2 files changed, 26 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py
index 9eb1b8b40..1727e6905 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/base.py
@@ -524,6 +524,21 @@ class Dialect(object):
         """
         return None
 
+    def reset_isolation_level(self, dbapi_conn):
+        """Given a DBAPI connection, revert its isolation to the default."""
+
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def set_isolation_level(self, dbapi_conn, level):
+        """Given a DBAPI connection, set its isolation level."""
+
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def get_isolation_level(self, dbapi_conn):
+        """Given a DBAPI connection, return its isolation level."""
+
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
 
 class ExecutionContext(object):
     """A messenger object for a Dialect that corresponds to a single
diff --git a/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py b/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py
index da6ed12a6..30a53bb20 100644
--- a/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py
+++ b/lib/sqlalchemy/engine/default.py
@@ -175,6 +175,12 @@ class DefaultDialect(base.Dialect):
         except NotImplementedError:
             self.default_schema_name = None
 
+        try:
+            self.default_isolation_level = \
+                        self.get_isolation_level(connection.connection)
+        except NotImplementedError:
+            self.default_isolation_level = None
+
         self.returns_unicode_strings = self._check_unicode_returns(connection)
 
         self.do_rollback(connection.connection)
@@ -320,6 +326,11 @@ class DefaultDialect(base.Dialect):
     def is_disconnect(self, e):
         return False
 
+    def reset_isolation_level(self, dbapi_conn):
+        self.set_isolation_level(dbapi_conn, 
+                    self.isolation_level or self.default_isolation_level)
+
+
 
 class DefaultExecutionContext(base.ExecutionContext):
     isinsert = False