diff --git a/src/docs/asciidoc/api.adoc b/src/docs/asciidoc/api.adoc
index 92c60946d0..a274e1339e 100644
--- a/src/docs/asciidoc/api.adoc
+++ b/src/docs/asciidoc/api.adoc
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ can maintain before a new connection is open. The value must be between 1 and 25
 a new connection is open. The value must be between 1 and 255.
 |255
 
+|`lazyInitialization`
+|To delay the connection opening until necessary.
+|false
+
 |`tls`
 |Configuration helper for TLS.
 |TLS is enabled if a `rabbitmq-stream+tls` URI is provided.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/EnvironmentBuilder.java b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/EnvironmentBuilder.java
index 0fefd4ca79..93363b5855 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/EnvironmentBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/EnvironmentBuilder.java
@@ -286,6 +286,19 @@ public interface EnvironmentBuilder {
   EnvironmentBuilder topologyUpdateBackOffDelayPolicy(
       BackOffDelayPolicy topologyUpdateBackOffDelayPolicy);
 
+  /**
+   * To delay the connection opening until necessary.
+   *
+   * <p>No connection will be open before it is necessary (for stream management or
+   * producer/consumer creation).
+   *
+   * <p>Default is false.
+   *
+   * @param lazy
+   * @return this builder instance
+   */
+  EnvironmentBuilder lazyInitialization(boolean lazy);
+
   /**
    * Create the {@link Environment} instance.
    *
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironment.java b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironment.java
index 30596557c9..4a6cfd782d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironment.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironment.java
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.StreamCreator;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.StreamException;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.compression.CompressionCodecFactory;
+import com.rabbitmq.stream.impl.Client.ClientParameters;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.impl.OffsetTrackingCoordinator.Registration;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.impl.StreamConsumerBuilder.TrackingConfiguration;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.impl.StreamEnvironmentBuilder.DefaultTlsConfiguration;
@@ -83,6 +84,8 @@ class StreamEnvironment implements Environment {
   private final Clock clock = new Clock();
   private final ScheduledFuture<?> clockRefreshFuture;
   private final ByteBufAllocator byteBufAllocator;
+  private final AtomicBoolean locatorInitialized = new AtomicBoolean(false);
+  private final Runnable locatorInitializationSequence;
   private volatile Client locator;
 
   StreamEnvironment(
@@ -96,7 +99,8 @@ class StreamEnvironment implements Environment {
       int maxTrackingConsumersByConnection,
       int maxConsumersByConnection,
       DefaultTlsConfiguration tlsConfiguration,
-      ByteBufAllocator byteBufAllocator) {
+      ByteBufAllocator byteBufAllocator,
+      boolean lazyInit) {
     this(
         scheduledExecutorService,
         clientParametersPrototype,
@@ -109,6 +113,7 @@ class StreamEnvironment implements Environment {
         maxConsumersByConnection,
         tlsConfiguration,
         byteBufAllocator,
+        lazyInit,
         cp -> new Client(cp));
   }
 
@@ -124,6 +129,7 @@ class StreamEnvironment implements Environment {
       int maxConsumersByConnection,
       DefaultTlsConfiguration tlsConfiguration,
       ByteBufAllocator byteBufAllocator,
+      boolean lazyInit,
       Function<Client.ClientParameters, Client> clientFactory) {
     this.recoveryBackOffDelayPolicy = recoveryBackOffDelayPolicy;
     this.topologyUpdateBackOffDelayPolicy = topologyBackOffDelayPolicy;
@@ -235,29 +241,41 @@ class StreamEnvironment implements Environment {
           }
         };
     shutdownListenerReference.set(shutdownListener);
-    RuntimeException lastException = null;
-    for (Address address : addresses) {
-      address = addressResolver.resolve(address);
-      Client.ClientParameters locatorParameters =
-          clientParametersPrototype
-              .duplicate()
-              .host(address.host())
-              .port(address.port())
-              .clientProperty("connection_name", "rabbitmq-stream-locator")
-              .shutdownListener(shutdownListenerReference.get());
-      try {
-        this.locator = clientFactory.apply(locatorParameters);
-        LOGGER.debug("Locator connected to {}", address);
-        break;
-      } catch (RuntimeException e) {
-        LOGGER.debug("Error while try to connect to {}: {}", address, e.getMessage());
-        lastException = e;
-      }
-    }
-    if (this.locator == null) {
-      throw lastException;
+    ClientParameters clientParametersForInit = clientParametersPrototype.duplicate();
+    Runnable locatorInitSequence =
+        () -> {
+          RuntimeException lastException = null;
+          for (Address address : addresses) {
+            address = addressResolver.resolve(address);
+            Client.ClientParameters locatorParameters =
+                clientParametersForInit
+                    .duplicate()
+                    .host(address.host())
+                    .port(address.port())
+                    .clientProperty("connection_name", "rabbitmq-stream-locator")
+                    .shutdownListener(shutdownListenerReference.get());
+            try {
+              this.locator = clientFactory.apply(locatorParameters);
+              LOGGER.debug("Locator connected to {}", address);
+              break;
+            } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+              LOGGER.debug("Error while try to connect to {}: {}", address, e.getMessage());
+              lastException = e;
+            }
+          }
+          if (this.locator == null) {
+            throw lastException;
+          }
+        };
+    if (lazyInit) {
+      this.locatorInitializationSequence = locatorInitSequence;
+    } else {
+      locatorInitSequence.run();
+      locatorInitialized.set(true);
+      this.locatorInitializationSequence = () -> {};
     }
-    this.codec = locator.codec();
+    this.codec =
+        clientParametersPrototype.codec == null ? Codecs.DEFAULT : clientParametersPrototype.codec;
     this.clockRefreshFuture =
         this.scheduledExecutorService.scheduleAtFixedRate(
             () -> this.clock.refresh(), 1, 1, SECONDS);
@@ -318,13 +336,26 @@ public ByteBufAllocator byteBufAllocator() {
     return byteBufAllocator;
   }
 
+  private void maybeInitializeLocator() {
+    if (this.locatorInitialized.compareAndSet(false, true)) {
+      try {
+        this.locatorInitializationSequence.run();
+      } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+        this.locatorInitialized.set(false);
+        throw e;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   @Override
   public StreamCreator streamCreator() {
+    maybeInitializeLocator();
     return new StreamStreamCreator(this);
   }
 
   @Override
   public void deleteStream(String stream) {
+    maybeInitializeLocator();
     Client.Response response = this.locator().delete(stream);
     if (!response.isOk()) {
       throw new StreamException(
@@ -339,6 +370,7 @@ public void deleteStream(String stream) {
 
   @Override
   public ProducerBuilder producerBuilder() {
+    maybeInitializeLocator();
     return new StreamProducerBuilder(this);
   }
 
@@ -360,6 +392,7 @@ void removeConsumer(StreamConsumer consumer) {
 
   @Override
   public ConsumerBuilder consumerBuilder() {
+    maybeInitializeLocator();
     return new StreamConsumerBuilder(this);
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentBuilder.java b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentBuilder.java
index c2fb0b5374..e42bd71ba3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentBuilder.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ public class StreamEnvironmentBuilder implements EnvironmentBuilder {
   private int maxConsumersByConnection = ConsumersCoordinator.MAX_SUBSCRIPTIONS_PER_CLIENT;
   private CompressionCodecFactory compressionCodecFactory;
   private ByteBufAllocator byteBufAllocator = ByteBufAllocator.DEFAULT;
+  private boolean lazyInit = false;
 
   public StreamEnvironmentBuilder() {}
 
@@ -266,6 +267,12 @@ public EnvironmentBuilder maxConsumersByConnection(int maxConsumersByConnection)
     return this;
   }
 
+  @Override
+  public EnvironmentBuilder lazyInitialization(boolean lazy) {
+    this.lazyInit = lazy;
+    return this;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public TlsConfiguration tls() {
     this.tls.enable();
@@ -290,7 +297,8 @@ public Environment build() {
         maxTrackingConsumersByConnection,
         maxConsumersByConnection,
         tls,
-        byteBufAllocator);
+        byteBufAllocator,
+        lazyInit);
   }
 
   static final class DefaultTlsConfiguration implements TlsConfiguration {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentTest.java b/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentTest.java
index 99c1ca3a20..98408b3b5b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentTest.java
@@ -26,11 +26,14 @@
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.AuthenticationFailureException;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.BackOffDelayPolicy;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.ChannelCustomizer;
+import com.rabbitmq.stream.ConfirmationHandler;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.Constants;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.Consumer;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.Environment;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.EnvironmentBuilder;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.Host;
+import com.rabbitmq.stream.Message;
+import com.rabbitmq.stream.OffsetSpecification;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.Producer;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.StreamException;
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.impl.Client.StreamMetadata;
@@ -60,6 +63,8 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.TestInfo;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.ExtendWith;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.ValueSource;
 
 @ExtendWith(TestUtils.StreamTestInfrastructureExtension.class)
 public class StreamEnvironmentTest {
@@ -158,9 +163,10 @@ void environmentCreationShouldSucceedWhenUsingTls() {
         .close();
   }
 
-  @Test
-  void producersAndConsumersShouldBeClosedWhenEnvironmentIsClosed() {
-    Environment environment = environmentBuilder.build();
+  @ParameterizedTest
+  @ValueSource(booleans = {false, true})
+  void producersAndConsumersShouldBeClosedWhenEnvironmentIsClosed(boolean lazyInit) {
+    Environment environment = environmentBuilder.lazyInitialization(lazyInit).build();
     Collection<Producer> producers =
         IntStream.range(0, 2)
             .mapToObj(i -> environment.producerBuilder().stream(stream).build())
@@ -317,8 +323,7 @@ void growShrinkResourcesWhenProducersConsumersAreOpenedAndClosed(TestInfo info)
 
   @Test
   @TestUtils.DisabledIfRabbitMqCtlNotSet
-  void environmentPublishersConsumersShouldCloseSuccessfullyWhenBrokerIsDown(TestInfo info)
-      throws Exception {
+  void environmentPublishersConsumersShouldCloseSuccessfullyWhenBrokerIsDown() throws Exception {
     Environment environment =
         environmentBuilder
             .recoveryBackOffDelayPolicy(BackOffDelayPolicy.fixed(Duration.ofSeconds(10)))
@@ -439,4 +444,66 @@ void streamCreationShouldBeIdempotent(TestInfo info) {
       assertThat(client.delete(s).isOk()).isTrue();
     }
   }
+
+  @Test
+  void instanciationShouldSucceedWhenLazyInitIsEnabledAndHostIsNotKnown() {
+    String dummyHost = UUID.randomUUID().toString();
+    Address dummyAddress = new Address(dummyHost, Client.DEFAULT_PORT);
+    try (Environment env =
+        environmentBuilder
+            .host(dummyHost)
+            .addressResolver(a -> dummyAddress)
+            .lazyInitialization(true)
+            .build()) {
+
+      assertThatThrownBy(() -> env.streamCreator().stream("should not have been created").create())
+          .isInstanceOf(StreamException.class);
+      assertThatThrownBy(() -> env.deleteStream("should not exist"))
+          .isInstanceOf(StreamException.class);
+      assertThatThrownBy(() -> env.producerBuilder().stream(stream).build())
+          .isInstanceOf(StreamException.class);
+      assertThatThrownBy(
+              () ->
+                  env.consumerBuilder().stream(stream)
+                      .messageHandler((context, message) -> {})
+                      .build())
+          .isInstanceOf(StreamException.class);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @ParameterizedTest
+  @ValueSource(booleans = {false, true})
+  void createPublishConsumeDelete(boolean lazyInit, TestInfo info) {
+    try (Environment env = environmentBuilder.lazyInitialization(lazyInit).build()) {
+      String s = streamName(info);
+      env.streamCreator().stream(s).create();
+      int messageCount = 50_000;
+      CountDownLatch confirmLatch = new CountDownLatch(messageCount);
+      CountDownLatch consumeLatch = new CountDownLatch(messageCount);
+
+      Producer producer = env.producerBuilder().stream(s).build();
+      ConfirmationHandler confirmationHandler = confirmationStatus -> confirmLatch.countDown();
+      IntStream.range(0, messageCount)
+          .forEach(
+              i -> {
+                Message message =
+                    producer.messageBuilder().addData("".getBytes(StandardCharsets.UTF_8)).build();
+                producer.send(message, confirmationHandler);
+              });
+
+      latchAssert(confirmLatch).completes();
+
+      Consumer consumer =
+          env.consumerBuilder().stream(s)
+              .offset(OffsetSpecification.first())
+              .messageHandler((context, message) -> consumeLatch.countDown())
+              .build();
+
+      latchAssert(consumeLatch).completes();
+
+      producer.close();
+      consumer.close();
+      env.deleteStream(s);
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentUnitTest.java b/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentUnitTest.java
index 0baf10dc78..ddd84286c7 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentUnitTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/rabbitmq/stream/impl/StreamEnvironmentUnitTest.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.*;
 
 import com.rabbitmq.stream.BackOffDelayPolicy;
+import com.rabbitmq.stream.impl.Client.ClientParameters;
 import io.netty.buffer.ByteBufAllocator;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.time.Duration;
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.AfterEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.BeforeEach;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest;
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.CsvSource;
 import org.mockito.Mock;
 import org.mockito.MockitoAnnotations;
 
@@ -81,6 +84,7 @@ Client.ClientParameters duplicate() {
             ConsumersCoordinator.MAX_SUBSCRIPTIONS_PER_CLIENT,
             null,
             ByteBufAllocator.DEFAULT,
+            false,
             cf);
   }
 
@@ -140,7 +144,32 @@ void shouldTryUrisOnInitializationFailure() throws Exception {
             ConsumersCoordinator.MAX_SUBSCRIPTIONS_PER_CLIENT,
             null,
             ByteBufAllocator.DEFAULT,
+            false,
             cf);
     verify(cf, times(3)).apply(any(Client.ClientParameters.class));
   }
+
+  @ParameterizedTest
+  @CsvSource({"false,1", "true,0"})
+  void shouldNotOpenConnectionWhenLazyInitIsEnabled(
+      boolean lazyInit, int expectedConnectionCreation) throws Exception {
+    reset(cf);
+    when(cf.apply(any(Client.ClientParameters.class))).thenReturn(client);
+    environment =
+        new StreamEnvironment(
+            scheduledExecutorService,
+            new ClientParameters(),
+            Collections.emptyList(),
+            recoveryBackOffDelayPolicy,
+            topologyUpdateBackOffDelayPolicy,
+            host -> host,
+            ProducersCoordinator.MAX_PRODUCERS_PER_CLIENT,
+            ProducersCoordinator.MAX_TRACKING_CONSUMERS_PER_CLIENT,
+            ConsumersCoordinator.MAX_SUBSCRIPTIONS_PER_CLIENT,
+            null,
+            ByteBufAllocator.DEFAULT,
+            lazyInit,
+            cf);
+    verify(cf, times(expectedConnectionCreation)).apply(any(Client.ClientParameters.class));
+  }
 }