diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index 321326e..d502908 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -24,14 +24,19 @@ Usage
 -----
 
 Configure your database in ``settings.py`` from ``DATABASE_URL``
-(``default`` is optional)::
+(``default`` and ``conn_max_age`` are optional)::
 
     import dj_database_url
-    DATABASES = {'default': dj_database_url.config(default='postgres://...')}
+    DATABASES = {'default': dj_database_url.config(default='postgres://...', conn_max_age=600 )}
 
 Parse an arbitrary Database URL::
 
-    DATABASES = {'default': dj_database_url.parse('postgres://...')}
+    DATABASES = {'default': dj_database_url.parse('postgres://...', conn_max_age=600)}
+
+The ``conn_max_age`` attribute is the lifetime of a database connection in seconds 
+and is available in Django 1.6+. If you do not set a value, it will default to ``0`` 
+which is Django's historical behavior of using a new database connection on each 
+request. Use ``None`` for unlimited persistent connections.
 
 URL schema
 ----------
diff --git a/dj_database_url.py b/dj_database_url.py
index 8a73c71..37975fc 100644
--- a/dj_database_url.py
+++ b/dj_database_url.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ SCHEMES = {
 }
 
 
-def config(env=DEFAULT_ENV, default=None, engine=None):
+def config(env=DEFAULT_ENV, default=None, engine=None, conn_max_age=0):
     """Returns configured DATABASE dictionary from DATABASE_URL."""
 
     config = {}
@@ -43,12 +43,12 @@ def config(env=DEFAULT_ENV, default=None, engine=None):
     s = os.environ.get(env, default)
 
     if s:
-        config = parse(s, engine)
+        config = parse(s, engine, conn_max_age)
 
     return config
 
 
-def parse(url, engine=None):
+def parse(url, engine=None, conn_max_age=0):
     """Parses a database URL."""
 
     if url == 'sqlite://:memory:':
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ def parse(url, engine=None):
         'PASSWORD': url.password or '',
         'HOST': hostname,
         'PORT': url.port or '',
+        'CONN_MAX_AGE': conn_max_age,
     })
 
     if engine:
diff --git a/test_dj_database_url.py b/test_dj_database_url.py
index 001960a..d4c6c44 100644
--- a/test_dj_database_url.py
+++ b/test_dj_database_url.py
@@ -110,6 +110,20 @@ class DatabaseTestSuite(unittest.TestCase):
         url = dj_database_url.config(engine=engine)
 
         assert url['ENGINE'] == engine
+        
+    def test_parse_conn_max_age_setting(self):
+        conn_max_age = 600
+        url = 'mysql://bea6eb025ca0d8:69772142@us-cdbr-east.cleardb.com/heroku_97681db3eff7580?reconnect=true'
+        url = dj_database_url.parse(url, conn_max_age=conn_max_age)
+
+        assert url['CONN_MAX_AGE'] == conn_max_age
+
+    def test_config_conn_max_age_setting(self):
+        conn_max_age = 600
+        os.environ['DATABASE_URL'] = 'mysql://bea6eb025ca0d8:69772142@us-cdbr-east.cleardb.com/heroku_97681db3eff7580?reconnect=true'
+        url = dj_database_url.config(conn_max_age=conn_max_age)
+
+        assert url['CONN_MAX_AGE'] == conn_max_age
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     unittest.main()