diff --git a/sqlite3.go b/sqlite3.go
index 3025a500..aca480a5 100644
--- a/sqlite3.go
+++ b/sqlite3.go
@@ -137,6 +137,61 @@ _sqlite3_prepare_v2_internal(sqlite3 *db, const char *zSql, int nBytes, sqlite3_
 }
 #endif
 
+static int _sqlite3_prepare_v2(sqlite3 *db, const char *zSql, int nBytes, sqlite3_stmt **ppStmt, int *oBytes) {
+	const char *tail;
+	int rv = _sqlite3_prepare_v2_internal(db, zSql, nBytes, ppStmt, &tail);
+	if (rv != SQLITE_OK) {
+		return rv;
+	}
+	if (tail) {
+		// Set oBytes to the number of bytes consumed instead of using the
+		// **pzTail out param since that requires storing a Go pointer in
+		// a C pointer, which is not allowed by CGO and will cause
+		// runtime.cgoCheckPointer to fail.
+		*oBytes = tail - zSql;
+	} else {
+		// NB: this should not happen, but if it does advance oBytes to the
+		// end of the string so that we do not loop infinitely.
+		*oBytes = nBytes;
+	}
+	return SQLITE_OK;
+}
+
+// _sqlite3_exec_no_args executes all of the statements in zSql. None of the
+// statements are allowed to have positional arguments.
+int _sqlite3_exec_no_args(sqlite3 *db, const char *zSql, int nBytes, int64_t *rowid, int64_t *changes) {
+	while (*zSql && nBytes > 0) {
+		sqlite3_stmt *stmt;
+		const char *tail;
+		int rv = sqlite3_prepare_v2(db, zSql, nBytes, &stmt, &tail);
+		if (rv != SQLITE_OK) {
+			return rv;
+		}
+
+		// Process statement
+		do {
+			rv = _sqlite3_step_internal(stmt);
+		} while (rv == SQLITE_ROW);
+
+		// Only record the number of changes made by the last statement.
+		*changes = sqlite3_changes64(db);
+		*rowid = sqlite3_last_insert_rowid(db);
+
+		if (rv != SQLITE_OK && rv != SQLITE_DONE) {
+			sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
+			return rv;
+		}
+		rv = sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
+		if (rv != SQLITE_OK) {
+			return rv;
+		}
+
+		nBytes -= tail - zSql;
+		zSql = tail;
+	}
+	return SQLITE_OK;
+}
+
 void _sqlite3_result_text(sqlite3_context* ctx, const char* s) {
   sqlite3_result_text(ctx, s, -1, &free);
 }
@@ -858,54 +913,119 @@ func (c *SQLiteConn) Exec(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Result, err
 }
 
 func (c *SQLiteConn) exec(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.NamedValue) (driver.Result, error) {
-	start := 0
+	// Trim the query. This is mostly important for getting rid
+	// of any trailing space.
+	query = strings.TrimSpace(query)
+	if len(args) > 0 {
+		return c.execArgs(ctx, query, args)
+	}
+	return c.execNoArgs(ctx, query)
+}
+
+func (c *SQLiteConn) execArgs(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.NamedValue) (driver.Result, error) {
+	var (
+		stmtArgs []driver.NamedValue
+		start    int
+		s        SQLiteStmt // escapes to the heap so reuse it
+		sz       C.int      // number of query bytes consumed: escapes to the heap
+	)
 	for {
-		s, err := c.prepare(ctx, query)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		s = SQLiteStmt{c: c} // reset
+		sz = 0
+		rv := C._sqlite3_prepare_v2(c.db, (*C.char)(unsafe.Pointer(stringData(query))),
+			C.int(len(query)), &s.s, &sz)
+		if rv != C.SQLITE_OK {
+			return nil, c.lastError()
 		}
+		query = strings.TrimSpace(query[sz:])
+
 		var res driver.Result
-		if s.(*SQLiteStmt).s != nil {
-			stmtArgs := make([]driver.NamedValue, 0, len(args))
+		if s.s != nil {
 			na := s.NumInput()
 			if len(args)-start < na {
-				s.Close()
+				s.finalize()
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("not enough args to execute query: want %d got %d", na, len(args))
 			}
 			// consume the number of arguments used in the current
 			// statement and append all named arguments not
 			// contained therein
-			if len(args[start:start+na]) > 0 {
-				stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[start:start+na]...)
-				for i := range args {
-					if (i < start || i >= na) && args[i].Name != "" {
-						stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[i])
-					}
-				}
-				for i := range stmtArgs {
-					stmtArgs[i].Ordinal = i + 1
+			stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs[:0], args[start:start+na]...)
+			for i := range args {
+				if (i < start || i >= na) && args[i].Name != "" {
+					stmtArgs = append(stmtArgs, args[i])
 				}
 			}
-			res, err = s.(*SQLiteStmt).exec(ctx, stmtArgs)
+			for i := range stmtArgs {
+				stmtArgs[i].Ordinal = i + 1
+			}
+			var err error
+			res, err = s.exec(ctx, stmtArgs)
 			if err != nil && err != driver.ErrSkip {
-				s.Close()
+				s.finalize()
 				return nil, err
 			}
 			start += na
 		}
-		tail := s.(*SQLiteStmt).t
-		s.Close()
-		if tail == "" {
+		s.finalize()
+		if len(query) == 0 {
 			if res == nil {
 				// https://github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3/issues/963
 				res = &SQLiteResult{0, 0}
 			}
 			return res, nil
 		}
-		query = tail
 	}
 }
 
+// execNoArgsSync processes every SQL statement in query. All processing occurs
+// in C code, which reduces the overhead of CGO calls.
+func (c *SQLiteConn) execNoArgsSync(query string) (_ driver.Result, err error) {
+	var rowid, changes C.int64_t
+	rv := C._sqlite3_exec_no_args(c.db, (*C.char)(unsafe.Pointer(stringData(query))),
+		C.int(len(query)), &rowid, &changes)
+	if rv != C.SQLITE_OK {
+		err = c.lastError()
+	}
+	return &SQLiteResult{id: int64(rowid), changes: int64(changes)}, err
+}
+
+func (c *SQLiteConn) execNoArgs(ctx context.Context, query string) (driver.Result, error) {
+	done := ctx.Done()
+	if done == nil {
+		return c.execNoArgsSync(query)
+	}
+
+	// Fast check if the Context is cancelled
+	if err := ctx.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	ch := make(chan struct{})
+	defer close(ch)
+	go func() {
+		select {
+		case <-done:
+			C.sqlite3_interrupt(c.db)
+			// Wait until signaled. We need to ensure that this goroutine
+			// will not call interrupt after this method returns, which is
+			// why we can't check if only done is closed when waiting below.
+			<-ch
+		case <-ch:
+		}
+	}()
+
+	res, err := c.execNoArgsSync(query)
+
+	// Stop the goroutine and make sure we're at a point where
+	// sqlite3_interrupt cannot be called again.
+	ch <- struct{}{}
+
+	if isInterruptErr(err) {
+		err = ctx.Err()
+	}
+	return res, err
+}
+
 // Query implements Queryer.
 func (c *SQLiteConn) Query(query string, args []driver.Value) (driver.Rows, error) {
 	list := make([]driver.NamedValue, len(args))
@@ -1914,6 +2034,13 @@ func (s *SQLiteStmt) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (s *SQLiteStmt) finalize() {
+	if s.s != nil {
+		C.sqlite3_finalize(s.s)
+		s.s = nil
+	}
+}
+
 // NumInput return a number of parameters.
 func (s *SQLiteStmt) NumInput() int {
 	return int(C.sqlite3_bind_parameter_count(s.s))
diff --git a/sqlite3_test.go b/sqlite3_test.go
index 94de7386..67aa6ba4 100644
--- a/sqlite3_test.go
+++ b/sqlite3_test.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ package sqlite3
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"context"
 	"database/sql"
 	"database/sql/driver"
 	"errors"
@@ -1090,6 +1091,67 @@ func TestExecer(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestExecDriverResult(t *testing.T) {
+	setup := func(t *testing.T) *sql.DB {
+		db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", t.TempDir()+"/test.sqlite3")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal("Failed to open database:", err)
+		}
+		if _, err := db.Exec(`CREATE TABLE foo (id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY);`); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		t.Cleanup(func() { db.Close() })
+		return db
+	}
+
+	test := func(t *testing.T, execStmt string, args ...any) {
+		db := setup(t)
+		res, err := db.Exec(execStmt, args...)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		rows, err := res.RowsAffected()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		// We only return the changes from the last statement.
+		if rows != 1 {
+			t.Errorf("RowsAffected got: %d want: %d", rows, 1)
+		}
+		id, err := res.LastInsertId()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if id != 3 {
+			t.Errorf("LastInsertId got: %d want: %d", id, 3)
+		}
+		var count int64
+		err = db.QueryRow(`SELECT COUNT(*) FROM foo WHERE id IN (1, 2, 3);`).Scan(&count)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if count != 3 {
+			t.Errorf("Expected count to be %d got: %d", 3, count)
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.Run("NoArgs", func(t *testing.T) {
+		const stmt = `
+		INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(1);
+		INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(2);
+		INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(3);`
+		test(t, stmt)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("WithArgs", func(t *testing.T) {
+		const stmt = `
+		INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+		INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);
+		INSERT INTO foo(id) VALUES(?);`
+		test(t, stmt, 1, 2, 3)
+	})
+}
+
 func TestQueryer(t *testing.T) {
 	tempFilename := TempFilename(t)
 	defer os.Remove(tempFilename)
@@ -2106,6 +2168,10 @@ var tests = []testing.InternalTest{
 
 var benchmarks = []testing.InternalBenchmark{
 	{Name: "BenchmarkExec", F: benchmarkExec},
+	{Name: "BenchmarkExecContext", F: benchmarkExecContext},
+	{Name: "BenchmarkExecStep", F: benchmarkExecStep},
+	{Name: "BenchmarkExecContextStep", F: benchmarkExecContextStep},
+	{Name: "BenchmarkExecTx", F: benchmarkExecTx},
 	{Name: "BenchmarkQuery", F: benchmarkQuery},
 	{Name: "BenchmarkParams", F: benchmarkParams},
 	{Name: "BenchmarkStmt", F: benchmarkStmt},
@@ -2459,13 +2525,78 @@ func testExecEmptyQuery(t *testing.T) {
 
 // benchmarkExec is benchmark for exec
 func benchmarkExec(b *testing.B) {
+	b.Run("Params", func(b *testing.B) {
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			if _, err := db.Exec("select ?;", int64(1)); err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+	b.Run("NoParams", func(b *testing.B) {
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			if _, err := db.Exec("select 1;"); err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func benchmarkExecContext(b *testing.B) {
+	b.Run("Params", func(b *testing.B) {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		defer cancel()
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			if _, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, "select ?;", int64(1)); err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+	b.Run("NoParams", func(b *testing.B) {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		defer cancel()
+		for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
+			if _, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, "select 1;"); err != nil {
+				panic(err)
+			}
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+func benchmarkExecTx(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		if _, err := db.Exec("select 1"); err != nil {
+		tx, err := db.Begin()
+		if err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+		if _, err := tx.Exec("select 1;"); err != nil {
+			panic(err)
+		}
+		if err := tx.Commit(); err != nil {
 			panic(err)
 		}
 	}
 }
 
+var largeSelectStmt = strings.Repeat("select 1;\n", 1_000)
+
+func benchmarkExecStep(b *testing.B) {
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		if _, err := db.Exec(largeSelectStmt); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func benchmarkExecContextStep(b *testing.B) {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+	for n := 0; n < b.N; n++ {
+		if _, err := db.ExecContext(ctx, largeSelectStmt); err != nil {
+			b.Fatal(err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // benchmarkQuery is benchmark for query
 func benchmarkQuery(b *testing.B) {
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
diff --git a/unsafe_go120.go b/unsafe_go120.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..95d673ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unsafe_go120.go
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+//go:build !go1.21
+// +build !go1.21
+
+package sqlite3
+
+import "unsafe"
+
+// stringData is a safe version of unsafe.StringData that handles empty strings.
+func stringData(s string) *byte {
+	if len(s) != 0 {
+		b := *(*[]byte)(unsafe.Pointer(&s))
+		return &b[0]
+	}
+	// The return value of unsafe.StringData
+	// is unspecified if the string is empty.
+	return &placeHolder[0]
+}
diff --git a/unsafe_go121.go b/unsafe_go121.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b9c00a12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/unsafe_go121.go
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+//go:build go1.21
+// +build go1.21
+
+// The unsafe.StringData function was made available in Go 1.20 but it
+// was not until Go 1.21 that Go was changed to interpret the Go version
+// in go.mod (1.19 as of writing this) as the minimum version required
+// instead of the exact version.
+//
+// See: https://github.com/golang/go/issues/59033
+
+package sqlite3
+
+import "unsafe"
+
+// stringData is a safe version of unsafe.StringData that handles empty strings.
+func stringData(s string) *byte {
+	if len(s) != 0 {
+		return unsafe.StringData(s)
+	}
+	// The return value of unsafe.StringData
+	// is unspecified if the string is empty.
+	return &placeHolder[0]
+}