diff --git a/lib/Jifty/DBI/Column.pm b/lib/Jifty/DBI/Column.pm
index d12ac21..24500dc 100644
--- a/lib/Jifty/DBI/Column.pm
+++ b/lib/Jifty/DBI/Column.pm
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ my @handy_attrs = qw/
     valid_values
     available_values
     autocompleted
+    no_placeholder
     /;

 # compat: this should probably never exist and be deprecated
@@ -152,6 +153,8 @@ known attributes are:

 =item     documentation

+=item     no_placeholder
+
 =back

 =cut
diff --git a/lib/Jifty/DBI/Record.pm b/lib/Jifty/DBI/Record.pm
index fcde122..119bf1a 100755
--- a/lib/Jifty/DBI/Record.pm
+++ b/lib/Jifty/DBI/Record.pm
@@ -1140,8 +1140,13 @@ sub load_by_cols {
                 }
             }

-            push @phrases, "$key $op $function";
-            push @bind,    $value;
+            if ($column_obj and $function eq "?" and $column_obj->no_placeholder) {
+                push @phrases, "$key $op ".$self->_handle->quote_value($value);
+            } else {
+                push @phrases, "$key $op $function";
+                push @bind,    $value;
+            }
+
         } elsif ( !defined $hash{$key} ) {
             push @phrases, "$key IS NULL";
         } else {