diff --git a/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c b/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c
index af1f351e15..eb89215cc1 100644
--- a/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c
+++ b/components/esp_websocket_client/esp_websocket_client.c
@@ -97,6 +97,7 @@ typedef struct {
     bool                        skip_cert_common_name_check;
     const char                  *cert_common_name;
     esp_err_t                   (*crt_bundle_attach)(void *conf);
+    esp_transport_handle_t      ext_transport;
 } websocket_config_storage_t;
 
 typedef enum {
@@ -695,6 +696,7 @@ esp_websocket_client_handle_t esp_websocket_client_init(const esp_websocket_clie
     client->config->skip_cert_common_name_check = config->skip_cert_common_name_check;
     client->config->cert_common_name = config->cert_common_name;
     client->config->crt_bundle_attach = config->crt_bundle_attach;
+    client->config->ext_transport = config->ext_transport;
 
     if (config->uri) {
         if (esp_websocket_client_set_uri(client, config->uri) != ESP_OK) {
@@ -1118,9 +1120,13 @@ esp_err_t esp_websocket_client_start(esp_websocket_client_handle_t client)
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "The client has started");
         return ESP_FAIL;
     }
-    if (esp_websocket_client_create_transport(client) != ESP_OK) {
-        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to create websocket transport");
-        return ESP_FAIL;
+
+    client->transport = client->config->ext_transport;
+    if (!client->transport) {
+        if (esp_websocket_client_create_transport(client) != ESP_OK) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to create websocket transport");
+            return ESP_FAIL;
+        }
     }
 
     if (xTaskCreate(esp_websocket_client_task, client->config->task_name ? client->config->task_name : "websocket_task",
diff --git a/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h b/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h
index cb4c24bfb7..34f85ae327 100644
--- a/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h
+++ b/components/esp_websocket_client/include/esp_websocket_client.h
@@ -128,6 +128,7 @@ typedef struct {
     int                         network_timeout_ms;         /*!< Abort network operation if it is not completed after this value, in milliseconds (defaults to 10s) */
     size_t                      ping_interval_sec;          /*!< Websocket ping interval, defaults to 10 seconds if not set */
     struct ifreq                *if_name;                   /*!< The name of interface for data to go through. Use the default interface without setting */
+    esp_transport_handle_t      ext_transport;              /*!< External WebSocket tcp_transport handle to the client; or if null, the client will create its own transport handle. */
 } esp_websocket_client_config_t;
 
 /**