diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index 35d310d..dde0bcd 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 | Field | Type | Description |
 |---|---|---|
 | `persistence` | `{ dbName: string, passphrase?: string }` | Enable IndexedDB persistence. A `passphrase` turns on AES-GCM encryption at rest |
-| `remote` | `{ url: string, clientId?: string, ticket?: string, username?: string, password?: string }` | Enable MQTT sync. `url` is a `ws://`/`wss://` MQTT endpoint; `ticket` is a JWT for MQTT v5 enhanced auth; `username`/`password` drive classic MQTT password auth |
+| `remote` | `{ url: string, clientId?: string, ticket?: string, username?: string, password?: string, autoConnect?: boolean }` | Enable MQTT sync. `url` is a `ws://`/`wss://` MQTT endpoint; `ticket` is a JWT for MQTT v5 enhanced auth; `username`/`password` drive classic MQTT password auth. `autoConnect` (default `true`) → set `false` to skip the connect on `initialize()` and drive it yourself via `reconnect(url, ticket)`, the usual pattern when the JWT is minted dynamically per connection |
 
 ## Scope model
 
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 7528259..b821ffe 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,15 +1,15 @@
 {
   "name": "@laboverwire/stitch",
-  "version": "0.5.0",
+  "version": "0.5.1",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@laboverwire/stitch",
-      "version": "0.5.0",
+      "version": "0.5.1",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
-        "@laboverwire/stitch-wasm": "^0.2.2"
+        "@laboverwire/stitch-wasm": "^0.3.0"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@eslint/js": "^10.0.1",
@@ -1031,9 +1031,9 @@
       }
     },
     "node_modules/@laboverwire/stitch-wasm": {
-      "version": "0.2.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@laboverwire/stitch-wasm/-/stitch-wasm-0.2.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-OiRh3sr7qAvAhfvOc5uAvOmiGBymzv00GNVmfBglZHZs2kWXivbV6bgfCVLPGyKGxQEHiWlXjDvQMM70MtK5xg==",
+      "version": "0.3.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/@laboverwire/stitch-wasm/-/stitch-wasm-0.3.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-DVzBdR+8+hUeRa7opRAnoMnWzmsattFpnZVMr0qqJVazL48LISuHz4AqD4DbS2gF0UD6wx3LsAnXaWOPXK0lBg==",
       "license": "Apache-2.0"
     },
     "node_modules/@napi-rs/lzma-linux-x64-gnu": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5f83181..3cc747e 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
     }
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@laboverwire/stitch-wasm": "^0.2.2"
+    "@laboverwire/stitch-wasm": "^0.3.0"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "react": "^19.0.0",
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 3323ac3..f52f4d7 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ export interface RemoteConfig {
   ticket?: string;
   username?: string;
   password?: string;
+  autoConnect?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface StoreOptions {
diff --git a/tests/integration/auto-connect.test.ts b/tests/integration/auto-connect.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1710738
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/integration/auto-connect.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { createStore } from '../../src/store.ts';
+import { projectTaskConfig, uniqueDbName } from '../helpers/fixtures.ts';
+import type { RemoteConfig, Store } from '../../src/types.ts';
+
+const UNROUTABLE = 'ws://127.0.0.1:49871';
+
+describe('remote.autoConnect', () => {
+  const stores: Store[] = [];
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    while (stores.length > 0) {
+      const store = stores.pop();
+      if (store) await store.destroy();
+    }
+  });
+
+  function open(remote: RemoteConfig): Store {
+    const store = createStore(projectTaskConfig(), {
+      persistence: { dbName: uniqueDbName() },
+      remote,
+    });
+    stores.push(store);
+    return store;
+  }
+
+  it('autoConnect:false does not start a connection on initialize', async () => {
+    const store = open({ url: UNROUTABLE, autoConnect: false });
+    await store.initialize();
+
+    await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 150));
+
+    expect(store.connectionStatus).not.toBe('connecting');
+    expect(store.connectionStatus).not.toBe('connected');
+    expect(store.isReconnecting).toBe(false);
+    expect(store.hasRemote).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('default (autoConnect omitted) starts the connection on initialize', async () => {
+    const store = open({ url: UNROUTABLE });
+    await store.initialize();
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => expect(store.connectionStatus).toBe('connecting'));
+    expect(store.hasRemote).toBe(true);
+  });
+});