Index: MySqlConnectionStringBuilder.cs
===================================================================
--- MySqlConnectionStringBuilder.cs	(revision 1527)
+++ MySqlConnectionStringBuilder.cs	(working copy)
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
         bool clearing;
         bool interactiveSession;
         bool functionsReturnString;
+        bool pingOnCheckout;
 
         static MySqlConnectionStringBuilder()
         {
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@
             defaultValues.Add(Keyword.AllowUserVariables, false);
             defaultValues.Add(Keyword.InteractiveSession, false);
             defaultValues.Add(Keyword.FunctionsReturnString, false);
+            defaultValues.Add(Keyword.PingOnCheckout, true);
         }
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -814,6 +816,29 @@
         /// </summary>
 #if !CF && !MONO
         [Category("Pooling")]
+        [DisplayName("Ping On Checkout")]
+        [Description("When true, indicates a ping is send to the server when " +
+                     "removed from the pool.")]
+        [DefaultValue(true)]
+        [RefreshProperties(RefreshProperties.All)]
+#endif
+        public bool PingOnCheckout
+        {
+            get { return pingOnCheckout; }
+            set
+            {
+                SetValue("Ping On Checkout", value);
+                pingOnCheckout = value;
+            }
+        }
+
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets a boolean value indicating if the connection should be reset when retrieved
+        /// from the pool.
+        /// </summary>
+#if !CF && !MONO
+        [Category("Pooling")]
         [DisplayName("Connection Reset")]
         [Description("When true, indicates the connection state is reset when " +
                      "removed from the pool.")]
@@ -1156,6 +1181,8 @@
                     return Keyword.InteractiveSession;
                 case "FUNCTIONS RETURN STRING":
                     return Keyword.FunctionsReturnString;
+                case "PING ON CHECKOUT":
+                    return Keyword.PingOnCheckout;
             }
             throw new ArgumentException(Resources.KeywordNotSupported, key);
         }
@@ -1242,6 +1269,8 @@
                     return interactiveSession;
                 case Keyword.FunctionsReturnString:
                     return functionsReturnString;
+                case Keyword.PingOnCheckout:
+                    return pingOnCheckout;
                 default:
                     return null; /* this will never happen */
             }
@@ -1351,6 +1380,8 @@
                     interactiveSession = ConvertToBool(value); break;
                 case Keyword.FunctionsReturnString:
                     functionsReturnString = ConvertToBool(value); break;
+                case Keyword.PingOnCheckout:
+                    pingOnCheckout = ConvertToBool(value); break;
             }
         }
 
@@ -1532,6 +1563,7 @@
         TreatTinyAsBoolean,
         AllowUserVariables,
         InteractiveSession,
-        FunctionsReturnString
+        FunctionsReturnString,
+        PingOnCheckout
     }
 }
Index: MySqlPool.cs
===================================================================
--- MySqlPool.cs	(revision 1527)
+++ MySqlPool.cs	(working copy)
@@ -120,20 +120,26 @@
 		private Driver CheckoutConnection()
 		{
             Driver driver = (Driver)idlePool.Dequeue();
- 
-            // first check to see that the server is still alive
-            if (!driver.Ping())
+            return driver;
+        }
+
+        private void CheckConnection(Driver driver)
+        {
+            if (settings.PingOnCheckout)
             {
-                driver.Close();
-                driver = CreateNewPooledConnection();
+                // first check to see that the server is still alive
+                if (!driver.Ping())
+                {
+                    driver.Close();
+                    driver = CreateNewPooledConnection();
+                }
             }
 
             // if the user asks us to ping/reset pooled connections
 			// do so now
 			if (settings.ConnectionReset)
 				driver.Reset();
-
-			return driver;
+			
 		}
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -142,17 +148,25 @@
         private Driver GetPooledConnection()
 		{
             Driver driver = null;
-
+            bool hasIdle;
             // if we don't have an idle connection but we have room for a new
             // one, then create it here.
             lock ((idlePool as ICollection).SyncRoot)
             {
                 if (!HasIdleConnections)
+                {
                     driver = CreateNewPooledConnection();
+                    hasIdle = false;
+                }
                 else
+                {
                     driver = CheckoutConnection();
+                    hasIdle = true;
+                }
             }
-
+            if (hasIdle)
+                CheckConnection(driver);
+                
             Debug.Assert(driver != null);
             lock ((inUsePool as ICollection).SyncRoot)
             {