diff --git a/.idea/.gitignore b/.idea/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..73f69e095861
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+# Default ignored files
+/shelf/
+/workspace.xml
+# Datasource local storage ignored files
+/dataSources/
+/dataSources.local.xml
+# Editor-based HTTP Client requests
+/httpRequests/
diff --git a/.idea/cockroach.iml b/.idea/cockroach.iml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..c956989b29ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/cockroach.iml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<module type="WEB_MODULE" version="4">
+  <component name="NewModuleRootManager">
+    <content url="file://$MODULE_DIR$" />
+    <orderEntry type="inheritedJdk" />
+    <orderEntry type="sourceFolder" forTests="false" />
+  </component>
+</module>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.idea/inspectionProfiles/Project_Default.xml b/.idea/inspectionProfiles/Project_Default.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..03d9549ea8e4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/inspectionProfiles/Project_Default.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<component name="InspectionProjectProfileManager">
+  <profile version="1.0">
+    <option name="myName" value="Project Default" />
+    <inspection_tool class="Eslint" enabled="true" level="WARNING" enabled_by_default="true" />
+  </profile>
+</component>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.idea/modules.xml b/.idea/modules.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..bbb98589587f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/modules.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<project version="4">
+  <component name="ProjectModuleManager">
+    <modules>
+      <module fileurl="file://$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/cockroach.iml" filepath="$PROJECT_DIR$/.idea/cockroach.iml" />
+    </modules>
+  </component>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.idea/vcs.xml b/.idea/vcs.xml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..94a25f7f4cb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.idea/vcs.xml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<project version="4">
+  <component name="VcsDirectoryMappings">
+    <mapping directory="$PROJECT_DIR$" vcs="Git" />
+  </component>
+</project>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/set b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/set
index f9207f9ecc2a..bbee3f9e0d02 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/set
+++ b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/set
@@ -476,3 +476,20 @@ SET standard_conforming_strings='true'
 
 statement ok
 SET standard_conforming_strings='on'
+
+
+subtest backslash_quote_test
+
+statement ok
+SET backslash_quote = 'on';
+
+statement ok
+SET backslash_quote = 'off';
+
+statement ok
+SET backslash_quote = 'safe_encoding';
+
+statement error invalid value for parameter "backslash_quote"
+SET backslash_quote = '123';
+
+
diff --git a/pkg/sql/unsupported_vars.go b/pkg/sql/unsupported_vars.go
index 489eabc30e25..5b2cd33b7b92 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/unsupported_vars.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/unsupported_vars.go
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ var UnsupportedVars = func(ss ...string) map[string]struct{} {
 	// "application_name",
 	"array_nulls",
 	"backend_flush_after",
-	"backslash_quote",
+	//"backslash_quote",
 	// "bytea_output",
 	"check_function_bodies",
 	// "client_encoding",
diff --git a/pkg/sql/vars.go b/pkg/sql/vars.go
index 5d3faeb3a1f3..5db82463f015 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/vars.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/vars.go
@@ -831,8 +831,11 @@ var varGen = map[string]sessionVar{
 	// See https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/runtime-config-client.html#GUC-LOC-TIMEOUT
 	`lock_timeout`: makeCompatIntVar(`lock_timeout`, 0),
 
+	// See https://www.postgresql.org/docs/9.1/runtime-config-compatible.html
+	`backslash_quote`: makeCompatStringVar(`backslash_quote`, `safe_encoding`, `on`, `off`, `safe_encoding`),
+
 	// Supported for PG compatibility only.
-	// See https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-IDENTIFIERS
+	// See https://www.postgresql.org/docs/10/static/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-IDENTIFIER
 	`max_identifier_length`: {
 		Get: func(evalCtx *extendedEvalContext) string { return "128" },
 	},