diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index db2a467ee9..7c454cd6dd 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ import type { KeyChainInit } from '@libp2p/keychain'
 import type { NatManagerInit } from './nat-manager.js'
 import type { AddressManagerInit } from './address-manager/index.js'
 import type { PeerRoutingInit } from './peer-routing.js'
+import type { ConnectionManager } from '@libp2p/interface-connection-manager'
 import type { ConnectionManagerInit } from './connection-manager/index.js'
 
 /**
@@ -149,6 +150,11 @@ export interface Libp2pInit {
    * A ConnectionProtector can be used to create a secure overlay on top of the network using pre-shared keys
    */
   connectionProtector?: (components: Components) => ConnectionProtector
+
+  /**
+   * Pass a custom ConnectionManager implementation to enable custom connection management
+   */
+  customConnectionManager?: (components: Components) => ConnectionManager
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/libp2p.ts b/src/libp2p.ts
index 819f6c3e53..457eeafba2 100644
--- a/src/libp2p.ts
+++ b/src/libp2p.ts
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ export class Libp2pNode extends EventEmitter<Libp2pEvents> implements Libp2p {
     this.components.dialer = new DefaultDialer(this.components, init.connectionManager)
 
     // Create the Connection Manager
-    this.connectionManager = this.components.connectionManager = new DefaultConnectionManager(this.components, init.connectionManager)
+    // if a connection manager is not provided, create a default one
+    this.connectionManager = (init.customConnectionManager != null) ? init.customConnectionManager(this.components) : this.components.connectionManager = new DefaultConnectionManager(this.components, init.connectionManager)
 
     // forward connection manager events
     this.components.connectionManager.addEventListener('peer:disconnect', (event) => {