diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 47b1a66d35..fd3d81f1b2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 === HEAD
 
+* Add modification_detection plugin, for automatic detection of in-place column value modifications (jeremyevans)
+
 * Speed up using plain strings, numbers, true, false, and nil in json columns if underlying json library supports them (jeremyevans) (#834)
 
 === 4.12.0 (2014-07-01)
diff --git a/lib/sequel/plugins/modification_detection.rb b/lib/sequel/plugins/modification_detection.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..92a36905b3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/sequel/plugins/modification_detection.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+module Sequel
+  module Plugins
+    # This plugin automatically detects in-place modifications to
+    # columns as well as direct modifications of the values hash.
+    #
+    #   class User < Sequel::Model
+    #     plugin :modification_detection
+    #   end
+    #   user = User[1]
+    #   user.a # => 'a'
+    #   user.a << 'b'
+    #   user.save_changes
+    #   # UPDATE users SET a = 'ab' WHERE (id = 1)
+    #
+    # Note that for this plugin to work correctly, the column values must
+    # correctly implement the #hash method, returning the same value if
+    # the object is equal, and a different value if the object is not equal.
+    #
+    # Note that this plugin causes a performance hit for all retrieved
+    # objects, so it shouldn't be used in cases where performance is a
+    # primary concern.
+    #
+    # Usage:
+    #
+    #   # Make all model subclass automatically detect column modifications
+    #   Sequel::Model.plugin :modification_detection
+    #
+    #   # Make the Album class automatically detect column modifications
+    #   Album.plugin :modification_detection
+    module ModificationDetection
+      module ClassMethods
+        # Calculate the hashes for all of the column values, so that they
+        # can be compared later to determine if the column value has changed.
+        def call(_)
+          v = super
+          v.calculate_values_hashes
+          v
+        end
+      end
+
+      module InstanceMethods
+        # Recalculate the column value hashes after updating.
+        def after_update
+          super
+          recalculate_values_hashes
+        end
+
+        # Calculate the column hash values if they haven't been already calculated.
+        def calculate_values_hashes
+          @values_hashes || recalculate_values_hashes
+        end
+
+        # Detect which columns have been modified by comparing the cached hash
+        # value to the hash of the current value.
+        def changed_columns
+          cc = super
+          changed = []
+          v = @values
+          if vh = @values_hashes
+            (vh.keys - cc).each{|c| changed << c unless v.has_key?(c) && vh[c] == v[c].hash}
+          end
+          cc + changed
+        end
+
+        private
+
+        # Recalculate the column value hashes after manually refreshing.
+        def _refresh(dataset)
+          super
+          recalculate_values_hashes
+        end
+
+        # Recalculate the column value hashes after refreshing after saving a new object.
+        def _save_refresh
+          super
+          recalculate_values_hashes
+        end
+
+        # Recalculate the column value hashes, caching them for later use.
+        def recalculate_values_hashes
+          vh = {}
+          @values.each do |k,v|
+            vh[k] = v.hash
+          end
+          @values_hashes = vh.freeze
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/extensions/modification_detection_spec.rb b/spec/extensions/modification_detection_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a2107d8c04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/extensions/modification_detection_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+require File.join(File.dirname(File.expand_path(__FILE__)), "spec_helper")
+require 'yaml'
+
+describe "serialization_modification_detection plugin" do
+  before do
+    @ds = Sequel.mock(:fetch=>{:id=>1, :a=>'a', :b=>1, :c=>['a'], :d=>{'b'=>'c'}}, :numrows=>1, :autoid=>1)[:items]
+    @c = Class.new(Sequel::Model(@ds))
+    @c.plugin :modification_detection
+    @c.columns :a, :b, :c, :d
+    @o = @c.first
+    @ds.db.sqls
+  end
+  
+  it "should only detect columns that have been changed" do
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+    @o.a << 'b'
+    @o.changed_columns.should == [:a]
+    @o.a.replace('a') 
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+
+    @o.values[:b] = 2
+    @o.changed_columns.should == [:b]
+    @o.values[:b] = 1
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+
+    @o.c[0] << 'b'
+    @o.d['b'] << 'b'
+    @o.changed_columns.sort_by{|c| c.to_s}.should == [:c, :d]
+    @o.c[0] = 'a'
+    @o.changed_columns.should == [:d]
+    @o.d['b'] = 'c'
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+  end
+  
+  it "should not list a column twice" do
+    @o.a = 'b'
+    @o.a << 'a'
+    @o.changed_columns.should == [:a]
+  end
+  
+  it "should report correct changed_columns after updating" do
+    @o.a << 'a'
+    @o.save_changes
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+
+    @o.values[:b] = 2
+    @o.save_changes
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+
+    @o.c[0] << 'b'
+    @o.save_changes
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+
+    @o.d['b'] << 'a'
+    @o.save_changes
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+
+    @ds.db.sqls.should == ["UPDATE items SET a = 'aa' WHERE (id = 1)",
+                       "UPDATE items SET b = 2 WHERE (id = 1)",
+                       "UPDATE items SET c = ('ab') WHERE (id = 1)",
+                       "UPDATE items SET d = ('b' = 'ca') WHERE (id = 1)"]
+  end
+
+  it "should report correct changed_columns after creating new object" do
+    o = @c.create
+    o.changed_columns.should == []
+    o.a << 'a'
+    o.changed_columns.should == [:a]
+    @ds.db.sqls.should == ["INSERT INTO items DEFAULT VALUES", "SELECT * FROM items WHERE (id = 1) LIMIT 1"]
+  end
+
+  it "should report correct changed_columns after refreshing existing object" do
+    @o.a << 'a'
+    @o.changed_columns.should == [:a]
+    @o.refresh
+    @o.changed_columns.should == []
+    @o.a << 'a'
+    @o.changed_columns.should == [:a]
+  end
+end