diff --git a/tx.go b/tx.go
index 8f3178cb..7a296f4f 100644
--- a/tx.go
+++ b/tx.go
@@ -42,7 +42,12 @@ type TxOptions struct {
 	DeferrableMode TxDeferrableMode
 }
 
+var emptyTxOptions TxOptions
+
 func (txOptions TxOptions) beginSQL() string {
+	if txOptions == emptyTxOptions {
+		return "begin"
+	}
 	buf := &bytes.Buffer{}
 	buf.WriteString("begin")
 	if txOptions.IsoLevel != "" {