diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index de34297e..1f9b4c0e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -183,6 +183,20 @@ Dictionary. Current available keys are:
    Integer. Sets the timeout in seconds for the database query.
    Default value is ``0`` which disables the timeout.
 
+- [setencoding](https://github.com/mkleehammer/pyodbc/wiki/Connection#setencoding) and [setdecoding](https://github.com/mkleehammer/pyodbc/wiki/Connection#setdecoding)
+
+    ```python
+    # Example
+    "OPTIONS": {
+            "setdecoding": [
+                {"sqltype": pyodbc.SQL_CHAR, "encoding": 'utf-8'},
+                {"sqltype": pyodbc.SQL_WCHAR, "encoding": 'utf-8'}],
+            "setencoding": [
+                {"encoding": "utf-8"}],
+            ...
+            },
+    ```
+
 ### Backend-specific settings
 
 The following project-level settings also control the behavior of the backend:
diff --git a/mssql/base.py b/mssql/base.py
index 69f52194..1f75d4f3 100644
--- a/mssql/base.py
+++ b/mssql/base.py
@@ -318,6 +318,8 @@ def get_new_connection(self, conn_params):
         retries = options.get('connection_retries', 5)
         backoff_time = options.get('connection_retry_backoff_time', 5)
         query_timeout = options.get('query_timeout', 0)
+        setencoding = options.get('setencoding', None)
+        setdecoding = options.get('setdecoding', None)
 
         conn = None
         retry_count = 0
@@ -341,6 +343,12 @@ def get_new_connection(self, conn_params):
                     raise
 
         conn.timeout = query_timeout
+        if setencoding:
+            for entry in setencoding:
+                conn.setencoding(**entry)
+        if setdecoding:
+            for entry in setdecoding:
+                conn.setdecoding(**entry)
         return conn
 
     def init_connection_state(self):