diff --git a/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/base.py b/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/base.py
index 4a82f5a..81c41ab 100644
--- a/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/base.py
+++ b/src/wuttjamaican/db/model/base.py
@@ -46,7 +46,25 @@ naming_convention = {
 
 metadata = sa.MetaData(naming_convention=naming_convention)
 
-Base = orm.declarative_base(metadata=metadata)
+
+class ModelBase:
+    """ """
+
+    def __iter__(self):
+        # nb. we override this to allow for `dict(self)`
+        state = sa.inspect(self)
+        fields = [attr.key for attr in state.attrs]
+        return iter([(field, getattr(self, field))
+                     for field in fields])
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        # nb. we override this to allow for `x = self['field']`
+        state = sa.inspect(self)
+        if hasattr(state.attrs, key):
+            return getattr(self, key)
+
+
+Base = orm.declarative_base(metadata=metadata, cls=ModelBase)
 
 
 def uuid_column(*args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/tests/db/model/test_base.py b/tests/db/model/test_base.py
index c77dfa2..1d55436 100644
--- a/tests/db/model/test_base.py
+++ b/tests/db/model/test_base.py
@@ -10,6 +10,15 @@ except ImportError:
     pass
 else:
 
+    class TestModelBase(TestCase):
+
+        def test_dict_behavior(self):
+            setting = model.Setting()
+            self.assertEqual(list(iter(setting)), [('name', None), ('value', None)])
+            self.assertIsNone(setting['name'])
+            setting.name = 'foo'
+            self.assertEqual(setting['name'], 'foo')
+
     class TestUUIDColumn(TestCase):
 
         def test_basic(self):