diff --git a/sqlite3.go b/sqlite3.go
index ed2a9e2a..91e428c8 100644
--- a/sqlite3.go
+++ b/sqlite3.go
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ _sqlite3_prepare_v2_internal(sqlite3 *db, const char *zSql, int nBytes, sqlite3_
 {
   return sqlite3_prepare_v2(db, zSql, nBytes, ppStmt, pzTail);
 }
+
 #endif
 
 void _sqlite3_result_text(sqlite3_context* ctx, const char* s) {
@@ -858,25 +859,34 @@ func (c *SQLiteConn) Exec(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Result, err
 }
 
 func (c *SQLiteConn) exec(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.NamedValue) (driver.Result, error) {
+	pquery := C.CString(query)
+	op := pquery // original pointer
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(op))
+
+	var stmtArgs []driver.NamedValue
+	var tail *C.char
+	s := new(SQLiteStmt) // escapes to the heap so reuse it
+	defer s.finalize()
 	start := 0
 	for {
-		s, err := c.prepare(ctx, query)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		*s = SQLiteStmt{c: c} // reset
+		rv := C._sqlite3_prepare_v2_internal(c.db, pquery, C.int(-1), &s.s, &tail)
+		if rv != C.SQLITE_OK {
+			return nil, c.lastError()
 		}
+
 		var res driver.Result
-		if s.(*SQLiteStmt).s != nil {
-			stmtArgs := make([]driver.NamedValue, 0, len(args))
+		if s.s != nil {
 			na := s.NumInput()
 			if len(args)-start < na {
-				s.Close()
+				s.finalize()
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("not enough args to execute query: want %d got %d", na, len(args))
 			}
 			// consume the number of arguments used in the current
 			// statement and append all named arguments not
 			// contained therein
 			if len(args[start:start+na]) > 0 {
-				stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[start:start+na]...)
+				stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs[:0], args[start:start+na]...)
 				for i := range args {
 					if (i < start || i >= na) && args[i].Name != "" {
 						stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[i])
@@ -886,23 +896,23 @@ func (c *SQLiteConn) exec(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.Named
 					stmtArgs[i].Ordinal = i + 1
 				}
 			}
-			res, err = s.(*SQLiteStmt).exec(ctx, stmtArgs)
+			var err error
+			res, err = s.exec(ctx, stmtArgs)
 			if err != nil && err != driver.ErrSkip {
-				s.Close()
+				s.finalize()
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			start += na
 		}
-		tail := s.(*SQLiteStmt).t
-		s.Close()
-		if tail == "" {
+		s.finalize()
+		if tail == nil || *tail == '\000' {
 			if res == nil {
 				// https://github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3/issues/963
 				res = &SQLiteResult{0, 0}
 			}
 			return res, nil
 		}
-		query = tail
+		pquery = tail
 	}
 }
 
@@ -919,44 +929,48 @@ func (c *SQLiteConn) Query(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Rows, erro
 }
 
 func (c *SQLiteConn) query(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.NamedValue) (driver.Rows, error) {
-	start := 0
-	for {
-		stmtArgs := make([]driver.NamedValue, 0, len(args))
-		s, err := c.prepare(ctx, query)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
-		s.(*SQLiteStmt).cls = true
-		na := s.NumInput()
-		if len(args)-start < na {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("not enough args to execute query: want %d got %d", na, len(args)-start)
-		}
-		// consume the number of arguments used in the current
-		// statement and append all named arguments not contained
-		// therein
-		stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[start:start+na]...)
-		for i := range args {
-			if (i < start || i >= na) && args[i].Name != "" {
-				stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[i])
-			}
-		}
-		for i := range stmtArgs {
-			stmtArgs[i].Ordinal = i + 1
+	pquery := C.CString(query)
+	op := pquery // original pointer
+	defer C.free(unsafe.Pointer(op))
+
+	var tail *C.char
+	s := &SQLiteStmt{c: c, cls: true}
+	rv := C._sqlite3_prepare_v2_internal(c.db, pquery, C.int(-1), &s.s, &tail)
+	if rv != C.SQLITE_OK {
+		return nil, c.lastError()
+	}
+	if s.s == nil {
+		return &SQLiteRows{s: &SQLiteStmt{closed: true}, closed: true}, nil
+	}
+	na := s.NumInput()
+	if n := len(args); n != na {
+		s.finalize()
+		if n < na {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("not enough args to execute query: want %d got %d", na, len(args))
 		}
-		rows, err := s.(*SQLiteStmt).query(ctx, stmtArgs)
-		if err != nil && err != driver.ErrSkip {
-			s.Close()
-			return rows, err
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("too many args to execute query: want %d got %d", na, len(args))
+	}
+	rows, err := s.query(ctx, args)
+	if err != nil && err != driver.ErrSkip {
+		s.finalize()
+		return rows, err
+	}
+
+	// Consume the rest of the query
+	for pquery = tail; pquery != nil && *pquery != 0; pquery = tail {
+		var stmt *C.sqlite3_stmt
+		rv := C._sqlite3_prepare_v2_internal(c.db, pquery, C.int(-1), &stmt, &tail)
+		if rv != C.SQLITE_OK {
+			rows.Close()
+			return nil, c.lastError()
 		}
-		start += na
-		tail := s.(*SQLiteStmt).t
-		if tail == "" {
-			return rows, nil
+		if stmt != nil {
+			rows.Close()
+			return nil, errors.New("cannot insert multiple commands into a prepared statement") // WARN
 		}
-		rows.Close()
-		s.Close()
-		query = tail
 	}
+
+	return rows, nil
 }
 
 // Begin transaction.
@@ -1818,8 +1832,11 @@ func (c *SQLiteConn) prepare(ctx context.Context, query string) (driver.Stmt, er
 		return nil, c.lastError()
 	}
 	var t string
-	if tail != nil && *tail != '\000' {
-		t = strings.TrimSpace(C.GoString(tail))
+	if tail != nil && *tail != 0 {
+		n := int(uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(tail))) - int(uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(pquery)))
+		if 0 <= n && n < len(query) {
+			t = strings.TrimSpace(query[n:])
+		}
 	}
 	ss := &SQLiteStmt{c: c, s: s, t: t}
 	runtime.SetFinalizer(ss, (*SQLiteStmt).Close)
@@ -1913,6 +1930,13 @@ func (s *SQLiteStmt) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *SQLiteStmt) finalize() {
+	if s.s != nil {
+		C.sqlite3_finalize(s.s)
+		s.s = nil
+	}
+}
+
 // NumInput return a number of parameters.
 func (s *SQLiteStmt) NumInput() int {
 	return int(C.sqlite3_bind_parameter_count(s.s))
@@ -2000,7 +2024,7 @@ func (s *SQLiteStmt) Query(args []driver.Value) (driver.Rows, error) {
 	return s.query(context.Background(), list)
 }
 
-func (s *SQLiteStmt) query(ctx context.Context, args []driver.NamedValue) (driver.Rows, error) {
+func (s *SQLiteStmt) query(ctx context.Context, args []driver.NamedValue) (*SQLiteRows, error) {
 	if err := s.bind(args); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/sqlite3_test.go b/sqlite3_test.go
index 63c939d3..089cf21a 100644
--- a/sqlite3_test.go
+++ b/sqlite3_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"math/rand"
 	"net/url"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"reflect"
 	"regexp"
 	"runtime"
@@ -1080,67 +1081,158 @@ func TestExecer(t *testing.T) {
 	defer db.Close()
 
 	_, err = db.Exec(`
-       create table foo (id integer); -- one comment
-       insert into foo(id) values(?);
-       insert into foo(id) values(?);
-       insert into foo(id) values(?); -- another comment
+       CREATE TABLE foo (id INTEGER); -- one comment
+       INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+       INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+       INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?); -- another comment
        `, 1, 2, 3)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Error("Failed to call db.Exec:", err)
 	}
 }
 
-func TestQueryer(t *testing.T) {
-	tempFilename := TempFilename(t)
-	defer os.Remove(tempFilename)
-	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", tempFilename)
+func testQuery(t *testing.T, seed bool, test func(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB)) {
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "test.sqlite3"))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal("Failed to open database:", err)
 	}
 	defer db.Close()
 
-	_, err = db.Exec(`
-		create table foo (id integer);
-	`)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("Failed to call db.Query:", err)
+	if seed {
+		if _, err := db.Exec(`create table foo (id integer);`); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		_, err := db.Exec(`
+			INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+			INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+			INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+		`, 3, 2, 1)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
 	}
 
-	_, err = db.Exec(`
-		insert into foo(id) values(?);
-		insert into foo(id) values(?);
-		insert into foo(id) values(?);
-	`, 3, 2, 1)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("Failed to call db.Exec:", err)
-	}
-	rows, err := db.Query(`
-		select id from foo order by id;
-	`)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Error("Failed to call db.Query:", err)
-	}
-	defer rows.Close()
-	n := 0
-	for rows.Next() {
-		var id int
-		err = rows.Scan(&id)
+	// Capture panic so tests can continue
+	defer func() {
+		if e := recover(); e != nil {
+			buf := make([]byte, 32*1024)
+			n := runtime.Stack(buf, false)
+			t.Fatalf("\npanic: %v\n\n%s\n", e, buf[:n])
+		}
+	}()
+	test(t, db)
+}
+
+func testQueryValues(t *testing.T, query string, args ...interface{}) []interface{} {
+	var values []interface{}
+	testQuery(t, true, func(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB) {
+		rows, err := db.Query(query, args...)
 		if err != nil {
-			t.Error("Failed to db.Query:", err)
+			t.Fatal(err)
 		}
-		if id != n+1 {
-			t.Error("Failed to db.Query: not matched results")
+		if rows == nil {
+			t.Fatal("nil rows")
 		}
-		n = n + 1
+		for i := 0; rows.Next(); i++ {
+			if i > 1_000 {
+				t.Fatal("To many iterations of rows.Next():", i)
+			}
+			var v interface{}
+			if err := rows.Scan(&v); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			values = append(values, v)
+		}
+		if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if err := rows.Close(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	})
+	return values
+}
+
+func TestQuery(t *testing.T) {
+	queries := []struct {
+		query string
+		args  []interface{}
+	}{
+		{"SELECT id FROM foo ORDER BY id;", nil},
+		{"SELECT id FROM foo WHERE id != ? ORDER BY id;", []interface{}{4}},
+		{"SELECT id FROM foo WHERE id IN (?, ?, ?) ORDER BY id;", []interface{}{1, 2, 3}},
+
+		// Comments
+		{"SELECT id FROM foo ORDER BY id; -- comment", nil},
+		{"SELECT id FROM foo ORDER BY id;\n -- comment\n", nil},
+		{
+			`-- FOO
+			 SELECT id FROM foo ORDER BY id; -- BAR
+			 /* BAZ */`,
+			nil,
+		},
 	}
-	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("Post-scan failed: %v\n", err)
+	want := []interface{}{
+		int64(1),
+		int64(2),
+		int64(3),
+	}
+	for _, q := range queries {
+		t.Run("", func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := testQueryValues(t, q.query, q.args...)
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, want) {
+				t.Fatalf("Query(%q, %v) = %v; want: %v", q.query, q.args, got, want)
+			}
+		})
 	}
-	if n != 3 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected 3 rows but retrieved %v", n)
+}
+
+func TestQueryNoSQL(t *testing.T) {
+	got := testQueryValues(t, "")
+	if got != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Query(%q, %v) = %v; want: %v", "", nil, got, nil)
 	}
 }
 
+func testQueryError(t *testing.T, query string, args ...interface{}) {
+	testQuery(t, true, func(t *testing.T, db *sql.DB) {
+		rows, err := db.Query(query, args...)
+		if err == nil {
+			t.Error("Expected an error got:", err)
+		}
+		if rows != nil {
+			t.Error("Returned rows should be nil on error!")
+			// Attempt to iterate over rows to make sure they don't panic.
+			for i := 0; rows.Next(); i++ {
+				if i > 1_000 {
+					t.Fatal("To many iterations of rows.Next():", i)
+				}
+			}
+			if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+				t.Error(err)
+			}
+			rows.Close()
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func TestQueryNotEnoughArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	testQueryError(t, "SELECT FROM foo WHERE id = ? OR id = ?);", 1)
+}
+
+func TestQueryTooManyArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	// TODO: test error message / kind
+	testQueryError(t, "SELECT FROM foo WHERE id = ?);", 1, 2)
+}
+
+func TestQueryMultipleStatements(t *testing.T) {
+	testQueryError(t, "SELECT 1; SELECT 2;")
+}
+
+func TestQueryInvalidTable(t *testing.T) {
+	testQueryError(t, "SELECT COUNT(*) FROM does_not_exist;")
+}
+
 func TestStress(t *testing.T) {
 	tempFilename := TempFilename(t)
 	defer os.Remove(tempFilename)
@@ -2111,6 +2203,7 @@ var benchmarks = []testing.InternalBenchmark{
 	{Name: "BenchmarkStmt", F: benchmarkStmt},
 	{Name: "BenchmarkRows", F: benchmarkRows},
 	{Name: "BenchmarkStmtRows", F: benchmarkStmtRows},
+	{Name: "BenchmarkExecStep", F: benchmarkExecStep},
 }
 
 func (db *TestDB) mustExec(sql string, args ...any) sql.Result {
@@ -2568,3 +2661,13 @@ func benchmarkStmtRows(b *testing.B) {
 		}
 	}
 }
+
+var largeSelectStmt = strings.Repeat("select 1;\n", 1_000)
+
+func benchmarkExecStep(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		if _, err := db.Exec(largeSelectStmt); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}