diff --git a/.rdoc_options b/.rdoc_options
index 1f489341..0d2ded97 100644
--- a/.rdoc_options
+++ b/.rdoc_options
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ exclude:
 - "vendor"
 - "ports"
 - "tmp"
+- "pkg"
 hyperlink_all: false
 line_numbers: false
 locale: 
diff --git a/ext/sqlite3/database.c b/ext/sqlite3/database.c
index 621dc7aa..724c4c2f 100644
--- a/ext/sqlite3/database.c
+++ b/ext/sqlite3/database.c
@@ -771,14 +771,8 @@ collation(VALUE self, VALUE name, VALUE comparator)
 }
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SQLITE3_LOAD_EXTENSION
-/* call-seq: db.load_extension(file)
- *
- * Loads an SQLite extension library from the named file. Extension
- * loading must be enabled using db.enable_load_extension(true) prior
- * to calling this API.
- */
 static VALUE
-load_extension(VALUE self, VALUE file)
+load_extension_internal(VALUE self, VALUE file)
 {
     sqlite3RubyPtr ctx;
     int status;
@@ -997,7 +991,7 @@ init_sqlite3_database(void)
     rb_define_private_method(cSqlite3Database, "db_filename", db_filename, 1);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SQLITE3_LOAD_EXTENSION
-    rb_define_method(cSqlite3Database, "load_extension", load_extension, 1);
+    rb_define_private_method(cSqlite3Database, "load_extension_internal", load_extension_internal, 1);
 #endif
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SQLITE3_ENABLE_LOAD_EXTENSION
diff --git a/lib/sqlite3/database.rb b/lib/sqlite3/database.rb
index 1cf9e62e..8c10df35 100644
--- a/lib/sqlite3/database.rb
+++ b/lib/sqlite3/database.rb
@@ -658,6 +658,37 @@ def busy_handler_timeout=(milliseconds)
       end
     end
 
+    # call-seq:
+    #   load_extension(extension_specifier) -> Database
+    #
+    # Loads an SQLite extension library from the named file. Extension loading must be enabled using
+    # Database#enable_load_extension prior to using this method.
+    #
+    # See also: https://www.sqlite.org/loadext.html
+    #
+    # [Parameters]
+    # - extension_specifier (String | +_ExtensionSpecifier+) If a String, it is the filesystem path
+    #   to the sqlite extension file. If an object that responds to #sqlite_extension_path, the
+    #   return value of that method is used as the filesystem path to the sqlite extension file.
+    #
+    # +_ExtensionSpecifier+ describes the following interface:
+    #
+    #   interface _ExtensionSpecifier
+    #     def sqlite_extension_path: () → String
+    #   end
+    #
+    # For example, the +sqlean+ ruby gem offers a set of classes that implement this interface,
+    # allowing a calling convention like:
+    #
+    #   db.load_extension(SQLean::VSV)
+    #
+    def load_extension(extension_specifier)
+      if extension_specifier.respond_to?(:sqlite_extension_path)
+        extension_specifier = extension_specifier.sqlite_extension_path
+      end
+      load_extension_internal(extension_specifier)
+    end
+
     # A helper class for dealing with custom functions (see #create_function,
     # #create_aggregate, and #create_aggregate_handler). It encapsulates the
     # opaque function object that represents the current invocation. It also
diff --git a/lib/sqlite3/version.rb b/lib/sqlite3/version.rb
index 5ffba7ed..ccecebfa 100644
--- a/lib/sqlite3/version.rb
+++ b/lib/sqlite3/version.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
 module SQLite3
   # (String) the version of the sqlite3 gem, e.g. "2.1.1"
-  VERSION = "2.3.0"
+  VERSION = "2.4.0.dev"
 end
diff --git a/test/test_database.rb b/test/test_database.rb
index 27f0479a..58df7060 100644
--- a/test/test_database.rb
+++ b/test/test_database.rb
@@ -653,10 +653,31 @@ def test_strict_mode
     def test_load_extension_with_nonstring_argument
       db = SQLite3::Database.new(":memory:")
       skip("extensions are not enabled") unless db.respond_to?(:load_extension)
+
       assert_raises(TypeError) { db.load_extension(1) }
       assert_raises(TypeError) { db.load_extension(Pathname.new("foo.so")) }
     end
 
+    def test_load_extension_with_an_extension_descriptor
+      extension_descriptor = Class.new do
+        def sqlite_extension_path
+          "path/to/extension"
+        end
+      end.new
+
+      class << db
+        attr_reader :load_extension_internal_path
+
+        def load_extension_internal(path)
+          @load_extension_internal_path = path
+        end
+      end
+
+      db.load_extension(extension_descriptor)
+
+      assert_equal("path/to/extension", db.load_extension_internal_path)
+    end
+
     def test_load_extension_error
       db = SQLite3::Database.new(":memory:")
       assert_raises(SQLite3::Exception) { db.load_extension("path/to/foo.so") }