diff --git a/sqlx-macros/src/lib.rs b/sqlx-macros/src/lib.rs
index f8cbd6bb..037e0a17 100644
--- a/sqlx-macros/src/lib.rs
+++ b/sqlx-macros/src/lib.rs
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ where
     eprintln!("connection established");
 
     let prepared = conn
-        .prepare(&input.sql)
+        .describe(&input.sql)
         .await
         .map_err(|e| parse::Error::new(input.sql_span, e))?;
 
diff --git a/src/connection.rs b/src/connection.rs
index a7fd68fb..f679ac11 100644
--- a/src/connection.rs
+++ b/src/connection.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use crate::{
     error::Error,
     executor::Executor,
     pool::{Live, SharedPool},
-    prepared::PreparedStatement,
+    describe::Describe,
     query::{IntoQueryParameters, QueryParameters},
     row::FromSqlRow,
 };
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ pub trait RawConnection: Send {
         query: &str,
     ) -> crate::Result<<Self::Backend as Backend>::StatementIdent>;
 
-    async fn prepare_describe(
+    async fn describe(
         &mut self,
         query: &str,
-    ) -> crate::Result<PreparedStatement<Self::Backend>>;
+    ) -> crate::Result<Describe<Self::Backend>>;
 }
 
 pub struct Connection<DB>(Arc<SharedConnection<DB>>)
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ where
     ///
     /// UNSTABLE: for use by sqlx-macros only
     #[doc(hidden)]
-    pub async fn prepare(&self, body: &str) -> crate::Result<PreparedStatement<DB>> {
+    pub async fn describe(&self, body: &str) -> crate::Result<Describe<DB>> {
         let mut live = self.0.acquire().await;
         let ret = live.raw.prepare_describe(body).await?;
         self.0.release(live);
diff --git a/src/prepared.rs b/src/describe.rs
similarity index 77%
rename from src/prepared.rs
rename to src/describe.rs
index 130e2930..9bb6dbfa 100644
--- a/src/prepared.rs
+++ b/src/describe.rs
@@ -2,10 +2,9 @@ use crate::Backend;
 
 use crate::types::HasTypeMetadata;
 
-/// A prepared statement.
-pub struct PreparedStatement<DB: Backend> {
+/// The result of running prepare + describe for the given backend.
+pub struct Describe<DB: Backend> {
     ///
-    pub identifier: <DB as Backend>::StatementIdent,
     /// The expected type IDs of bind parameters.
     pub param_types: Vec<<DB as HasTypeMetadata>::TypeId>,
     ///
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 55cafe9a..99379869 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ pub mod serialize;
 mod sql;
 pub mod types;
 
-mod prepared;
+mod describe;
 
 mod compiled;
 
diff --git a/src/mariadb/connection.rs b/src/mariadb/connection.rs
index 233b8db0..9b5accc0 100644
--- a/src/mariadb/connection.rs
+++ b/src/mariadb/connection.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use crate::{
         },
         MariaDb, MariaDbQueryParameters, MariaDbRow,
     },
-    prepared::{Column, PreparedStatement},
+    describe::{Column, Describe},
     Backend, Error, PreparedStatement, Result,
 };
 use async_trait::async_trait;
@@ -330,25 +330,7 @@ impl RawConnection for MariaDbRawConnection {
         unimplemented!();
     }
 
-    async fn prepare(&mut self, query: &str) -> crate::Result<u32> {
-        let prepare_ok = self.send_prepare(query).await?;
-
-        for _ in 0..prepare_ok.params {
-            let _ = self.receive().await?;
-        }
-
-        self.check_eof().await?;
-
-        for _ in 0..prepare_ok.columns {
-            let _ = self.receive().await?;
-        }
-
-        self.check_eof().await?;
-
-        Ok(prepare_ok.statement_id)
-    }
-
-    async fn prepare_describe(&mut self, query: &str) -> crate::Result<PreparedStatement<MariaDb>> {
+    async fn describe(&mut self, query: &str) -> crate::Result<Describe<MariaDb>> {
         let prepare_ok = self.send_prepare(query).await?;
 
         let mut param_types = Vec::with_capacity(prepare_ok.params as usize);
@@ -373,8 +355,7 @@ impl RawConnection for MariaDbRawConnection {
 
         self.check_eof().await?;
 
-        Ok(PreparedStatement {
-            identifier: prepare_ok.statement_id,
+        Ok(Describe {
             param_types,
             columns,
         })
diff --git a/src/postgres/connection.rs b/src/postgres/connection.rs
index 513a3911..40a02145 100644
--- a/src/postgres/connection.rs
+++ b/src/postgres/connection.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ use super::{Postgres, PostgresQueryParameters, PostgresRawConnection, PostgresRo
 use crate::{
     connection::RawConnection,
     postgres::{error::ProtocolError, raw::Step},
-    prepared::{Column, PreparedStatement},
+    describe::{Column, Describe},
     query::QueryParameters,
     url::Url,
 };
@@ -104,24 +104,9 @@ impl RawConnection for PostgresRawConnection {
         Ok(row)
     }
 
-    async fn prepare(&mut self, body: &str) -> crate::Result<String> {
-        let name = gen_statement_name(body);
-        self.parse(&name, body, &PostgresQueryParameters::new());
-
-        match self.receive().await? {
-            Some(Message::Response(response)) => Err(PostgresDatabaseError(response).into()),
-            Some(Message::ParseComplete) => Ok(name),
-            Some(message) => {
-                Err(ProtocolError(format!("unexpected message: {:?}", message)).into())
-            }
-            None => Err(ProtocolError("expected ParseComplete or ErrorResponse").into()),
-        }
-    }
-
-    async fn prepare_describe(&mut self, body: &str) -> crate::Result<PreparedStatement<Postgres>> {
-        let name = gen_statement_name(body);
-        self.parse(&name, body, &PostgresQueryParameters::new());
-        self.describe(&name);
+    async fn describe(&mut self, body: &str) -> crate::Result<Describe<Postgres>> {
+        self.parse("", body, &PostgresQueryParameters::new());
+        self.describe("");
         self.sync().await?;
 
         let param_desc = loop {
@@ -146,8 +131,7 @@ impl RawConnection for PostgresRawConnection {
             }
         };
 
-        Ok(PreparedStatement {
-            identifier: name,
+        Ok(Describe {
             param_types: param_desc.ids.into_vec(),
             columns: row_desc
                 .fields