diff --git a/impala/dbapi.py b/impala/dbapi.py
index d11ff38e5..680d71283 100644
--- a/impala/dbapi.py
+++ b/impala/dbapi.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def connect(host='localhost', port=21050, database=None, timeout=None,
             use_ssl=False, ca_cert=None, auth_mechanism='NOSASL', user=None,
             password=None, kerberos_service_name='impala', use_ldap=None,
             ldap_user=None, ldap_password=None, use_kerberos=None,
-            protocol=None):
+            protocol=None,username=None):
     """Get a connection to HiveServer2 (HS2).
 
     These options are largely compatible with the impala-shell command line
@@ -145,7 +145,7 @@ def connect(host='localhost', port=21050, database=None, timeout=None,
                           ca_cert=ca_cert, user=user, password=password,
                           kerberos_service_name=kerberos_service_name,
                           auth_mechanism=auth_mechanism)
-    return hs2.HiveServer2Connection(service, default_db=database)
+    return hs2.HiveServer2Connection(service, default_db=database, impersonate=username)
 
 
 class _DBAPITypeObject(object):
diff --git a/impala/hiveserver2.py b/impala/hiveserver2.py
index f3ecc72f9..70d1b2a41 100644
--- a/impala/hiveserver2.py
+++ b/impala/hiveserver2.py
@@ -51,12 +51,14 @@ class HiveServer2Connection(Connection):
     # HiveServer2Connection objects are associated with a TCLIService.Client
     # thrift service
     # it's instantiated with an alive TCLIService.Client
-
-    def __init__(self, service, default_db=None):
+    impersonate=None
+    
+    def __init__(self, service, default_db=None, impersonate=None):
         log.debug('HiveServer2Connection(service=%s, default_db=%s)', service,
                   default_db)
         self.service = service
         self.default_db = default_db
+        self.impersonate=impersonate
 
     def close(self):
         """Close the session and the Thrift transport."""
@@ -122,6 +124,12 @@ def cursor(self, user=None, configuration=None, convert_types=True,
 
         log.debug('.cursor(): getting new session_handle')
 
+        if self.impersonate != None:
+          log.debug('Impersonating user %s' % self.impersonate)
+          configuration = {
+            'impala.doas.user': self.impersonate
+          }
+
         session = self.service.open_session(user, configuration)
 
         log.debug('HiveServer2Cursor(service=%s, session_handle=%s, '