diff --git a/src/Mysql/MysqlDriver.php b/src/Mysql/MysqlDriver.php
index 7a7c5c89..f359402e 100644
--- a/src/Mysql/MysqlDriver.php
+++ b/src/Mysql/MysqlDriver.php
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ public function __construct(array $options)
         $options['charset']  = $options['charset'] ?? 'utf8';
         $options['sqlModes'] = isset($options['sqlModes']) ? (array) $options['sqlModes'] : $sqlModes;
 
+        // Use sqlBigSelects only if explicitly set.
+        $options['sqlBigSelects'] = isset($options['sqlBigSelects']) ? (bool) $options['sqlBigSelects'] : null;
+
         $this->charset = $options['charset'];
 
         /*
@@ -221,6 +224,12 @@ public function connect()
             $this->connection->query('SET @@SESSION.sql_mode = \'' . implode(',', $this->options['sqlModes']) . '\';');
         }
 
+        // Set sql_big_selects if value provided in options
+        if ($this->options['sqlBigSelects'] !== null)
+        {
+            $this->connection->query('SET @@SESSION.sql_big_selects = ' . ($this->options['sqlBigSelects'] ? '1' : '0') . ';');
+        }
+
         $this->setOption(\PDO::ATTR_EMULATE_PREPARES, true);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php b/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php
index ee0fe407..01627b19 100644
--- a/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php
+++ b/src/Mysqli/MysqliDriver.php
@@ -136,6 +136,9 @@ public function __construct(array $options)
             $options['ssl']['verify_server_cert'] = isset($options['ssl']['verify_server_cert']) ? $options['ssl']['verify_server_cert'] : null;
         }
 
+        // Use sqlBigSelects only if explicitly set.
+        $options['sqlBigSelects'] = isset($options['sqlBigSelects']) ? (bool) $options['sqlBigSelects'] : null;
+
         // Finalize initialisation.
         parent::__construct($options);
     }
@@ -307,6 +310,11 @@ public function connect()
         // And read the real sql mode to mitigate changes in mysql > 5.7.+
         $this->options['sqlModes'] = explode(',', $this->setQuery('SELECT @@SESSION.sql_mode;')->loadResult());
 
+        // Set sql_big_selects if value provided in options
+        if ($this->options['sqlBigSelects'] !== null)
+        {
+            $this->connection->query('SET @@SESSION.sql_big_selects = ' . ($this->options['sqlBigSelects'] ? '1' : '0') . ';');
+        }
         // If auto-select is enabled select the given database.
         if ($this->options['select'] && !empty($this->options['database'])) {
             $this->select($this->options['database']);