diff --git a/datasette/app.py b/datasette/app.py
index cb0f462a..853f24a0 100644
--- a/datasette/app.py
+++ b/datasette/app.py
@@ -108,6 +108,12 @@ class BaseView(HTTPMethodView):
             return name, expected, should_redirect
         return name, expected, None
 
+    def prepare_connection(self, conn):
+        conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
+        conn.text_factory = lambda x: str(x, 'utf-8', 'replace')
+        for name, num_args, func in self.ds.sqlite_functions:
+            conn.create_function(name, num_args, func)
+
     async def execute(self, db_name, sql, params=None, truncate=False):
         """Executes sql against db_name in a thread"""
         def sql_operation_in_thread():
@@ -119,8 +125,7 @@ class BaseView(HTTPMethodView):
                     uri=True,
                     check_same_thread=False,
                 )
-                conn.row_factory = sqlite3.Row
-                conn.text_factory = lambda x: str(x, 'utf-8', 'replace')
+                self.prepare_connection(conn)
                 setattr(connections, db_name, conn)
 
             with sqlite_timelimit(conn, self.ds.sql_time_limit_ms):
@@ -525,6 +530,7 @@ class Datasette:
         self.cors = cors
         self._inspect = inspect_data
         self.metadata = metadata or {}
+        self.sqlite_functions = []
 
     def inspect(self):
         if not self._inspect:
diff --git a/datasette/utils.py b/datasette/utils.py
index 87f95811..c41d9f42 100644
--- a/datasette/utils.py
+++ b/datasette/utils.py
@@ -85,13 +85,21 @@ class CustomJSONEncoder(json.JSONEncoder):
 @contextmanager
 def sqlite_timelimit(conn, ms):
     deadline = time.time() + (ms / 1000)
+    # n is the number of SQLite virtual machine instructions that will be
+    # executed between each check. It's hard to know what to pick here.
+    # After some experimentation, I've decided to go with 1000 by default and
+    # 1 for time limits that are less than 50ms
+    n = 1000
+    if ms < 50:
+        n = 1
 
     def handler():
         if time.time() >= deadline:
             return 1
-    conn.set_progress_handler(handler, 10000)
+
+    conn.set_progress_handler(handler, n)
     yield
-    conn.set_progress_handler(None, 10000)
+    conn.set_progress_handler(None, n)
 
 
 class InvalidSql(Exception):
diff --git a/tests/test_app.py b/tests/test_app.py
index a4405c8e..ff910c3c 100644
--- a/tests/test_app.py
+++ b/tests/test_app.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import os
 import pytest
 import sqlite3
 import tempfile
+import time
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope='module')
@@ -12,7 +13,16 @@ def app_client():
         conn = sqlite3.connect(filepath)
         conn.executescript(TABLES)
         os.chdir(os.path.dirname(filepath))
-        yield Datasette([filepath], page_size=50, max_returned_rows=100).app().test_client
+        ds = Datasette(
+            [filepath],
+            page_size=50,
+            max_returned_rows=100,
+            sql_time_limit_ms=20,
+        )
+        ds.sqlite_functions.append(
+            ('sleep', 1, lambda n: time.sleep(float(n))),
+        )
+        yield ds.app().test_client
 
 
 def test_homepage(app_client):
@@ -83,6 +93,14 @@ def test_custom_sql(app_client):
     assert not data['truncated']
 
 
+def test_sql_time_limit(app_client):
+    _, response = app_client.get(
+        '/test_tables.jsono?sql=select+sleep(0.5)'
+    )
+    assert 400 == response.status
+    assert 'interrupted' == response.json['error']
+
+
 def test_invalid_custom_sql(app_client):
     _, response = app_client.get(
         '/test_tables?sql=.schema'