diff --git a/bridge/qb/client/events.lua b/bridge/qb/client/events.lua
index 9c3f2cf4c..28ba721cc 100644
--- a/bridge/qb/client/events.lua
+++ b/bridge/qb/client/events.lua
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 local config = require 'config.client'
+local useExternalPlayerState = require 'config.shared'.useExternalPlayerState
 
 -- Trigger Command
 --- @deprecated
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ RegisterNetEvent('QBCore:Client:VehicleInfo', function(info)
     TriggerEvent('QBCore:Client:'..info.event..'Vehicle', data)
 end)
 
+if useExternalPlayerState then return end
+
 AddStateBagChangeHandler('hunger', ('player:%s'):format(cache.serverId), function(_, _, value)
     TriggerEvent('hud:client:UpdateNeeds', value, LocalPlayer.state.thirst)
 end)
diff --git a/client/loops.lua b/client/loops.lua
index 75ecd4420..5dc30507c 100644
--- a/client/loops.lua
+++ b/client/loops.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+local useExternalPlayerState = require 'config.shared'.useExternalPlayerState
+if useExternalPlayerState then return end
+
 local statusInterval = require 'config.client'.statusIntervalSeconds
 local playerState = LocalPlayer.state
 
diff --git a/config/shared.lua b/config/shared.lua
index 105df3683..1ffea93c0 100644
--- a/config/shared.lua
+++ b/config/shared.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 return {
     serverName = 'Server',
     defaultSpawn = vec4(-540.58, -212.02, 37.65, 208.88),
+    useExternalPlayerState = false,
     notifyPosition = 'top-right', -- 'top' | 'top-right' | 'top-left' | 'bottom' | 'bottom-right' | 'bottom-left'
     ---@type { name: string, amount: integer, metadata: fun(source: number): table }[]
     starterItems = { -- Character starting items
diff --git a/server/events.lua b/server/events.lua
index a8b4fc277..28e5a03c1 100644
--- a/server/events.lua
+++ b/server/events.lua
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ local loggingConfig = require 'config.server'.logging
 local serverName = require 'config.shared'.serverName
 local logger = require 'modules.logger'
 local queue = require 'server.queue'
+local useExternalPlayerState = require 'config.shared'.useExternalPlayerState
 
 -- Event Handler
 
@@ -196,6 +197,8 @@ RegisterNetEvent('QBCore:ToggleDuty', function()
     end
 end)
 
+if useExternalPlayerState then return end
+
 ---Syncs the player's hunger, thirst, and stress levels with the statebags
 ---@param bagName string
 ---@param meta 'hunger' | 'thirst' | 'stress'
diff --git a/server/loops.lua b/server/loops.lua
index eb64c5502..992079da2 100644
--- a/server/loops.lua
+++ b/server/loops.lua
@@ -1,26 +1,5 @@
 local config = require 'config.server'
-
-local function removeHungerAndThirst(src, player)
-    local playerState = Player(src).state
-    if not playerState.isLoggedIn then return end
-    local newHunger = playerState.hunger - config.player.hungerRate
-    local newThirst = playerState.thirst - config.player.thirstRate
-
-    player.Functions.SetMetaData('thirst', math.max(0, newThirst))
-    player.Functions.SetMetaData('hunger', math.max(0, newHunger))
-
-    player.Functions.Save()
-end
-
-CreateThread(function()
-    local interval = 60000 * config.updateInterval
-    while true do
-        Wait(interval)
-        for src, player in pairs(QBX.Players) do
-            removeHungerAndThirst(src, player)
-        end
-    end
-end)
+local useExternalPlayerState = require 'config.shared'.useExternalPlayerState
 
 local function pay(player)
     local job = player.PlayerData.job
@@ -53,3 +32,27 @@ CreateThread(function()
         end
     end
 end)
+
+if useExternalPlayerState then return end
+
+local function removeHungerAndThirst(src, player)
+    local playerState = Player(src).state
+    if not playerState.isLoggedIn then return end
+    local newHunger = playerState.hunger - config.player.hungerRate
+    local newThirst = playerState.thirst - config.player.thirstRate
+
+    player.Functions.SetMetaData('thirst', math.max(0, newThirst))
+    player.Functions.SetMetaData('hunger', math.max(0, newHunger))
+
+    player.Functions.Save()
+end
+
+CreateThread(function()
+    local interval = 60000 * config.updateInterval
+    while true do
+        Wait(interval)
+        for src, player in pairs(QBX.Players) do
+            removeHungerAndThirst(src, player)
+        end
+    end
+end)
diff --git a/server/player.lua b/server/player.lua
index df2398cd0..0469ae78e 100644
--- a/server/player.lua
+++ b/server/player.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ local setJobReplaces = GetConvar('qbx:setjob_replaces', 'true') == 'true'
 local setGangReplaces = GetConvar('qbx:setgang_replaces', 'true') == 'true'
 local accounts = json.decode(GetConvar('inventory:accounts', '["money"]'))
 local accountsAsItems = table.create(0, #accounts)
+local useExternalPlayerState = require 'config.shared'.useExternalPlayerState
 
 for i = 1, #accounts do
     accountsAsItems[accounts[i]] = 0
@@ -454,7 +455,7 @@ function CheckPlayerData(source, playerData)
     playerData.metadata.hunger = playerData.metadata.hunger or 100
     playerData.metadata.thirst = playerData.metadata.thirst or 100
     playerData.metadata.stress = playerData.metadata.stress or 0
-    if playerState then
+    if playerState and not useExternalPlayerState then
         playerState:set('hunger', playerData.metadata.hunger, true)
         playerState:set('thirst', playerData.metadata.thirst, true)
         playerState:set('stress', playerData.metadata.stress, true)
@@ -549,9 +550,11 @@ function Logout(source)
     local player = GetPlayer(source)
     if not player then return end
     local playerState = Player(source)?.state
-    player.PlayerData.metadata.hunger = playerState?.hunger or player.PlayerData.metadata.hunger
-    player.PlayerData.metadata.thirst = playerState?.thirst or player.PlayerData.metadata.thirst
-    player.PlayerData.metadata.stress = playerState?.stress or player.PlayerData.metadata.stress
+    if playerState and not useExternalPlayerState then
+        player.PlayerData.metadata.hunger = playerState?.hunger or player.PlayerData.metadata.hunger
+        player.PlayerData.metadata.thirst = playerState?.thirst or player.PlayerData.metadata.thirst
+        player.PlayerData.metadata.stress = playerState?.stress or player.PlayerData.metadata.stress
+    end
 
     TriggerClientEvent('QBCore:Client:OnPlayerUnload', source)
     TriggerEvent('QBCore:Server:OnPlayerUnload', source)
@@ -678,7 +681,7 @@ function CreatePlayer(playerData, Offline)
             TriggerClientEvent('qbx_core:client:onSetMetaData', self.PlayerData.source, meta, oldVal, val)
             TriggerEvent('qbx_core:server:onSetMetaData', meta,  oldVal, val, self.PlayerData.source)
 
-            if (meta == 'hunger' or meta == 'thirst' or meta == 'stress') then
+            if (meta == 'hunger' or meta == 'thirst' or meta == 'stress') and playerState and not useExternalPlayerState then
                 val = lib.math.clamp(val, 0, 100)
                 if playerState[meta] ~= val then
                     playerState:set(meta, val, true)
@@ -1023,7 +1026,7 @@ function Save(source)
     playerData.metadata.health = GetEntityHealth(ped)
     playerData.metadata.armor = GetPedArmour(ped)
 
-    if playerState.isLoggedIn then
+    if playerState.isLoggedIn and not useExternalPlayerState then
         playerData.metadata.hunger = playerState.hunger or 0
         playerData.metadata.thirst = playerState.thirst or 0
         playerData.metadata.stress = playerState.stress or 0