diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/EbeanServer.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/EbeanServer.java
index 6d13000b3..3490bd203 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/EbeanServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/EbeanServer.java
@@ -761,6 +761,25 @@ public interface EbeanServer {
    */
   <A> List<A> findIds(Query<?> query, Transaction transaction);
 
+  /**
+   * Return a QueryIterator for the query.
+   * <p>
+   * Generally using {@link #findEach(Query, QueryEachConsumer, Transaction)} or
+   * {@link #findEachWhile(Query, QueryEachWhileConsumer, Transaction)} is preferred
+   * to findIterate(). The reason is that those methods automatically take care of
+   * closing the queryIterator (and the underlying jdbc statement and resultSet).
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
+   * This is similar to findEach in that not all the result beans need to be held
+   * in memory at the same time and as such is good for processing large queries.
+   * </p>
+   *
+   * @see Query#findIterate()
+   * @see Query#findEach(QueryEachConsumer)
+   * @see Query#findEachWhile(QueryEachWhileConsumer)
+   */
+  <T> QueryIterator<T> findIterate(Query<T> query, Transaction transaction);
+
   /**
    * Execute the query visiting the each bean one at a time.
    * <p>
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java
index 1937ee002..40db32065 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/ExpressionList.java
@@ -147,6 +147,13 @@ public interface ExpressionList<T> {
    */
   int update();
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the query iterating over the results.
+   *
+   * @see Query#findIterate()
+   */
+  QueryIterator<T> findIterate();
+
   /**
    * Execute the query process the beans one at a time.
    *
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java
index 0c60ecd23..47b4661cc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/Query.java
@@ -544,6 +544,46 @@ public interface Query<T> {
    */
   <A> List<A> findIds();
 
+  /**
+   * Execute the query iterating over the results.
+   * <p>
+   * Note that findIterate (and findEach and findEachWhile) uses a "per graph"
+   * persistence context scope and adjusts jdbc fetch buffer size for large
+   * queries. As such it is better to use findList for small queries.
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
+   * Remember that with {@link QueryIterator} you must call {@link QueryIterator#close()}
+   * when you have finished iterating the results (typically in a finally block).
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
+   * findEach() and findEachWhile() are preferred to findIterate() as they ensure
+   * the jdbc statement and resultSet are closed at the end of the iteration.
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
+   * This query will execute against the EbeanServer that was used to create it.
+   * </p>
+   * <pre>{@code
+   *
+   *  Query<Customer> query =
+   *    ebeanServer.find(Customer.class)
+   *     .where().eq("status", Status.NEW)
+   *     .order().asc("id");
+   *
+   *  QueryIterator<Customer> it = query.findIterate();
+   *  try {
+   *    while (it.hasNext()) {
+   *      Customer customer = it.next();
+   *      // do something with customer ...
+   *    }
+   *  } finally {
+   *    // close the underlying resources
+   *    it.close();
+   *  }
+   *
+   * }</pre>
+   */
+  QueryIterator<T> findIterate();
+
   /**
    * Execute the query processing the beans one at a time.
    * <p>
@@ -552,6 +592,11 @@ public interface Query<T> {
    * (unlike #findList #findSet etc)
    * </p>
    * <p>
+   * Note that findEach (and findEachWhile and findIterate) uses a "per graph"
+   * persistence context scope and adjusts jdbc fetch buffer size for large
+   * queries. As such it is better to use findList for small queries.
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
    * Note that internally Ebean can inform the JDBC driver that it is expecting larger
    * resultSet and specifically for MySQL this hint is required to stop it's JDBC driver
    * from buffering the entire resultSet. As such, for smaller resultSets findList() is
@@ -588,6 +633,11 @@ public interface Query<T> {
    * Execute the query using callbacks to a visitor to process the resulting
    * beans one at a time.
    * <p>
+   * Note that findEachWhile (and findEach and findIterate) uses a "per graph"
+   * persistence context scope and adjusts jdbc fetch buffer size for large
+   * queries. As such it is better to use findList for small queries.
+   * </p>
+   * <p>
    * This method is functionally equivalent to findIterate() but instead of using an
    * iterator uses the QueryEachWhileConsumer (SAM) interface which is better suited to use
    * with Java8 closures.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/QueryIterator.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/QueryIterator.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..23bfaea55
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebean/QueryIterator.java
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package com.avaje.ebean;
+
+import java.util.Iterator;
+
+/**
+ * Used to provide iteration over query results.
+ * <p>
+ * This can be used when you want to process a very large number of results and
+ * means that you don't have to hold all the results in memory at once (unlike
+ * findList(), findSet() etc where all the beans are held in the List or Set
+ * etc).
+ * </p>
+ * <p>
+ * Note that findIterate (and findEach and findEachWhile) uses a "per graph"
+ * persistence context scope and adjusts jdbc fetch buffer size for large
+ * queries. As such it is better to use findList for small queries.
+ * </p>
+ * <p>
+ * Remember that with {@link QueryIterator} you must call {@link QueryIterator#close()}
+ * when you have finished iterating the results (typically in a finally block).
+ * </p>
+ *
+ * <pre>{@code
+ * 
+ *  Query<Customer> query = server.find(Customer.class)
+ *     .where().gt("id", 0)
+ *     .orderBy("id")
+ *     .setMaxRows(2);
+ *
+ *  QueryIterator<Customer> it = query.findIterate();
+ *  try {
+ *    while (it.hasNext()) {
+ *      Customer customer = it.next();
+ *      // do something with customer ...
+ *    }
+ *  } finally {
+ *    // close the underlying resources
+ *    it.close();
+ *  }
+ *
+ * }</pre>
+ * 
+ * @param <T>
+ *          the type of entity bean in the iteration
+ */
+public interface QueryIterator<T> extends Iterator<T>, java.io.Closeable {
+
+  /**
+   * Returns <tt>true</tt> if the iteration has more elements.
+   */
+  boolean hasNext();
+
+  /**
+   * Returns the next element in the iteration.
+   */
+  T next();
+
+  /**
+   * Remove is not allowed.
+   */
+  void remove();
+
+  /**
+   * Close the underlying resources held by this iterator.
+   */
+  void close();
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
index 7c3e76a57..a87e07960 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
@@ -71,10 +71,8 @@ import javax.persistence.NonUniqueResultException;
 import javax.persistence.OptimisticLockException;
 import javax.persistence.PersistenceException;
 import javax.sql.DataSource;
-import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Collection;
-import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.Iterator;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
@@ -1304,6 +1302,19 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
     return new LimitOffsetPagedList<T>(this, spiQuery);
   }
 
+  public <T> QueryIterator<T> findIterate(Query<T> query, Transaction t) {
+
+    SpiOrmQueryRequest<T> request = createQueryRequest(Type.ITERATE, query, t);
+    try {
+      request.initTransIfRequired();
+      return request.findIterate();
+
+    } catch (RuntimeException ex) {
+      request.endTransIfRequired();
+      throw ex;
+    }
+  }
+
   public <T> void findEach(Query<T> query, QueryEachConsumer<T> consumer, Transaction t) {
 
     SpiOrmQueryRequest<T> request = createQueryRequest(Type.ITERATE, query, t);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryEngine.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryEngine.java
index c38ce79ca..83acce984 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryEngine.java
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core;
 
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Version;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.BeanIdList;
 
 import java.util.List;
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryRequest.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryRequest.java
index c9bf91f82..5b1a74340 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryRequest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/OrmQueryRequest.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core;
 import com.avaje.ebean.PersistenceContextScope;
 import com.avaje.ebean.QueryEachConsumer;
 import com.avaje.ebean.QueryEachWhileConsumer;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebean.RawSql;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Version;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
@@ -12,7 +13,6 @@ import com.avaje.ebean.event.BeanFindController;
 import com.avaje.ebean.event.BeanQueryAdapter;
 import com.avaje.ebean.event.BeanQueryRequest;
 import com.avaje.ebean.text.json.JsonReadOptions;
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.BeanIdList;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.CQueryPlanKey;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.HashQuery;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.LoadContext;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/QueryIterator.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/QueryIterator.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 148a7d8c1..000000000
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/QueryIterator.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,60 +0,0 @@
-package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core;
-
-import java.util.Iterator;
-
-/**
- * Used to provide iteration over query results.
- * <p>
- * This can be used when you want to process a very large number of results and
- * means that you don't have to hold all the results in memory at once (unlike
- * findList(), findSet() etc where all the beans are held in the List or Set
- * etc).
- * </p>
- * 
- * <pre class="code">
- * 
- * Query&lt;Customer&gt; query = server.find(Customer.class)
- *     .fetch(&quot;contacts&quot;, new FetchConfig().query(2))
- *     .where().gt(&quot;id&quot;, 0)
- *     .orderBy(&quot;id&quot;)
- *     .setMaxRows(2);
- * 
- * QueryIterator&lt;Customer&gt; it = query.findIterate();
- * try {
- *   while (it.hasNext()) {
- *     Customer customer = it.next();
- *     // do something with customer...
- *   }
- * } finally {
- *   // close the associated resources
- *   it.close();
- * }
- * </pre>
- * 
- * @author rbygrave
- * 
- * @param <T>
- *          the type of entity bean in the iteration
- */
-public interface QueryIterator<T> extends Iterator<T>, java.io.Closeable {
-
-  /**
-   * Returns <tt>true</tt> if the iteration has more elements.
-   */
-  boolean hasNext();
-
-  /**
-   * Returns the next element in the iteration.
-   */
-  T next();
-
-  /**
-   * Remove is not allowed.
-   */
-  void remove();
-
-  /**
-   * Close the underlying resources held by this iterator.
-   */
-  void close();
-}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/SpiOrmQueryRequest.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/SpiOrmQueryRequest.java
index b7ed67df4..7c68e63c8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/SpiOrmQueryRequest.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/core/SpiOrmQueryRequest.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core;
 
 import com.avaje.ebean.QueryEachConsumer;
 import com.avaje.ebean.QueryEachWhileConsumer;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Version;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java
index d5840c3a0..a62f9a7bd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/DefaultExpressionList.java
@@ -358,6 +358,11 @@ public class DefaultExpressionList<T> implements SpiExpressionList<T> {
     return query.findIds();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public QueryIterator<T> findIterate() {
+    return query.findIterate();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void findEach(QueryEachConsumer<T> consumer) {
     query.findEach(consumer);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
index 9132b0807..1df86c1e7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/expression/JunctionExpression.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import com.avaje.ebean.PagedList;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Query;
 import com.avaje.ebean.QueryEachConsumer;
 import com.avaje.ebean.QueryEachWhileConsumer;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Version;
 import com.avaje.ebean.event.BeanQueryRequest;
 import com.avaje.ebean.search.Match;
@@ -375,6 +376,11 @@ class JunctionExpression<T> implements SpiJunction<T>, SpiExpression, Expression
     return exprList.findIds();
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public QueryIterator<T> findIterate() {
+    return exprList.findIterate();
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void findEach(QueryEachConsumer<T> consumer) {
     exprList.findEach(consumer);
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQuery.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQuery.java
index ca37d7976..d3e1121bd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQuery.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.query;
 
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.QueryIterator;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Version;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.EntityBean;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryEngine.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryEngine.java
index bcf3d5da5..49d8625f9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryEngine.java
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ import com.avaje.ebean.config.dbplatform.DatabasePlatform;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.DiffHelp;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.OrmQueryRequest;
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.QueryIterator;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.deploy.BeanDescriptor;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.lib.util.Str;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.persist.Binder;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorSimple.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorSimple.java
index 2fe591939..88dba323a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorSimple.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorSimple.java
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import java.sql.SQLException;
 
 import javax.persistence.PersistenceException;
 
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.QueryIterator;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.OrmQueryRequest;
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorWithBuffer.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorWithBuffer.java
index fc042d264..163fdfc2f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorWithBuffer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/CQueryIteratorWithBuffer.java
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ import java.util.ArrayList;
 
 import javax.persistence.PersistenceException;
 
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.QueryIterator;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.OrmQueryRequest;
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/DefaultOrmQueryEngine.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/DefaultOrmQueryEngine.java
index 5a0a0112b..493d7030b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/DefaultOrmQueryEngine.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/query/DefaultOrmQueryEngine.java
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
 package com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.query;
 
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.QueryIterator;
+import com.avaje.ebean.QueryIterator;
 import com.avaje.ebean.Version;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.BeanCollection;
 import com.avaje.ebean.bean.EntityBean;
 import com.avaje.ebean.event.BeanFindController;
-import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.BeanIdList;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiQuery;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.api.SpiTransaction;
 import com.avaje.ebeaninternal.server.core.OrmQueryEngine;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
index 2adcf19ad..370fd8bc8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/server/querydefn/DefaultOrmQuery.java
@@ -1114,6 +1114,11 @@ public class DefaultOrmQuery<T> implements SpiQuery<T> {
     server.findEach(this, consumer, null);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public QueryIterator<T> findIterate() {
+    return server.findIterate(this, null);
+  }
+
   @Override
   public List<Version<T>> findVersions() {
     this.temporalMode = TemporalMode.VERSIONS;
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java b/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java
index e7ea6a3bb..a05d5fc98 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/avaje/ebeaninternal/api/TDSpiEbeanServer.java
@@ -470,6 +470,11 @@ public class TDSpiEbeanServer implements SpiEbeanServer {
     return null;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public <T> QueryIterator<T> findIterate(Query<T> query, Transaction transaction) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public <T> void findEach(Query<T> query, QueryEachConsumer<T> consumer, Transaction transaction) {
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/TestQueryFindIterate.java b/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/TestQueryFindIterate.java
index f03b6da6c..67b6bc466 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/TestQueryFindIterate.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/avaje/tests/query/TestQueryFindIterate.java
@@ -27,6 +27,32 @@ public class TestQueryFindIterate extends BaseTestCase {
 
     EbeanServer server = Ebean.getServer(null);
 
+    Query<Customer> query = server.find(Customer.class)
+        .setMaxRows(2);
+
+    final AtomicInteger count = new AtomicInteger();
+
+    QueryIterator<Customer> it = query.findIterate();
+    try {
+      while (it.hasNext()) {
+        Customer customer = it.next();
+        customer.getName();
+        count.incrementAndGet();
+      }
+    } finally {
+      it.close();
+    }
+
+    assertEquals(2, count.get());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void findEach() {
+
+    ResetBasicData.reset();
+
+    EbeanServer server = Ebean.getServer(null);
+
     Query<Customer> query = server.find(Customer.class)
         .setAutoTune(false)
         //.fetch("contacts", new FetchConfig().query(2)).where().gt("id", 0).orderBy("id")