diff --git a/query.go b/query.go
index 97af8719..a6f8fc34 100644
--- a/query.go
+++ b/query.go
@@ -214,7 +214,13 @@ func (rows *Rows) Scan(dest ...interface{}) (err error) {
 		case *bool:
 			*d = decodeBool(vr)
 		case *[]byte:
-			*d = decodeBytea(vr)
+			// If it actually is a bytea then pass it through decodeBytea (so it can be decoded if it is in text format)
+			// Otherwise read the bytes directly regardless of what the actual type is.
+			if vr.Type().DataType == ByteaOid {
+				*d = decodeBytea(vr)
+			} else {
+				*d = vr.ReadBytes(vr.Len())
+			}
 		case *int64:
 			*d = decodeInt8(vr)
 		case *int16:
diff --git a/query_test.go b/query_test.go
index f43a66e1..956e38c2 100644
--- a/query_test.go
+++ b/query_test.go
@@ -383,29 +383,36 @@ func TestQueryRowCoreTypes(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestQueryRowCoreBytea(t *testing.T) {
+func TestQueryRowCoreByteSlice(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	conn := mustConnect(t, *defaultConnConfig)
 	defer closeConn(t, conn)
 
-	var actual []byte
-	sql := "select $1::bytea"
-	queryArg := []byte{0, 15, 255, 17}
-	expected := []byte{0, 15, 255, 17}
-
-	actual = nil
-
-	err := conn.QueryRow(sql, queryArg).Scan(&actual)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Errorf("Unexpected failure: %v (sql -> %v)", err, sql)
+	tests := []struct {
+		sql      string
+		queryArg interface{}
+		expected []byte
+	}{
+		{"select $1::text", "Jack", []byte("Jack")},
+		{"select $1::varchar", "Jack", []byte("Jack")},
+		{"select $1::bytea", []byte{0, 15, 255, 17}, []byte{0, 15, 255, 17}},
 	}
 
-	if bytes.Compare(actual, expected) != 0 {
-		t.Errorf("Expected %v, got %v (sql -> %v)", expected, actual, sql)
-	}
+	for i, tt := range tests {
+		var actual []byte
 
-	ensureConnValid(t, conn)
+		err := conn.QueryRow(tt.sql, tt.queryArg).Scan(&actual)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d. Unexpected failure: %v (sql -> %v)", i, err, tt.sql)
+		}
+
+		if bytes.Compare(actual, tt.expected) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("%d. Expected %v, got %v (sql -> %v)", i, tt.expected, actual, tt.sql)
+		}
+
+		ensureConnValid(t, conn)
+	}
 }
 
 func TestQueryRowUnknownType(t *testing.T) {