diff --git a/dlt/common/libs/ibis.py b/dlt/common/libs/ibis.py
index 397489c036..3e4221bb52 100644
--- a/dlt/common/libs/ibis.py
+++ b/dlt/common/libs/ibis.py
@@ -5,5 +5,6 @@
     import ibis  # type: ignore[import-untyped]
     from ibis import Table
     from ibis import memtable
+    from ibis import BaseBackend
 except ModuleNotFoundError:
     raise MissingDependencyException("dlt ibis Helpers", ["ibis"])
diff --git a/dlt/destinations/dataset.py b/dlt/destinations/dataset.py
index 0c2f8f86ea..27c5989e5b 100644
--- a/dlt/destinations/dataset.py
+++ b/dlt/destinations/dataset.py
@@ -25,10 +25,13 @@
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
     try:
         from dlt.common.libs.ibis import Table as IbisTable
+        from dlt.common.libs.ibis import BaseBackend as IbisBackend
     except MissingDependencyException:
         IbisTable = Any
+        IbisBackend = Any
 else:
     IbisTable = Any
+    IbisBackend = Any
 
 
 class DatasetException(DltException):
@@ -319,3 +322,29 @@ def dataset(
     if dataset_type == "dbapi":
         return ReadableDBAPIDataset(destination, dataset_name, schema)
     raise NotImplementedError(f"Dataset of type {dataset_type} not implemented")
+
+
+def create_ibis_backend(
+    destination: TDestinationReferenceArg, dataset_name: str, schema: Schema
+) -> IbisBackend:
+    from dlt.common.libs.ibis import ibis
+
+    # TODO: abstract out destination client related stuff
+    destination = Destination.from_reference(destination)
+    client_spec = destination.spec()
+    if isinstance(client_spec, DestinationClientDwhConfiguration):
+        client_spec._bind_dataset_name(dataset_name=dataset_name, default_schema_name=schema.name)
+    client = destination.client(schema, client_spec)
+
+    if destination.destination_type not in [
+        "dlt.destinations.postgres",
+        "dlt.destinations.duckdb",
+        "dlt.destinations.filesystem",
+    ]:
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    ibis = ibis.connect(client.config.credentials.to_native_representation())
+    # NOTE: there seems to be no standardized way to set the current dataset / schema in ibis
+    ibis.raw_sql(f"SET search_path TO {dataset_name};")
+
+    return ibis
diff --git a/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py b/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py
index 7c13d76e26..26f3ad7715 100644
--- a/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py
+++ b/dlt/pipeline/pipeline.py
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@
 from dlt.destinations.sql_client import SqlClientBase, WithSqlClient
 from dlt.destinations.fs_client import FSClientBase
 from dlt.destinations.job_client_impl import SqlJobClientBase
-from dlt.destinations.dataset import dataset
+from dlt.destinations.dataset import dataset, create_ibis_backend
 from dlt.load.configuration import LoaderConfiguration
 from dlt.load import Load
 
@@ -149,6 +149,11 @@
 from dlt.common.storages.load_package import TLoadPackageState
 from dlt.pipeline.helpers import refresh_source
 
+try:
+    from dlt.common.libs.ibis import BaseBackend as IbisBackend
+except MissingDependencyException:
+    IbisBackend = None
+
 
 def with_state_sync(may_extract_state: bool = False) -> Callable[[TFun], TFun]:
     def decorator(f: TFun) -> TFun:
@@ -1784,3 +1789,11 @@ def _dataset(self, dataset_type: TDatasetType = "dbapi") -> SupportsReadableData
             schema=(self.default_schema if self.default_schema_name else None),
             dataset_type=dataset_type,
         )
+
+    def _ibis(self) -> IbisBackend:
+        """return a connected ibis backend"""
+        return create_ibis_backend(
+            self.destination,
+            self.dataset_name,
+            schema=(self.default_schema if self.default_schema_name else None),
+        )
diff --git a/tests/load/test_read_interfaces.py b/tests/load/test_read_interfaces.py
index 1aab6a06d1..b5b0b662ac 100644
--- a/tests/load/test_read_interfaces.py
+++ b/tests/load/test_read_interfaces.py
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ def double_items():
     yield pipeline
 
     # NOTE: we need to drop pipeline data here since we are keeping the pipelines around for the whole module
-    drop_pipeline_data(pipeline)
+    # drop_pipeline_data(pipeline)
 
 
 # NOTE: we collect all destination configs centrally, this way the session based
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ def test_db_cursor_access(populated_pipeline: Pipeline) -> None:
     indirect=True,
     ids=lambda x: x.name,
 )
-def test_ibis_access(populated_pipeline: Pipeline) -> None:
+def test_ibis_tables_access(populated_pipeline: Pipeline) -> None:
     table_relationship = populated_pipeline._dataset().items
     total_records = _total_records(populated_pipeline)
     chunk_size = _chunk_size(populated_pipeline)
@@ -284,6 +284,31 @@ def test_ibis_access(populated_pipeline: Pipeline) -> None:
     assert set(ids) == set(range(total_records))
 
 
+@pytest.mark.no_load
+@pytest.mark.essential
+@pytest.mark.parametrize(
+    "populated_pipeline",
+    configs,
+    indirect=True,
+    ids=lambda x: x.name,
+)
+def test_ibis_dataset_access(populated_pipeline: Pipeline) -> None:
+    total_records = _total_records(populated_pipeline)
+    ibis_connection = populated_pipeline._ibis()
+
+    assert ibis_connection.list_tables() == [
+        "_dlt_loads",
+        "_dlt_pipeline_state",
+        "_dlt_version",
+        "double_items",
+        "items",
+        "items__children",
+    ]
+
+    items_table = ibis_connection.table("items")
+    assert items_table.count().to_pandas() == total_records
+
+
 @pytest.mark.no_load
 @pytest.mark.essential
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(