diff --git a/lib/exqlite/connection.ex b/lib/exqlite/connection.ex
index 4d623c3..7aa18fe 100644
--- a/lib/exqlite/connection.ex
+++ b/lib/exqlite/connection.ex
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@ defmodule Exqlite.Connection do
   end
 
   defp set_journal_mode(db, options) do
-    maybe_set_pragma(db, "journal_mode", Pragma.journal_mode(options))
+    set_pragma_if_present(db, "journal_mode", Keyword.get(options, :journal_mode))
   end
 
   defp set_temp_store(db, options) do
diff --git a/test/exqlite/connection_test.exs b/test/exqlite/connection_test.exs
index 5264cda..79de935 100644
--- a/test/exqlite/connection_test.exs
+++ b/test/exqlite/connection_test.exs
@@ -171,6 +171,18 @@ defmodule Exqlite.ConnectionTest do
       assert {:error, "attempt to write a readonly database"} ==
                Sqlite3.execute(ro_state.db, insert_value_query)
     end
+
+    test "preserves WAL mode across connections" do
+      path = Temp.path!()
+
+      {:ok, state1} = Connection.connect(database: path, journal_mode: :wal)
+      assert {:ok, "wal"} = get_pragma(state1.db, :journal_mode)
+
+      {:ok, state2} = Connection.connect(database: path)
+      assert {:ok, "wal"} = get_pragma(state2.db, :journal_mode)
+
+      File.rm(path)
+    end
   end
 
   defp get_pragma(db, pragma_name) do