diff --git a/src/ClientContext.test.tsx b/src/ClientContext.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..909635d89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/ClientContext.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2026 Element Creations Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only OR LicenseRef-Element-Commercial
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+import { expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
+import { render } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { BrowserRouter } from "react-router-dom";
+import { type MatrixClient } from "matrix-js-sdk";
+import { type FC } from "react";
+
+import { ClientProvider, useClientState } from "./ClientContext";
+
+const mockClient = (): MatrixClient =>
+  ({
+    on: vi.fn(),
+    removeListener: vi.fn(),
+    getUserId: () => "@alice:example.org",
+    getDeviceId: () => "AAAA",
+    stopClient: vi.fn(),
+  }) as Partial<MatrixClient> as MatrixClient;
+
+/** Reports what the context says, so a test can assert on it. */
+const ShowClientState: FC = () => {
+  const state = useClientState();
+  if (state === undefined) return <span>loading</span>;
+  if (state.state === "error") return <span>error</span>;
+  return (
+    <span>{state.authenticated?.client.getUserId() ?? "unauthenticated"}</span>
+  );
+};
+
+test("uses a client supplied by the host without waiting", () => {
+  const client = mockClient();
+
+  const { container } = render(
+    <BrowserRouter>
+      <ClientProvider client={client}>
+        <ShowClientState />
+      </ClientProvider>
+    </BrowserRouter>,
+  );
+
+  // Available on the very first render: a supplied client needs no session
+  // restoring, so there is no loading state to pass through.
+  expect(container.textContent).toBe("@alice:example.org");
+});
+
+test("does not claim exclusive use of storage when given a client", () => {
+  // The channel is created when the module loads, so spy on the prototype
+  // rather than trying to replace the global.
+  const postMessage = vi.spyOn(BroadcastChannel.prototype, "postMessage");
+
+  render(
+    <BrowserRouter>
+      <ClientProvider client={mockClient()}>
+        <ShowClientState />
+      </ClientProvider>
+    </BrowserRouter>,
+  );
+
+  // The broadcast shuts down other instances to protect Element Call's own
+  // stores. A host's client brings its own, so there is nothing to protect.
+  expect(postMessage).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+  postMessage.mockRestore();
+});
diff --git a/src/ClientContext.tsx b/src/ClientContext.tsx
index a0d65e64f..6ad017f15 100644
--- a/src/ClientContext.tsx
+++ b/src/ClientContext.tsx
@@ -134,19 +134,36 @@ const loadChannel =
 
 interface Props {
   children: JSX.Element;
+  /**
+   * The client Element Call should use.
+   *
+   * When a host embeds Element Call it already has a client, and owns the
+   * user's session; supplying it here means Element Call neither authenticates
+   * anyone nor manages their session. Left out, Element Call finds a client
+   * itself — from the widget API, or by restoring or creating a session of its
+   * own.
+   */
+  client?: MatrixClient;
 }
 
-export const ClientProvider: FC<Props> = ({ children }) => {
+export const ClientProvider: FC<Props> = ({ children, client }) => {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
   const hostBridge = useHostBridge();
 
   // null = signed out, undefined = loading
   const [initClientState, setInitClientState] = useState<
     InitResult | null | undefined
-  >(undefined);
+  >(
+    client === undefined
+      ? undefined
+      : // A supplied client belongs to the host, so there is no session of ours
+        // to restore and nothing to wait for.
+        { client, passwordlessUser: false },
+  );
 
   const initializing = useRef(false);
   useEffect(() => {
+    if (client !== undefined) return;
     // In case the component is mounted, unmounted, and remounted quickly (as
     // React does in strict mode), we need to make sure not to doubly initialize
     // the client.
@@ -161,7 +178,7 @@ export const ClientProvider: FC<Props> = ({ children }) => {
       })
       .catch((err) => logger.error(err))
       .finally(() => (initializing.current = false));
-  }, []);
+  }, [client]);
 
   const changePassword = useCallback(
     async (password: string) => {
@@ -228,11 +245,13 @@ export const ClientProvider: FC<Props> = ({ children }) => {
 
   // To protect against multiple sessions writing to the same storage
   // simultaneously, we send a broadcast message that shuts down all other
-  // running instances of the app. This isn't necessary if the app is running in
-  // a widget though, since then it'll be mostly stateless.
+  // running instances of the app. Element Call only has storage of its own to
+  // protect when it created the session itself; given a client, or running as a
+  // widget, it is mostly stateless.
+  const ownsSession = client === undefined && widget === null;
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (!widget) loadChannel?.postMessage({});
-  }, []);
+    if (ownsSession) loadChannel?.postMessage({});
+  }, [ownsSession]);
 
   const [alreadyOpenedErr, setAlreadyOpenedErr] = useState<Error | undefined>(
     undefined,