TRI_YES
 };
 
+#define MAX_QUERY_PARAMS		64
+
 typedef struct _psqlSettings
 {
 	PGconn	   *db;				/* connection to backend */
@@ -120,6 +122,7 @@ typedef struct _psqlSettings
 	 * functions.
 	 */
 	bool		autocommit;
+	bool		parametrized_queries;
 	bool		on_error_stop;
 	bool		quiet;
 	bool		singleline;
@@ -135,6 +138,8 @@ typedef struct _psqlSettings
 	const char *prompt3;
 	PGVerbosity verbosity;		/* current error verbosity level */
 	PGContextVisibility show_context;	/* current context display level */
+	int			nparams;		/* number of query parameters */
+	const char	   *params[MAX_QUERY_PARAMS];		/* query parameters */
 } PsqlSettings;
 
 extern PsqlSettings pset;
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index 7ce05fb..f8fceee 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	pset.last_error_result = NULL;
 	pset.cur_cmd_source = stdin;
 	pset.cur_cmd_interactive = false;
+	pset.parametrized_queries = false;
+	pset.nparams = 0;
 
 	/* We rely on unmentioned fields of pset.popt to start out 0/false/NULL */
 	pset.popt.topt.format = PRINT_ALIGNED;
@@ -793,6 +795,12 @@ autocommit_hook(const char *newval)
 }
 
 static void
+parametrized_queries_hook(const char *newval)
+{
+	pset.parametrized_queries = ParseVariableBool(newval, "PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES");
+}
+
+static void
 on_error_stop_hook(const char *newval)
 {
 	pset.on_error_stop = ParseVariableBool(newval, "ON_ERROR_STOP");
@@ -990,6 +998,7 @@ EstablishVariableSpace(void)
 	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "ON_ERROR_ROLLBACK", on_error_rollback_hook);
 	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "COMP_KEYWORD_CASE", comp_keyword_case_hook);
 	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "HISTCONTROL", histcontrol_hook);
+	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES", parametrized_queries_hook);
 	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "PROMPT1", prompt1_hook);
 	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "PROMPT2", prompt2_hook);
 	SetVariableAssignHook(pset.vars, "PROMPT3", prompt3_hook);
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
index b556c00..03984c5 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/tab-complete.c
@@ -3191,8 +3191,8 @@ psql_completion(const char *text, int start, int end)
 	}
 	else if (TailMatchesCS2("\\set", MatchAny))
 	{
-		if (TailMatchesCS1("AUTOCOMMIT|ON_ERROR_STOP|QUIET|"
-						   "SINGLELINE|SINGLESTEP"))
+		if (TailMatchesCS1("AUTOCOMMIT|ON_ERROR_STOP|PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES|"
+						   "QUIET|SINGLELINE|SINGLESTEP"))
 			COMPLETE_WITH_LIST_CS2("on", "off");
 		else if (TailMatchesCS1("COMP_KEYWORD_CASE"))
 			COMPLETE_WITH_LIST_CS4("lower", "upper",
@@ -3684,7 +3684,7 @@ complete_from_variables(const char *text, const char *prefix, const char *suffix
 		"AUTOCOMMIT", "COMP_KEYWORD_CASE", "DBNAME", "ECHO", "ECHO_HIDDEN",
 		"ENCODING", "FETCH_COUNT", "HISTCONTROL", "HISTFILE", "HISTSIZE",
 		"HOST", "IGNOREEOF", "LASTOID", "ON_ERROR_ROLLBACK", "ON_ERROR_STOP",
-		"PORT", "PROMPT1", "PROMPT2", "PROMPT3", "QUIET",
+		"PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES", "PORT", "PROMPT1", "PROMPT2", "PROMPT3", "QUIET",
 		"SHOW_CONTEXT", "SINGLELINE", "SINGLESTEP",
 		"USER", "VERBOSITY", NULL
 	};
diff --git a/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l b/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
index 55067b4..06a6519 100644
--- a/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
+++ b/src/fe_utils/psqlscan.l
@@ -700,7 +700,8 @@ other			.
 					if (cur_state->callbacks->get_variable)
 						value = cur_state->callbacks->get_variable(varname,
 																   false,
-																   false);
+																   false,
+																   true);
 					else
 						value = NULL;
 
@@ -736,11 +737,11 @@ other			.
 				}
 
 :'{variable_char}+'	{
-					psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, false);
+					psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, false, true);
 				}
 
 :\"{variable_char}+\"	{
-					psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, true);
+					psqlscan_escape_variable(cur_state, yytext, yyleng, true, true);
 				}
 
 	/*
@@ -1401,7 +1402,7 @@ psqlscan_extract_substring(PsqlScanState state, const char *txt, int len)
  */
 void
 psqlscan_escape_variable(PsqlScanState state, const char *txt, int len,
-						 bool as_ident)
+						 bool as_ident, bool from_query)
 {
 	char	   *varname;
 	char	   *value;
@@ -1409,7 +1410,8 @@ psqlscan_escape_variable(PsqlScanState state, const char *txt, int len,
 	/* Variable lookup. */
 	varname = psqlscan_extract_substring(state, txt + 2, len - 3);
 	if (state->callbacks->get_variable)
-		value = state->callbacks->get_variable(varname, true, as_ident);
+		value = state->callbacks->get_variable(varname,
+									  true, as_ident, from_query);
 	else
 		value = NULL;
 	free(varname);
diff --git a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
index 1f10ecc..3854117 100644
--- a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
+++ b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan.h
@@ -53,7 +53,8 @@ typedef struct PsqlScanCallbacks
 {
 	/* Fetch value of a variable, as a pfree'able string; NULL if unknown */
 	/* This pointer can be NULL if no variable substitution is wanted */
-	char	   *(*get_variable) (const char *varname, bool escape, bool as_ident);
+	char	   *(*get_variable) (const char *varname,
+								  bool escape, bool as_ident, bool from_query);
 	/* Print an error message someplace appropriate */
 	/* (very old gcc versions don't support attributes on function pointers) */
 #if defined(__GNUC__) && __GNUC__ < 4
diff --git a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan_int.h b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan_int.h
index a52929d..53210b2 100644
--- a/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan_int.h
+++ b/src/include/fe_utils/psqlscan_int.h
@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ extern char *psqlscan_extract_substring(PsqlScanState state,
 						   const char *txt, int len);
 extern void psqlscan_escape_variable(PsqlScanState state,
 						 const char *txt, int len,
-						 bool as_ident);
+						 bool as_ident,
+						 bool from_query);
 
 #endif   /* PSQLSCAN_INT_H */
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out b/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out
index 464436a..7fed568 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out
@@ -2714,3 +2714,36 @@ NOTICE:  foo
 CONTEXT:  PL/pgSQL function inline_code_block line 3 at RAISE
 ERROR:  bar
 CONTEXT:  PL/pgSQL function inline_code_block line 4 at RAISE
+-- parametrized queries
+\set PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES off
+\set a1 'AHOJ SVETE'
+-- should fail
+SELECT :a1;
+ERROR:  column "ahoj" does not exist
+LINE 1: SELECT AHOJ SVETE;
+               ^
+-- ok
+SELECT :'a1';
+  ?column?  
+------------
+ AHOJ SVETE
+(1 row)
+
+\set PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES on
+-- should fail - unknown type
+SELECT :a1;
+ERROR:  could not determine data type of parameter $1
+-- ok
+SELECT :a1::text;
+    text    
+------------
+ AHOJ SVETE
+(1 row)
+
+-- returns true, when value passed as parameter is same as client side evaluated variable
+SELECT :a1 = :'a1';
+ ?column? 
+----------
+ t
+(1 row)
+
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql
index 900aa7e..69e2df1 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql
@@ -379,3 +379,23 @@ begin
   raise notice 'foo';
   raise exception 'bar';
 end $$;
+
+-- parametrized queries
+\set PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES off
+\set a1 'AHOJ SVETE'
+
+-- should fail
+SELECT :a1;
+
+-- ok
+SELECT :'a1';
+
+\set PARAMETRIZED_QUERIES on
+-- should fail - unknown type
+SELECT :a1;
+
+-- ok
+SELECT :a1::text;
+
+-- returns true, when value passed as parameter is same as client side evaluated variable
+SELECT :a1 = :'a1';

diff --git a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
index 86832a8..15ad610 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
+++ b/src/bin/psql/psqlscanslash.l
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 #include "postgres_fe.h"
 
 #include "psqlscanslash.h"
-
+#include "settings.h"
 #include "libpq-fe.h"
 }
 
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static int	backtick_start_offset;
 #define LEXRES_OK			1	/* OK completion of backslash argument */
 
 
-static void evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state);
+static void evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state, bool to_hex);
 
 #define ECHO psqlscan_emit(cur_state, yytext, yyleng)
 
@@ -221,6 +221,13 @@ other			.
 					BEGIN(xslashbackquote);
 				}
 
+"``"				{
+					backtick_start_offset = output_buf->len;
+					*option_quote = '@';
+					unquoted_option_chars = 0;
+					BEGIN(xslashbackquote);
+				}
+
 {dquote}		{
 					ECHO;
 					*option_quote = '"';
@@ -354,10 +361,18 @@ other			.
 "`"				{
 					/* In NO_EVAL mode, don't evaluate the command */
 					if (option_type != OT_NO_EVAL)
-						evaluate_backtick(cur_state);
+						evaluate_backtick(cur_state, false);
 					BEGIN(xslasharg);
 				}
 
+"``"				{
+					/* In NO_EVAL mode, don't evaluate the command */
+					if (option_type != OT_NO_EVAL && *option_quote == '@')
+						evaluate_backtick(cur_state, true);
+					BEGIN(xslasharg);
+				}
+
+
 {other}|\n		{ ECHO; }
 
 }
@@ -693,7 +708,7 @@ dequote_downcase_identifier(char *str, bool downcase, int encoding)
  * as a shell command and then replaced by the command's output.
  */
 static void
-evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state)
+evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state, bool to_hex)
 {
 	PQExpBuffer output_buf = state->output_buf;
 	char	   *cmd = output_buf->data + backtick_start_offset;
@@ -750,7 +765,20 @@ evaluate_backtick(PsqlScanState state)
 		if (cmd_output.len > 0 &&
 			cmd_output.data[cmd_output.len - 1] == '\n')
 			cmd_output.len--;
-		appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(output_buf, cmd_output.data, cmd_output.len);
+
+		if (to_hex)
+		{
+			unsigned char  *escaped_value;
+			size_t			escaped_size;
+
+			escaped_value = PQescapeByteaConn(pset.db,
+								(const unsigned char *) cmd_output.data, cmd_output.len,
+														  &escaped_size);
+
+			appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(output_buf, (const char *) escaped_value, escaped_size);
+		}
+		else
+			appendBinaryPQExpBuffer(output_buf, cmd_output.data, cmd_output.len);
 	}
 
 	termPQExpBuffer(&cmd_output);