diff --git a/named.go b/named.go
index 29d6dcf..795d29a 100644
--- a/named.go
+++ b/named.go
@@ -153,12 +153,17 @@ func prepareNamed(p namedPreparer, query string) (*NamedStmt, error) {
 func convertMapStringInterface(v interface{}) (map[string]interface{}, bool) {
 	var m map[string]interface{}
 	mtype := reflect.TypeOf(m)
-	t := reflect.TypeOf(v)
-	if !t.ConvertibleTo(mtype) {
+	rv := reflect.ValueOf(v)
+	if rv.Kind() == reflect.Ptr {
+		if rv.IsNil() {
+			return nil, false
+		}
+		rv = rv.Elem()
+	}
+	if !rv.Type().ConvertibleTo(mtype) {
 		return nil, false
 	}
-	return reflect.ValueOf(v).Convert(mtype).Interface().(map[string]interface{}), true
-
+	return rv.Convert(mtype).Interface().(map[string]interface{}), true
 }
 
 func bindAnyArgs(names []string, arg interface{}, m *reflectx.Mapper) ([]interface{}, error) {
@@ -296,7 +301,7 @@ func bindArray(bindType int, query string, arg interface{}, m *reflectx.Mapper)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", []interface{}{}, err
 	}
-	arrayValue := reflect.ValueOf(arg)
+	arrayValue := reflect.Indirect(reflect.ValueOf(arg))
 	arrayLen := arrayValue.Len()
 	if arrayLen == 0 {
 		return "", []interface{}{}, fmt.Errorf("length of array is 0: %#v", arg)
@@ -440,6 +445,12 @@ func Named(query string, arg interface{}) (string, []interface{}, error) {
 func bindNamedMapper(bindType int, query string, arg interface{}, m *reflectx.Mapper) (string, []interface{}, error) {
 	t := reflect.TypeOf(arg)
 	k := t.Kind()
+
+	if k == reflect.Ptr {
+		t = t.Elem()
+		k = t.Kind()
+	}
+
 	switch {
 	case k == reflect.Map && t.Key().Kind() == reflect.String:
 		m, ok := convertMapStringInterface(arg)
diff --git a/named_ptr_test.go b/named_ptr_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..49666e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/named_ptr_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package sqlx
+
+import "testing"
+
+// Named queries accept a pointer to a slice, to a map and to a slice of maps
+// (upstream #577, #729).
+func TestNamedPtrArgs(t *testing.T) {
+	RunWithSchema(defaultSchema, t, func(db *DB, t *testing.T, now string) {
+		const insert = "INSERT INTO person (first_name, last_name, email) VALUES (:first_name, :last_name, :email)"
+		try := func(label string, arg interface{}, want int64) {
+			defer func() {
+				if r := recover(); r != nil {
+					t.Errorf("%s: panicked: %v", label, r)
+				}
+			}()
+			res, err := db.NamedExec(insert, arg)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Errorf("%s: %v", label, err)
+				return
+			}
+			if n, err := res.RowsAffected(); err == nil && n != want {
+				t.Errorf("%s: %d rows affected, want %d", label, n, want)
+			}
+		}
+		people := []Person{{FirstName: "A", LastName: "B", Email: "a@b"}, {FirstName: "C", LastName: "D", Email: "c@d"}}
+		try("*[]struct", &people, 2)
+		m := map[string]interface{}{"first_name": "E", "last_name": "F", "email": "e@f"}
+		try("*map", &m, 1)
+		ms := []map[string]interface{}{{"first_name": "G", "last_name": "H", "email": "g@h"}, {"first_name": "I", "last_name": "J", "email": "i@j"}}
+		try("*[]map", &ms, 2)
+
+		var count int
+		if err := db.Get(&count, "SELECT count(*) FROM person"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if count != 5 {
+			t.Errorf("expected 5 people inserted, got %d", count)
+		}
+	})
+}
diff --git a/named_test.go b/named_test.go
index b549539..3111c5e 100644
--- a/named_test.go
+++ b/named_test.go
@@ -211,6 +211,10 @@ func TestNamedQueries(t *testing.T) {
 		_, err = db.NamedExec(insert, sls)
 		test.Error(err)
 
+		// and test ptr batch inserts
+		_, err = db.NamedExec(insert, &sls)
+		test.Error(err)
+
 		// test map batch inserts
 		slsMap := []map[string]interface{}{
 			{"first_name": "Ardie", "last_name": "Savea", "email": "asavea@ab.co.nz"},