diff --git a/doc/command-line-flags.md b/doc/command-line-flags.md
index 56bc642..5a61631 100644
--- a/doc/command-line-flags.md
+++ b/doc/command-line-flags.md
@@ -246,6 +246,9 @@ Allows `gh-ost` to connect to the MySQL servers using encrypted connections, but
 
 `--ssl-key=/path/to/ssl-key.key`: SSL private key file (in PEM format).
 
+### storage-engine
+default is `innodb`. When set to `rocksdb`, some necessary changes (e.g. sets isolation level to READ_COMMITTED) is made to support rocksdb as transactional engine. 
+
 ### test-on-replica
 
 Issue the migration on a replica; do not modify data on master. Useful for validating, testing and benchmarking. See [`testing-on-replica`](testing-on-replica.md)
diff --git a/go/base/context.go b/go/base/context.go
index 7089874..cc5844e 100644
--- a/go/base/context.go
+++ b/go/base/context.go
@@ -270,8 +270,6 @@ func NewMigrationContext() *MigrationContext {
 		Uuid:                                uuid.NewV4().String(),
 		defaultNumRetries:                   60,
 		ChunkSize:                           1000,
-		InspectorConnectionConfig:           mysql.NewConnectionConfig(),
-		ApplierConnectionConfig:             mysql.NewConnectionConfig(),
 		MaxLagMillisecondsThrottleThreshold: 1500,
 		CutOverLockTimeoutSeconds:           3,
 		DMLBatchSize:                        10,
@@ -290,6 +288,21 @@ func NewMigrationContext() *MigrationContext {
 	}
 }
 
+func (this *MigrationContext) SetConnectionConfig(storageEngine string) error {
+	transactionIsolation := "REPEATABLE-READ"
+	switch storageEngine {
+	case "rocksdb":
+		transactionIsolation = "READ-COMMITTED"
+	case "innodb":
+		transactionIsolation = "REPEATABLE-READ"
+	default:
+		transactionIsolation = "REPEATABLE-READ"
+	}
+	this.InspectorConnectionConfig = mysql.NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
+	this.ApplierConnectionConfig = mysql.NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
+	return nil
+}
+
 func getSafeTableName(baseName string, suffix string) string {
 	name := fmt.Sprintf("_%s_%s", baseName, suffix)
 	if len(name) <= mysql.MaxTableNameLength {
diff --git a/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go b/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go
index c00b206..54083c3 100644
--- a/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go
+++ b/go/cmd/gh-ost/main.go
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ func main() {
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.OriginalTableName, "table", "", "table name (mandatory)")
 	flag.StringVar(&migrationContext.AlterStatement, "alter", "", "alter statement (mandatory)")
 	flag.BoolVar(&migrationContext.AttemptInstantDDL, "attempt-instant-ddl", false, "Attempt to use instant DDL for this migration first")
+	storageEngine := flag.String("storage-engine", "innodb", "Specify table storage engine (default: 'innodb'). When 'rocksdb': change session transaction isolation level to READ_COMMITTED.")
 
 	flag.BoolVar(&migrationContext.CountTableRows, "exact-rowcount", false, "actually count table rows as opposed to estimate them (results in more accurate progress estimation)")
 	flag.BoolVar(&migrationContext.ConcurrentCountTableRows, "concurrent-rowcount", true, "(with --exact-rowcount), when true (default): count rows after row-copy begins, concurrently, and adjust row estimate later on; when false: first count rows, then start row copy")
@@ -248,6 +249,10 @@ func main() {
 		migrationContext.Log.Warning("--replication-lag-query is deprecated")
 	}
 
+	if err := migrationContext.SetConnectionConfig(*storageEngine); err != nil {
+		migrationContext.Log.Fatale(err)
+	}
+
 	switch *cutOver {
 	case "atomic", "default", "":
 		migrationContext.CutOverType = base.CutOverAtomic
diff --git a/go/mysql/connection.go b/go/mysql/connection.go
index 6a5c890..dcf33ad 100644
--- a/go/mysql/connection.go
+++ b/go/mysql/connection.go
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import (
 )
 
 const (
-	transactionIsolation = "REPEATABLE-READ"
 	TLS_CONFIG_KEY       = "ghost"
 )
 
@@ -30,11 +29,13 @@ type ConnectionConfig struct {
 	ImpliedKey *InstanceKey
 	tlsConfig  *tls.Config
 	Timeout    float64
+	transactionIsolation string
 }
 
-func NewConnectionConfig() *ConnectionConfig {
+func NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation string) *ConnectionConfig {
 	config := &ConnectionConfig{
 		Key: InstanceKey{},
+		transactionIsolation: transactionIsolation,
 	}
 	config.ImpliedKey = &config.Key
 	return config
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ func (this *ConnectionConfig) GetDBUri(databaseName string) string {
 		"charset=utf8mb4,utf8,latin1",
 		"interpolateParams=true",
 		fmt.Sprintf("tls=%s", tlsOption),
-		fmt.Sprintf("transaction_isolation=%q", transactionIsolation),
+		fmt.Sprintf("transaction_isolation=%q", this.transactionIsolation),
 		fmt.Sprintf("timeout=%fs", this.Timeout),
 		fmt.Sprintf("readTimeout=%fs", this.Timeout),
 		fmt.Sprintf("writeTimeout=%fs", this.Timeout),
diff --git a/go/mysql/connection_test.go b/go/mysql/connection_test.go
index 390774c..2f39c4f 100644
--- a/go/mysql/connection_test.go
+++ b/go/mysql/connection_test.go
@@ -13,12 +13,17 @@ import (
 	test "github.com/openark/golib/tests"
 )
 
+const (
+	transactionIsolation = "REPEATABLE-READ"
+)
+
+
 func init() {
 	log.SetLevel(log.ERROR)
 }
 
 func TestNewConnectionConfig(t *testing.T) {
-	c := NewConnectionConfig()
+	c := NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
 	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(c.Key.Hostname, "")
 	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(c.Key.Port, 0)
 	test.S(t).ExpectEquals(c.ImpliedKey.Hostname, "")
@@ -28,7 +33,7 @@ func TestNewConnectionConfig(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDuplicateCredentials(t *testing.T) {
-	c := NewConnectionConfig()
+	c := NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
 	c.Key = InstanceKey{Hostname: "myhost", Port: 3306}
 	c.User = "gromit"
 	c.Password = "penguin"
@@ -48,7 +53,7 @@ func TestDuplicateCredentials(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestDuplicate(t *testing.T) {
-	c := NewConnectionConfig()
+	c := NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
 	c.Key = InstanceKey{Hostname: "myhost", Port: 3306}
 	c.User = "gromit"
 	c.Password = "penguin"
@@ -63,7 +68,7 @@ func TestDuplicate(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetDBUri(t *testing.T) {
-	c := NewConnectionConfig()
+	c := NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
 	c.Key = InstanceKey{Hostname: "myhost", Port: 3306}
 	c.User = "gromit"
 	c.Password = "penguin"
@@ -74,7 +79,7 @@ func TestGetDBUri(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestGetDBUriWithTLSSetup(t *testing.T) {
-	c := NewConnectionConfig()
+	c := NewConnectionConfig(transactionIsolation)
 	c.Key = InstanceKey{Hostname: "myhost", Port: 3306}
 	c.User = "gromit"
 	c.Password = "penguin"