diff --git a/data_diff/__main__.py b/data_diff/__main__.py
index 4a358e4c..1e6e22a4 100644
--- a/data_diff/__main__.py
+++ b/data_diff/__main__.py
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 @click.option("-s", "--stats", is_flag=True, help="Print stats instead of a detailed diff")
 @click.option("-d", "--debug", is_flag=True, help="Print debug info")
 @click.option("-v", "--verbose", is_flag=True, help="Print extra info")
+@click.option('-i', '--interactive', is_flag=True, help='Confirm queries, implies --debug')
 def main(
     db1_uri,
     table1_name,
@@ -52,10 +53,13 @@ def main(
     stats,
     debug,
     verbose,
+    interactive,
 ):
     if limit and stats:
         print("Error: cannot specify a limit when using the -s/--stats switch")
         return
+    if interactive:
+        debug = True
 
     if debug:
         logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG, format=LOG_FORMAT, datefmt=DATE_FORMAT)
@@ -64,6 +68,10 @@ def main(
 
     db1 = connect_to_uri(db1_uri)
     db2 = connect_to_uri(db2_uri)
+
+    if interactive:
+        db1.enable_interactive()
+        db2.enable_interactive()
 
     start = time.time()
 
diff --git a/data_diff/database.py b/data_diff/database.py
index 8d9f058c..5fefd290 100644
--- a/data_diff/database.py
+++ b/data_diff/database.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 from typing import Tuple
 
 import dsnparse
+import os
 
-from .sql import SqlOrStr, Compiler
+from .sql import SqlOrStr, Compiler, Explain, Select
 
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("database")
@@ -65,8 +66,17 @@ def _query(self, sql_code: str) -> list:
 
     def query(self, sql_ast: SqlOrStr, res_type: type):
         "Query the given SQL AST, and attempt to convert the result to type 'res_type'"
-        sql_code = Compiler(self).compile(sql_ast)
+        compiler = Compiler(self)
+        sql_code = compiler.compile(sql_ast)
         logger.debug("Running SQL (%s): %s", type(self).__name__, sql_code)
+        if getattr(self, '_interactive', False) and isinstance(sql_ast, Select):
+            explained_sql = compiler.compile(Explain(sql_ast))
+            logger.info(f"EXPLAIN for SQL SELECT")
+            logger.info(self._query(explained_sql))
+            answer = input("Continue? [y/n] ")
+            if not answer.lower() in ["y", "yes"]:
+                os.exit(1)
+
         res = self._query(sql_code)
         if res_type is int:
             res = _one(_one(res))
@@ -81,6 +91,9 @@ def query(self, sql_ast: SqlOrStr, res_type: type):
             else:
                 raise ValueError(res_type)
         return res
+
+    def enable_interactive(self):
+        self._interactive = True
 
     @abstractmethod
     def quote(self, s: str):
diff --git a/data_diff/sql.py b/data_diff/sql.py
index 94978584..a160824e 100644
--- a/data_diff/sql.py
+++ b/data_diff/sql.py
@@ -133,6 +133,7 @@ def compile(self, c: Compiler):
         return f"({c.compile(self.expr)} IN ({elems}))"
 
 
+
 @dataclass
 class Count(Sql):
     column: Optional[SqlOrStr] = None
@@ -146,6 +147,18 @@ def compile(self, c: Compiler):
 @dataclass
 class Time(Sql):
     time: datetime
+    column: Optional[SqlOrStr] = None
 
     def compile(self, c: Compiler):
         return "'%s'" % self.time.isoformat()
+        if self.column:
+            return f"count({c.compile(self.column)})"
+        return 'count(*)'
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Explain(Sql):
+    sql: Select
+
+    def compile(self, c: Compiler):
+        return f"EXPLAIN {c.compile(self.sql)}"
diff --git a/tests/test_sql.py b/tests/test_sql.py
index 89e2d658..184df571 100644
--- a/tests/test_sql.py
+++ b/tests/test_sql.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import unittest
 
 from data_diff.database import connect_to_uri
-from data_diff.sql import Checksum, Compare, Compiler, Enum, In, Select, TableName, Count
+from data_diff.sql import (Checksum, Compare, Compiler, Count, Enum, Explain, In,
+                       Select, TableName)
 
 from .common import TEST_MYSQL_CONN_STRING
 
@@ -91,3 +92,13 @@ def test_count_with_column(self):
                 Select([Count("id")], TableName(("marine_mammals", "walrus")), [In("id", [1, 2, 3])])
             ),
         )
+
+    def test_explain(self):
+        expected_sql = "EXPLAIN SELECT count(id) FROM `marine_mammals.walrus` WHERE (id IN (1, 2, 3))"
+        self.assertEqual(expected_sql, self.compiler.compile(
+            Explain(Select(
+                [Count("id")],
+                TableName(("marine_mammals", "walrus")),
+                [In("id", [1, 2, 3])]
+            )))
+        )