diff --git a/lib/march_hare/channel.rb b/lib/march_hare/channel.rb
index 32f2f7d..04a111c 100644
--- a/lib/march_hare/channel.rb
+++ b/lib/march_hare/channel.rb
@@ -614,10 +614,14 @@ def basic_get(queue, auto_ack)
       end
     end
 
-    def basic_consume(queue, auto_ack, consumer)
+    def basic_consume(queue, auto_ack, consumer_tag=nil, consumer)
       consumer.auto_ack = auto_ack
       tag = converting_rjc_exceptions_to_ruby do
-        @delegate.basic_consume(queue, auto_ack, consumer)
+        if consumer_tag
+          @delegate.basic_consume(queue, auto_ack, consumer_tag, consumer)
+        else
+          @delegate.basic_consume(queue, auto_ack, consumer)
+        end
       end
       self.register_consumer(tag, consumer)
 
diff --git a/lib/march_hare/consumers/base.rb b/lib/march_hare/consumers/base.rb
index 35141ef..57de897 100644
--- a/lib/march_hare/consumers/base.rb
+++ b/lib/march_hare/consumers/base.rb
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ def terminated?
     def recover_from_network_failure
       @terminated.set(false)
       @cancelled.set(false)
-      @consumer_tag = @channel.basic_consume(@queue.name, @auto_ack, self)
+      @consumer_tag = @channel.basic_consume(@queue.name, @auto_ack, @consumer_tag, self)
 
       @consumer_tag
     end
diff --git a/lib/march_hare/queue.rb b/lib/march_hare/queue.rb
index 0688b02..5421661 100644
--- a/lib/march_hare/queue.rb
+++ b/lib/march_hare/queue.rb
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ def subscribe(opts = {}, &block)
     end
 
     def subscribe_with(consumer, opts = {})
-      @consumer_tag     = @channel.basic_consume(@name, !(opts[:ack] || opts[:manual_ack]), consumer)
+      @consumer_tag = @channel.basic_consume(@name, !(opts[:ack] || opts[:manual_ack]), opts[:consumer_tag], consumer)
       consumer.consumer_tag = @consumer_tag
 
       @default_consumer = consumer
diff --git a/spec/higher_level_api/integration/basic_consume_spec.rb b/spec/higher_level_api/integration/basic_consume_spec.rb
index a89269a..88a0a3f 100644
--- a/spec/higher_level_api/integration/basic_consume_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/higher_level_api/integration/basic_consume_spec.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,24 @@
     expect(consumer).not_to be_active
     expect(consumer).to be_cancelled
   end
+
+  it "has a consumer_tag" do
+    ch       = connection.create_channel
+    q        = ch.queue("", :exclusive => true)
+
+    consumer1 = q.subscribe(:blocking => false) { |_, _| nil }
+
+    sleep(1.0)
+    expect(consumer1.consumer_tag).to match(/^amq.ctag/)
+    consumer1.cancel
+
+    custom_consumer_tag = "unique_consumer_tag_#{rand(1_000)}"
+    consumer2 = q.subscribe(:consumer_tag => custom_consumer_tag, :blocking => false) { |_, _| nil }
+
+    expect(consumer2.consumer_tag).to eq(custom_consumer_tag)
+
+    consumer2.cancel
+  end
 end