diff --git a/dbdimp.c b/dbdimp.c
index 4d5ec6a..e420a3b 100644
--- a/dbdimp.c
+++ b/dbdimp.c
@@ -459,6 +459,15 @@ sqlite_db_login6(SV *dbh, imp_dbh_t *imp_dbh, char *dbname, char *user, char *pa
 
     sqlite3_busy_timeout(imp_dbh->db, SQL_TIMEOUT);
 
+    if (hv) {
+        if (hv_exists(hv, "sqlite_defensive", 16)) {
+            val = hv_fetch(hv, "sqlite_defensive", 16, 0);
+            if (val && SvIOK(*val)) {
+                sqlite3_db_config(imp_dbh->db, SQLITE_DBCONFIG_DEFENSIVE, SvIV(*val), 0);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
 #if 0
     /*
     ** As of 1.26_06 foreign keys support was enabled by default,
diff --git a/lib/DBD/SQLite.pm b/lib/DBD/SQLite.pm
index 8e79e43..aae801a 100644
--- a/lib/DBD/SQLite.pm
+++ b/lib/DBD/SQLite.pm
@@ -1660,6 +1660,11 @@ for details.
 If set to true, DBD::SQLite uses extended result codes where appropriate
 (see L<https://www.sqlite.org/rescode.html>).
 
+=item sqlite_defensive
+
+If set to true, language features that allow ordinary SQL to deliberately
+corrupt the database file are prohibited.
+
 =back
 
 =head2 Statement Handle Attributes
diff --git a/t/65_db_config.t b/t/65_db_config.t
index 4bdf123..c4c9b5d 100644
--- a/t/65_db_config.t
+++ b/t/65_db_config.t
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use SQLiteTest qw/connect_ok @CALL_FUNCS/;
 use Test::More;
 use DBD::SQLite::Constants qw/:database_connection_configuration_options/;
 
-#plan tests => 7 * @CALL_FUNCS;
+plan tests => 38 * @CALL_FUNCS + 3;
 
 # LOOKASIDE
 for my $func (@CALL_FUNCS) {
@@ -182,4 +182,15 @@ for my $func (@CALL_FUNCS) {
     }
 }
 
-done_testing;
\ No newline at end of file
+# DEFENSIVE at connection
+SKIP: {
+    skip 'DEFENSIVE is not supported', 8 if !SQLITE_DBCONFIG_DEFENSIVE;
+    my $dbh = connect_ok(RaiseError => 1, PrintError => 0, sqlite_defensive => 1);
+
+    my $sql = 'CREATE TABLE foo (id, text)';
+    $dbh->do($sql);
+    $dbh->do('PRAGMA writable_schema=ON');
+    eval { $dbh->do('UPDATE sqlite_master SET name = ? WHERE name = ?', undef, 'bar', 'foo'); };
+    ok $@, "updating sqlite_master is prohibited";
+    like $@ => qr/table sqlite_master may not be modified/;
+}