diff --git a/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h b/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h
index 70ca2e5..f3d0b0b 100644
--- a/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h
+++ b/include/SQLiteCpp/Database.h
@@ -84,13 +84,15 @@ public:
      * @param[in] aFlags            SQLite::OPEN_READONLY/SQLite::OPEN_READWRITE/SQLite::OPEN_CREATE...
      * @param[in] aBusyTimeoutMs    Amount of milliseconds to wait before returning SQLITE_BUSY (see setBusyTimeout())
      * @param[in] apVfs             UTF-8 name of custom VFS to use, or nullptr for sqlite3 default
+     * @param[in] apPass            Key to decrypt (end encrypt) the database, or nullptr for unencrypted databases
      *
      * @throw SQLite::Exception in case of error
      */
     Database(const char* apFilename,
              const int   aFlags         = SQLite::OPEN_READONLY,
              const int   aBusyTimeoutMs = 0,
-             const char* apVfs          = NULL);
+             const char* apVfs          = NULL,
+             const char* apPass         = NULL);
 
     /**
      * @brief Open the provided database UTF-8 filename.
@@ -106,13 +108,15 @@ public:
      * @param[in] aFlags            SQLite::OPEN_READONLY/SQLite::OPEN_READWRITE/SQLite::OPEN_CREATE...
      * @param[in] aBusyTimeoutMs    Amount of milliseconds to wait before returning SQLITE_BUSY (see setBusyTimeout())
      * @param[in] aVfs              UTF-8 name of custom VFS to use, or empty string for sqlite3 default
+     * @param[in] aPass             Key to decrypt (end encrypt) the database, or empty string for unencrypted databases
      *
      * @throw SQLite::Exception in case of error
      */
     Database(const std::string& aFilename,
              const int          aFlags          = SQLite::OPEN_READONLY,
              const int          aBusyTimeoutMs  = 0,
-             const std::string& aVfs            = "");
+             const std::string& aVfs            = "",
+             const std::string& aPass           = "");
 
     /**
      * @brief Close the SQLite database connection.
diff --git a/src/Database.cpp b/src/Database.cpp
index f640218..417a83c 100644
--- a/src/Database.cpp
+++ b/src/Database.cpp
@@ -51,18 +51,37 @@ int getLibVersionNumber() noexcept // nothrow
 Database::Database(const char* apFilename,
                    const int   aFlags         /* = SQLite::OPEN_READONLY*/,
                    const int   aBusyTimeoutMs /* = 0 */,
-                   const char* apVfs          /* = NULL*/) :
+                   const char* apVfs          /* = NULL*/,
+                   const char* apPass         /* = NULL*/) :
     mpSQLite(NULL),
     mFilename(apFilename)
 {
-    const int ret = sqlite3_open_v2(apFilename, &mpSQLite, aFlags, apVfs);
+    int ret = sqlite3_open_v2(apFilename, &mpSQLite, aFlags, apVfs);
     if (SQLITE_OK != ret)
     {
         const SQLite::Exception exception(mpSQLite, ret); // must create before closing
         sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
         throw exception;
     }
-
+#ifdef SQLITE_HAS_CODEC
+    if (apPass != NULL)
+    {
+        ret = sqlite3_key(mpSQLite, apPass, strlen(apPass));
+        if (SQLITE_OK != ret)
+        {
+            const SQLite::Exception exception(mpSQLite, ret); // must create before closing
+            sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
+            throw exception;
+        }
+    }
+#else
+    if (apPass != NULL)
+    {
+        const SQLite::Exception exception("No encryption support, recompile with SQLITE_HAS_CODEC or remove the password from the constructor."); // must create before closing
+        sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
+        throw exception;
+    }
+#endif
     if (aBusyTimeoutMs > 0)
     {
         setBusyTimeout(aBusyTimeoutMs);
@@ -73,18 +92,37 @@ Database::Database(const char* apFilename,
 Database::Database(const std::string& aFilename,
                    const int          aFlags         /* = SQLite::OPEN_READONLY*/,
                    const int          aBusyTimeoutMs /* = 0 */,
-                   const std::string& aVfs           /* = "" */) :
+                   const std::string& aVfs           /* = "" */,
+                   const std::string& aPass          /* = "" */) :
     mpSQLite(NULL),
     mFilename(aFilename)
 {
-    const int ret = sqlite3_open_v2(aFilename.c_str(), &mpSQLite, aFlags, aVfs.empty() ? NULL : aVfs.c_str());
+    int ret = sqlite3_open_v2(aFilename.c_str(), &mpSQLite, aFlags, aVfs.empty() ? NULL : aVfs.c_str());
     if (SQLITE_OK != ret)
     {
         const SQLite::Exception exception(mpSQLite, ret); // must create before closing
         sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
         throw exception;
     }
-
+#ifdef SQLITE_HAS_CODEC
+    if (!aPass.empty()) 
+    {
+        ret = sqlite3_key(mpSQLite, aPass.data(), aPass.size());
+        if (SQLITE_OK != ret)
+        {
+            const SQLite::Exception exception(mpSQLite, ret); // must create before closing
+            sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
+            throw exception;
+        }
+    }
+#else
+    if (!aPass.empty()) 
+    {
+        const SQLite::Exception exception("No encryption support, recompile with SQLITE_HAS_CODEC or remove the password from the constructor."); // must create before closing
+        sqlite3_close(mpSQLite); // close is required even in case of error on opening
+        throw exception;
+    }
+#endif
     if (aBusyTimeoutMs > 0)
     {
         setBusyTimeout(aBusyTimeoutMs);