diff --git a/qlite/src/query_builder.vala b/qlite/src/query_builder.vala
index dbfdef2a..75fe0499 100644
--- a/qlite/src/query_builder.vala
+++ b/qlite/src/query_builder.vala
@@ -98,10 +98,16 @@ public class QueryBuilder : StatementBuilder {
     }
 
     public QueryBuilder limit(int limit) {
+        if (this.limit_val != 0 && limit > this.limit_val) error("tried to increase an existing limit");
         this.limit_val = limit;
         return this;
     }
 
+    public QueryBuilder single() {
+        this.single_result = true;
+        return limit(1);
+    }
+
     public int64 count() {
         this.column_selector = @"COUNT($column_selector) AS count";
         this.single_result = true;
@@ -117,8 +123,8 @@ public class QueryBuilder : StatementBuilder {
         return new RowOption(row_());
     }
 
-    public T get<T>(Column<T> field) {
-        return row()[field];
+    public T get<T>(Column<T> field, T def = null) {
+        return row().get(field, def);
     }
 
     internal override Statement prepare() {