diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index d7c8440..bf3dddd 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/foxcpp/go-dovecot-sasl v0.0.0-20200522223722-c4699d7a24bf
 	github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-backend-tests v0.0.0-20200802090154-7e6248c85a0e
 	github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-i18nlevel v0.0.0-20200208001533-d6ec88553005
-	github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess v0.0.0-20210718073110-d5eb968a0995
+	github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess v0.0.0-20210718180745-f14f34d14a3b
 	github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-namespace v0.0.0-20200802091432-08496dd8e0ed
 	github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-sql v0.4.1-0.20210718082546-d38d40f5442c
 	github.com/foxcpp/go-mockdns v0.0.0-20201212160233-ede2f9158d15
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 6bbc084..34db9ba 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -164,12 +164,11 @@ github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-i18nlevel v0.0.0-20200208001533-d6ec88553005 h1:pfoFtk
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-i18nlevel v0.0.0-20200208001533-d6ec88553005/go.mod h1:34FwxnjC2N+EFs2wMtsHevrZLWRKRuVU8wEcHWKq/nE=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-idle v0.0.0-20200829140055-32dc40172769 h1:qMdULYMxKuAgboOllBNLmA7wQ4YEwnhvq8onksrMC3A=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-idle v0.0.0-20200829140055-32dc40172769/go.mod h1:PLnHIusEiOdmy63Y7IL2RjShIk4cyFi3a8MTC/WcLkk=
-github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess v0.0.0-20210718073110-d5eb968a0995 h1:UXksj5CP+1Zg5GCD74JEijuQ2C22vXFgquhdG/YlXuI=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess v0.0.0-20210718073110-d5eb968a0995/go.mod h1:cps13jIcqI/3FGVJQ8azz3apLjikGoKKcB6xb65VSag=
+github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess v0.0.0-20210718180745-f14f34d14a3b h1:O85JcWCduTZz5FkqCrQX79wc88lgSezbTqrWNgXyEow=
+github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess v0.0.0-20210718180745-f14f34d14a3b/go.mod h1:cps13jIcqI/3FGVJQ8azz3apLjikGoKKcB6xb65VSag=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-namespace v0.0.0-20200802091432-08496dd8e0ed h1:1Jo7geyvunrPSjL6F6D9EcXoNApS5v3LQaro7aUNPnE=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-namespace v0.0.0-20200802091432-08496dd8e0ed/go.mod h1:Shows1vmkBWO40ChOClaUe6DUnZrsP1UPAuoWzIUdgQ=
-github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-sql v0.4.1-0.20210718081250-7f103db60f22 h1:ZXgI+FkKj+iKSrI58CZEkbSSojV84jm4LjEwglyH4Ik=
-github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-sql v0.4.1-0.20210718081250-7f103db60f22/go.mod h1:kl+x+noffdBsp1pAR+PTHupLoxHnJZZw6BFcmmCZeUI=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-sql v0.4.1-0.20210718082546-d38d40f5442c h1:bNaw79UJEonuRo1box0wUGGBT2V/XGkhT2NakjZnRIs=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-sql v0.4.1-0.20210718082546-d38d40f5442c/go.mod h1:kl+x+noffdBsp1pAR+PTHupLoxHnJZZw6BFcmmCZeUI=
 github.com/foxcpp/go-mockdns v0.0.0-20191216195825-5eabd8dbfe1f/go.mod h1:tPg4cp4nseejPd+UKxtCVQ2hUxNTZ7qQZJa7CLriIeo=
diff --git a/internal/storage/imapsql/imapsql.go b/internal/storage/imapsql/imapsql.go
index 4ebc731..a800716 100644
--- a/internal/storage/imapsql/imapsql.go
+++ b/internal/storage/imapsql/imapsql.go
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/framework/module"
 	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/internal/authz"
 	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/internal/updatepipe"
+	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/internal/updatepipe/pubsub"
 
 	_ "github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql"
 	_ "github.com/lib/pq"
@@ -252,8 +253,22 @@ func (store *Storage) EnableUpdatePipe(mode updatepipe.BackendMode) error {
 		store.Log.DebugMsg("using unix socket for external updates", "path", sockPath)
 		store.updPipe = &updatepipe.UnixSockPipe{
 			SockPath: sockPath,
-			Log: log.Logger{Name: "sql/updpipe", Debug: store.Log.Debug},
+			Log:      log.Logger{Name: "storage.imapsql/updpipe", Debug: store.Log.Debug},
 		}
+	case "postgres":
+		store.Log.DebugMsg("using PostgreSQL broker for external updates")
+		ps, err := pubsub.NewPQ(strings.Join(store.dsn, " "))
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("enable_update_pipe: %w", err)
+		}
+		ps.Log = log.Logger{Name: "storage.imapsql/updpipe/pubsub", Debug: store.Log.Debug}
+		pipe := &updatepipe.PubSubPipe{
+			PubSub: ps,
+			Log:    log.Logger{Name: "storage.imapsql/updpipe", Debug: store.Log.Debug},
+		}
+		store.Back.UpdateManager().ExternalUnsubscribe = pipe.Unsubscribe
+		store.Back.UpdateManager().ExternalSubscribe = pipe.Subscribe
+		store.updPipe = pipe
 	default:
 		return errors.New("imapsql: driver does not have an update pipe implementation")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/updatepipe/pubsub/pq.go b/internal/updatepipe/pubsub/pq.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..29f9c52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/updatepipe/pubsub/pq.go
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+package pubsub
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"database/sql"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/framework/log"
+	"github.com/lib/pq"
+)
+
+type Msg struct {
+	Key     string
+	Payload string
+}
+
+type PqPubSub struct {
+	Notify chan Msg
+
+	L      *pq.Listener
+	sender *sql.DB
+
+	Log log.Logger
+}
+
+func NewPQ(dsn string) (*PqPubSub, error) {
+	l := &PqPubSub{
+		Log:    log.Logger{Name: "pgpubsub"},
+		Notify: make(chan Msg),
+	}
+	l.L = pq.NewListener(dsn, 10*time.Second, time.Minute, l.eventHandler)
+	var err error
+	l.sender, err = sql.Open("postgres", dsn)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	go func() {
+		defer close(l.Notify)
+		for n := range l.L.Notify {
+			if n == nil {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			l.Notify <- Msg{Key: n.Channel, Payload: n.Extra}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	return l, nil
+}
+
+func (l *PqPubSub) Close() error {
+	l.sender.Close()
+	l.L.Close()
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (l *PqPubSub) eventHandler(ev pq.ListenerEventType, err error) {
+	switch ev {
+	case pq.ListenerEventConnected:
+		l.Log.DebugMsg("connected")
+	case pq.ListenerEventReconnected:
+		l.Log.Msg("connection reestablished")
+	case pq.ListenerEventConnectionAttemptFailed:
+		l.Log.Error("connection attempt failed", err)
+	case pq.ListenerEventDisconnected:
+		l.Log.Msg("connection closed", "err", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func (l *PqPubSub) Subscribe(_ context.Context, key string) error {
+	return l.L.Listen(key)
+}
+
+func (l *PqPubSub) Unsubscribe(_ context.Context, key string) error {
+	return l.L.Unlisten(key)
+}
+
+func (l *PqPubSub) Publish(key, payload string) error {
+	_, err := l.sender.Exec(`SELECT pg_notify($1, $2)`, key, payload)
+	return err
+}
+
+func (l *PqPubSub) Listener() chan Msg {
+	return l.Notify
+}
diff --git a/internal/updatepipe/pubsub/pubsub.go b/internal/updatepipe/pubsub/pubsub.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..64480ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/updatepipe/pubsub/pubsub.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package pubsub
+
+import "context"
+
+type PubSub interface {
+	Subscribe(ctx context.Context, key string) error
+	Unsubscribe(ctx context.Context, key string) error
+	Publish(key, payload string) error
+	Listener() chan Msg
+	Close() error
+}
diff --git a/internal/updatepipe/pubsub_pipe.go b/internal/updatepipe/pubsub_pipe.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1cef67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/updatepipe/pubsub_pipe.go
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+package updatepipe
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"strconv"
+
+	mess "github.com/foxcpp/go-imap-mess"
+	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/framework/log"
+	"github.com/foxcpp/maddy/internal/updatepipe/pubsub"
+)
+
+type PubSubPipe struct {
+	PubSub pubsub.PubSub
+	Log    log.Logger
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) Listen(upds chan<- mess.Update) error {
+	go func() {
+		for m := range p.PubSub.Listener() {
+			id, upd, err := parseUpdate(m.Payload)
+			if err != nil {
+				p.Log.Error("failed to parse update", err)
+				continue
+			}
+			if id == p.myID() {
+				continue
+			}
+			upds <- *upd
+		}
+	}()
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) InitPush() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) myID() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%d-%p", os.Getpid(), p)
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) channel(key interface{}) (string, error) {
+	var psKey string
+	switch k := key.(type) {
+	case string:
+		psKey = k
+	case uint64:
+		psKey = "__uint64_" + strconv.FormatUint(k, 10)
+	default:
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("updatepipe: key type must be either string or uint64")
+	}
+	return psKey, nil
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) Subscribe(key interface{}) {
+	psKey, err := p.channel(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		p.Log.Error("invalid key passed to Subscribe", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if err := p.PubSub.Subscribe(context.TODO(), psKey); err != nil {
+		p.Log.Error("pubsub subscribe failed", err)
+	} else {
+		p.Log.DebugMsg("subscribed to pubsub", "channel", psKey)
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) Unsubscribe(key interface{}) {
+	psKey, err := p.channel(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		p.Log.Error("invalid key passed to Unsubscribe", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if err := p.PubSub.Unsubscribe(context.TODO(), psKey); err != nil {
+		p.Log.Error("pubsub unsubscribe failed", err)
+	} else {
+		p.Log.DebugMsg("unsubscribed from pubsub", "channel", psKey)
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) Push(upd mess.Update) error {
+	psKey, err := p.channel(upd.Key)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	updBlob, err := formatUpdate(p.myID(), upd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return p.PubSub.Publish(psKey, updBlob)
+}
+
+func (p *PubSubPipe) Close() error {
+	return p.PubSub.Close()
+}