diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart
index 9276ce22..d9877a4b 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/client/client.dart
@@ -220,27 +220,53 @@ class StreamChatClient {
 
   /// Connects the current user, this triggers a connection to the API.
   /// It returns a [Future] that resolves when the connection is setup.
-  Future<Event> connectUser(User user, String token) =>
-      _connectUser(user, token: Token.fromRawValue(token));
+  /// Pass [connectWebSocket]: false, if you want to connect to websocket
+  /// at a later stage or use the client in connection-less mode
+  Future<OwnUser> connectUser(
+    User user,
+    String token, {
+    bool connectWebSocket = true,
+  }) =>
+      _connectUser(
+        user,
+        token: Token.fromRawValue(token),
+        connectWebSocket: connectWebSocket,
+      );
 
   /// Connects the current user using the [tokenProvider] to fetch the token.
   /// It returns a [Future] that resolves when the connection is setup.
-  Future<Event> connectUserWithProvider(
-          User user, TokenProvider tokenProvider) =>
-      _connectUser(user, provider: tokenProvider);
+  Future<OwnUser> connectUserWithProvider(
+    User user,
+    TokenProvider tokenProvider, {
+    bool connectWebSocket = true,
+  }) =>
+      _connectUser(
+        user,
+        provider: tokenProvider,
+        connectWebSocket: connectWebSocket,
+      );
 
   /// Connects the current user with an anonymous id, this triggers a connection
   /// to the API. It returns a [Future] that resolves when the connection is
   /// setup.
-  Future<Event> connectAnonymousUser() async {
+  Future<OwnUser> connectAnonymousUser({
+    bool connectWebSocket = true,
+  }) async {
     final token = Token.anonymous();
     final user = OwnUser(id: token.userId);
-    return _connectUser(user, token: token);
+    return _connectUser(
+      user,
+      token: token,
+      connectWebSocket: connectWebSocket,
+    );
   }
 
   /// Connects the current user as guest, this triggers a connection to the API.
   /// It returns a [Future] that resolves when the connection is setup.
-  Future<Event> connectGuestUser(User user) async {
+  Future<OwnUser> connectGuestUser(
+    User user, {
+    bool connectWebSocket = true,
+  }) async {
     final userId = user.id;
     final anonymousToken = Token.anonymous(userId: userId);
 
@@ -253,13 +279,18 @@ class StreamChatClient {
     _tokenManager.reset();
 
     final guestUserToken = Token.fromRawValue(guestUser.accessToken);
-    return _connectUser(guestUser.user, token: guestUserToken);
+    return _connectUser(
+      guestUser.user,
+      token: guestUserToken,
+      connectWebSocket: connectWebSocket,
+    );
   }
 
-  Future<Event> _connectUser(
+  Future<OwnUser> _connectUser(
     User user, {
     Token? token,
     TokenProvider? provider,
+    bool connectWebSocket = true,
   }) async {
     if (_ws.connectionCompleter?.isCompleted == false) {
       throw const StreamChatError(
@@ -268,7 +299,7 @@ class StreamChatClient {
       );
     }
 
-    logger.info('connecting user : ${user.id}');
+    logger.info('setting user : ${user.id}');
 
     await _tokenManager.setTokenOrProvider(
       user.id,
@@ -279,17 +310,21 @@ class StreamChatClient {
     final ownUser = OwnUser.fromUser(user);
     state.user = ownUser;
 
+    if (!connectWebSocket) {
+      return ownUser;
+    }
+
     try {
       if (_originalChatPersistenceClient != null) {
         _chatPersistenceClient = _originalChatPersistenceClient;
         await _chatPersistenceClient!.connect(ownUser.id);
       }
-      final event = await openConnection();
-      return event;
+      final res = await openConnection();
+      return res;
     } catch (e, stk) {
       if (e is StreamWebSocketError && e.isRetriable) {
         final event = await _chatPersistenceClient?.getConnectionInfo();
-        if (event != null) return event;
+        if (event != null) return event.me?.merge(ownUser) ?? ownUser;
       }
       logger.severe('error connecting user : ${ownUser.id}', e, stk);
       rethrow;
@@ -297,7 +332,7 @@ class StreamChatClient {
   }
 
   /// Creates a new WebSocket connection with the current user.
-  Future<Event> openConnection() async {
+  Future<OwnUser> openConnection() async {
     assert(
       state.user != null,
       'User is not set on client, '
@@ -327,7 +362,8 @@ class StreamChatClient {
         _ws.connectionStatusStream.skip(1).listen(_connectionStatusHandler);
 
     try {
-      return await _ws.connect(user);
+      final event = await _ws.connect(user);
+      return event.me?.merge(user) ?? user;
     } catch (e, stk) {
       logger.severe('error connecting ws', e, stk);
       rethrow;
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart
index 7ceffbfa..679abb47 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/own_user.dart
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import 'package:stream_chat/src/core/models/device.dart';
 import 'package:stream_chat/src/core/models/mute.dart';
 import 'package:stream_chat/src/core/models/user.dart';
 import 'package:stream_chat/src/core/util/serializer.dart';
+import 'package:stream_chat/stream_chat.dart';
 
 part 'own_user.g.dart';
 
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class OwnUser extends User {
     bool online = false,
     Map<String, Object?> extraData = const {},
     bool banned = false,
+    List<String> teams = const [],
   }) : super(
           id: id,
           role: role,
@@ -34,6 +36,7 @@ class OwnUser extends User {
           online: online,
           extraData: extraData,
           banned: banned,
+          teams: teams,
         );
 
   /// Create a new instance from a json
@@ -50,8 +53,69 @@ class OwnUser extends User {
         online: user.online,
         banned: user.banned,
         extraData: user.extraData,
+        teams: user.teams,
       );
 
+  /// Creates a copy of [OwnUser] with specified attributes overridden.
+  @override
+  OwnUser copyWith({
+    String? id,
+    String? role,
+    DateTime? createdAt,
+    DateTime? updatedAt,
+    DateTime? lastActive,
+    bool? online,
+    Map<String, Object?>? extraData,
+    bool? banned,
+    List<String>? teams,
+    List<Mute>? channelMutes,
+    List<Device>? devices,
+    List<Mute>? mutes,
+    int? totalUnreadCount,
+    int? unreadChannels,
+  }) =>
+      OwnUser(
+        id: id ?? this.id,
+        banned: banned ?? this.banned,
+        role: role ?? this.role,
+        createdAt: createdAt ?? this.createdAt,
+        updatedAt: updatedAt ?? this.updatedAt,
+        lastActive: lastActive ?? this.lastActive,
+        online: online ?? this.online,
+        extraData: extraData ?? this.extraData,
+        teams: teams ?? this.teams,
+        channelMutes: channelMutes ?? this.channelMutes,
+        devices: devices ?? this.devices,
+        mutes: mutes ?? this.mutes,
+        totalUnreadCount: totalUnreadCount ?? this.totalUnreadCount,
+        unreadChannels: unreadChannels ?? this.unreadChannels,
+      );
+
+  /// Returns a new [OwnUser] that is a combination of this ownUser
+  /// and the given [other] ownUser.
+  OwnUser merge(OwnUser? other) {
+    if (other == null) {
+      return this;
+    }
+
+    return copyWith(
+      banned: other.banned,
+      channelMutes: other.channelMutes,
+      createdAt: other.createdAt,
+      devices: other.devices,
+      extraData: other.extraData,
+      id: other.id,
+      lastActive: other.lastActive,
+      mutes: other.mutes,
+      online: other.online,
+      role: other.role,
+      teams: other.teams,
+      totalUnreadCount: other.totalUnreadCount,
+      unreadChannels: other.unreadChannels,
+      updatedAt: other.updatedAt,
+    );
+  }
+
   /// List of user devices
   @JsonKey(includeIfNull: false, defaultValue: <Device>[])
   final List<Device> devices;
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart
index c2960af9..1360d14e 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/lib/src/core/models/user.dart
@@ -47,9 +47,10 @@ class User extends Equatable {
 
   /// User role
   @JsonKey(
-      includeIfNull: false,
-      toJson: Serializer.readOnly,
-      defaultValue: <String>[])
+    includeIfNull: false,
+    toJson: Serializer.readOnly,
+    defaultValue: <String>[],
+  )
   final List<String> teams;
 
   /// Date of user creation
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/test/src/api/client_test.dart b/packages/stream_chat/test/src/api/client_test.dart
index 13783865..72dec24e 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/test/src/api/client_test.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/test/src/api/client_test.dart
@@ -64,9 +64,7 @@ void main() {
 
       final res = await client.connectUser(user, token);
       expect(res, isNotNull);
-      expect(res.type, event.type);
-      expect(res.connectionId, event.connectionId);
-      expect(res.me, isSameUserAs(user));
+      expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
     });
 
     test('`.connectUserWithProvider` should work fine', () async {
@@ -93,9 +91,7 @@ void main() {
 
       final res = await client.connectUserWithProvider(user, tokenProvider);
       expect(res, isNotNull);
-      expect(res.type, event.type);
-      expect(res.connectionId, event.connectionId);
-      expect(res.me, isSameUserAs(user));
+      expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
     });
 
     group('`.connectGuestUser`', () {
@@ -127,9 +123,7 @@ void main() {
 
         final res = await client.connectGuestUser(user);
         expect(res, isNotNull);
-        expect(res.type, event.type);
-        expect(res.connectionId, event.connectionId);
-        expect(res.me, isSameUserAs(user));
+        expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
 
         verify(
           () => api.guest.getGuestUser(any(that: isSameUserAs(user))),
@@ -175,9 +169,6 @@ void main() {
 
       final res = await client.connectAnonymousUser();
       expect(res, isNotNull);
-      expect(res.type, EventType.healthCheck);
-      expect(res.connectionId, 'fake-connection-id');
-      expect(res.me, isNotNull);
     });
 
     group('`.openConnection`', () {
@@ -330,6 +321,93 @@ void main() {
     );
   });
 
+  group('Connect user calls with `connectWebSocket`: false', () {
+    const apiKey = 'test-api-key';
+    late final api = FakeChatApi();
+
+    late StreamChatClient client;
+
+    setUpAll(() {
+      // fallback values
+      registerFallbackValue<User>(FakeUser());
+    });
+
+    setUp(() {
+      client = StreamChatClient(apiKey, chatApi: api);
+    });
+
+    tearDown(() {
+      client.dispose();
+    });
+
+    test('`.connectUser` should succeed without connecting', () async {
+      final user = User(id: 'test-user-id');
+      final token = Token.development(user.id).rawValue;
+
+      final res = await client.connectUser(
+        user,
+        token,
+        connectWebSocket: false,
+      );
+      expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
+      expect(client.wsConnectionStatus, ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
+    });
+
+    test(
+      '`.connectUserWithProvider` should succeed without connecting',
+      () async {
+        final user = User(id: 'test-user-id');
+        Future<String> tokenProvider(String userId) async {
+          expect(userId, user.id);
+          return Token.development(userId).rawValue;
+        }
+
+        final res = await client.connectUserWithProvider(
+          user,
+          tokenProvider,
+          connectWebSocket: false,
+        );
+        expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
+        expect(client.wsConnectionStatus, ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
+      },
+    );
+
+    test('`.connectGuestUser` should succeed without connecting', () async {
+      final user = User(id: 'test-user-id');
+      final token = Token.development(user.id).rawValue;
+
+      when(() => api.guest.getGuestUser(any(that: isSameUserAs(user))))
+          .thenAnswer(
+        (_) async => ConnectGuestUserResponse()
+          ..user = user
+          ..accessToken = token,
+      );
+
+      final res = await client.connectGuestUser(
+        user,
+        connectWebSocket: false,
+      );
+
+      expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
+      expect(client.wsConnectionStatus, ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
+      verify(
+        () => api.guest.getGuestUser(any(that: isSameUserAs(user))),
+      ).called(1);
+    });
+
+    test(
+      '`.connectAnonymousUser` should succeed without connecting',
+      () async {
+        final res = await client.connectAnonymousUser(
+          connectWebSocket: false,
+        );
+
+        expect(res, isNotNull);
+        expect(client.wsConnectionStatus, ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
+      },
+    );
+  });
+
   group('Fake web-socket connection function with failure and persistence', () {
     const apiKey = 'test-api-key';
     late final api = FakeChatApi();
@@ -366,8 +444,7 @@ void main() {
 
         final res = await client.connectUser(user, token);
         expect(res, isNotNull);
-        expect(res.connectionId, 'test-connection-id');
-        expect(res.me?.id, user.id);
+        expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
 
         verify(persistence.getConnectionInfo).called(1);
         verifyNoMoreInteractions(persistence);
@@ -391,8 +468,7 @@ void main() {
 
         final res = await client.connectUserWithProvider(user, tokenProvider);
         expect(res, isNotNull);
-        expect(res.connectionId, 'test-connection-id');
-        expect(res.me?.id, user.id);
+        expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
 
         verify(persistence.getConnectionInfo).called(1);
         verifyNoMoreInteractions(persistence);
@@ -420,8 +496,7 @@ void main() {
 
         final res = await client.connectGuestUser(user);
         expect(res, isNotNull);
-        expect(res.connectionId, 'test-connection-id');
-        expect(res.me?.id, user.id);
+        expect(res, isSameUserAs(user));
 
         verify(persistence.getConnectionInfo).called(1);
         verifyNoMoreInteractions(persistence);
@@ -446,8 +521,6 @@ void main() {
 
         final res = await client.connectAnonymousUser();
         expect(res, isNotNull);
-        expect(res.connectionId, 'test-connection-id');
-        expect(res.me?.id, user.id);
 
         verify(persistence.getConnectionInfo).called(1);
         verifyNoMoreInteractions(persistence);
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat/test/src/core/models/own_user_test.dart b/packages/stream_chat/test/src/core/models/own_user_test.dart
index edaf022e..7aef859d 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat/test/src/core/models/own_user_test.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat/test/src/core/models/own_user_test.dart
@@ -41,5 +41,43 @@ void main() {
       expect(ownUser.banned, user.banned);
       expect(ownUser.extraData, user.extraData);
     });
+
+    test('copyWith', () {
+      final user = OwnUser.fromJson(jsonFixture('own_user.json'));
+      var newUser = user.copyWith();
+
+      expect(newUser.id, user.id);
+      expect(newUser.role, user.role);
+      expect(newUser.name, user.name);
+
+      newUser = user.copyWith(
+        id: 'test',
+        role: 'test',
+        extraData: {
+          'name': 'test',
+        },
+      );
+
+      expect(newUser.id, 'test');
+      expect(newUser.role, 'test');
+      expect(newUser.name, 'test');
+    });
+
+    test('merge', () {
+      final user = OwnUser.fromJson(jsonFixture('own_user.json'));
+      final newUser = user.merge(OwnUser(
+        id: 'test',
+        role: 'test',
+        extraData: const {
+          'name': 'test',
+        },
+        banned: true,
+      ));
+
+      expect(newUser.id, 'test');
+      expect(newUser.role, 'test');
+      expect(newUser.name, 'test');
+      expect(newUser.banned, true);
+    });
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/stream_chat_flutter_core/test/stream_chat_core_test.dart b/packages/stream_chat_flutter_core/test/stream_chat_core_test.dart
index f2b1b514..178510c2 100644
--- a/packages/stream_chat_flutter_core/test/stream_chat_core_test.dart
+++ b/packages/stream_chat_flutter_core/test/stream_chat_core_test.dart
@@ -204,7 +204,8 @@ void main() {
 
         final event = Event(type: EventType.any);
         when(() => mockClient.on()).thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(event));
-        when(() => mockClient.openConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => event);
+        when(() => mockClient.openConnection())
+            .thenAnswer((_) async => OwnUser(id: 'test'));
         when(() => mockClient.closeConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => null);
         when(() => mockClient.wsConnectionStatus)
             .thenReturn(ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
@@ -238,7 +239,8 @@ void main() {
 
         final event = Event();
         when(() => mockClient.on()).thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(event));
-        when(() => mockClient.openConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => event);
+        when(() => mockClient.openConnection())
+            .thenAnswer((_) async => OwnUser(id: 'test'));
         when(() => mockClient.closeConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => null);
         when(() => mockClient.wsConnectionStatus)
             .thenReturn(ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
@@ -327,7 +329,8 @@ void main() {
 
         final event = Event();
         when(() => mockClient.on()).thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(event));
-        when(() => mockClient.openConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => event);
+        when(() => mockClient.openConnection())
+            .thenAnswer((_) async => OwnUser(id: 'test'));
         when(() => mockClient.closeConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => null);
         when(() => mockClient.wsConnectionStatus)
             .thenReturn(ConnectionStatus.disconnected);
@@ -376,7 +379,8 @@ void main() {
 
         final event = Event();
         when(() => mockClient.on()).thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(event));
-        when(() => mockClient.openConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => event);
+        when(() => mockClient.openConnection())
+            .thenAnswer((_) async => OwnUser(id: 'test'));
         when(() => mockClient.closeConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => null);
         when(() => mockClient.wsConnectionStatus)
             .thenReturn(ConnectionStatus.connected);
@@ -402,7 +406,8 @@ void main() {
 
         final event = Event();
         when(() => mockClient.on()).thenAnswer((_) => Stream.value(event));
-        when(() => mockClient.openConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => event);
+        when(() => mockClient.openConnection())
+            .thenAnswer((_) async => OwnUser(id: 'test'));
         when(() => mockClient.closeConnection()).thenAnswer((_) async => null);
         when(() => mockClient.wsConnectionStatus)
             .thenReturn(ConnectionStatus.disconnected);