diff --git a/c2pa-native-version.txt b/c2pa-native-version.txt
index c418262f..5bbbbe60 100644
--- a/c2pa-native-version.txt
+++ b/c2pa-native-version.txt
@@ -1 +1 @@
-c2pa-v0.77.0
+c2pa-v0.77.1
diff --git a/src/c2pa/c2pa.py b/src/c2pa/c2pa.py
index 1e519b25..0cb76ac9 100644
--- a/src/c2pa/c2pa.py
+++ b/src/c2pa/c2pa.py
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@
     'c2pa_reader_from_context',
     'c2pa_reader_with_stream',
     'c2pa_reader_with_fragment',
+    'c2pa_reader_with_manifest_data_and_stream',
     'c2pa_reader_is_embedded',
     'c2pa_reader_remote_url',
     'c2pa_reader_supported_mime_types',
@@ -705,6 +706,13 @@ def _setup_function(func, argtypes, restype=None):
      ctypes.POINTER(C2paStream)],
     ctypes.POINTER(C2paReader)
 )
+_setup_function(
+    _lib.c2pa_reader_with_manifest_data_and_stream,
+    [ctypes.POINTER(C2paReader), ctypes.c_char_p,
+     ctypes.POINTER(C2paStream),
+     ctypes.POINTER(ctypes.c_ubyte), ctypes.c_size_t],
+    ctypes.POINTER(C2paReader),
+)
 _setup_function(
     _lib.c2pa_reader_with_fragment,
     [ctypes.POINTER(C2paReader), ctypes.c_char_p,
@@ -2241,6 +2249,7 @@ def __init__(
         if context is not None:
             self._init_from_context(
                 context, format_or_path, stream,
+                manifest_data,
             )
             return
 
@@ -2331,7 +2340,7 @@ def _init_from_file(self, path, format_bytes,
                 Reader._ERROR_MESSAGES['io_error'].format(str(e)))
 
     def _init_from_context(self, context, format_or_path,
-                           stream):
+                           stream, manifest_data=None):
         """Initialize Reader from a Context object implementing
         the ContextProvider interface/abstract base class.
         """
@@ -2362,7 +2371,7 @@ def _init_from_context(self, context, format_or_path,
             self._own_stream = Stream(stream)
 
         try:
-            # Create base reader from context
+            # Create reader from context
             reader_ptr = _lib.c2pa_reader_from_context(
                 context.execution_context,
             )
@@ -2372,13 +2381,35 @@ def _init_from_context(self, context, format_or_path,
                 ].format("Unknown error")
             )
 
-            # Consume-and-return: reader_ptr is consumed,
-            # new_ptr is the valid pointer going forward
-            new_ptr = _lib.c2pa_reader_with_stream(
-                reader_ptr, format_bytes,
-                self._own_stream._stream,
-            )
-            # reader_ptr has been invalidated(consumed)
+            if manifest_data is not None:
+                if not isinstance(manifest_data, bytes):
+                    raise TypeError(
+                        Reader._ERROR_MESSAGES[
+                            'manifest_error'])
+                manifest_array = (
+                    ctypes.c_ubyte *
+                    len(manifest_data))(
+                    *manifest_data)
+                # Consume current reader,
+                # with manifest data and stream (C FFI pattern),
+                # to create a new one (switch out)
+                new_ptr = (
+                    _lib.c2pa_reader_with_manifest_data_and_stream(
+                        reader_ptr,
+                        format_bytes,
+                        self._own_stream._stream,
+                        manifest_array,
+                        len(manifest_data),
+                    )
+                )
+                # reader_ptr has been invalidated(consumed)
+            else:
+                # Consume reader with stream
+                new_ptr = _lib.c2pa_reader_with_stream(
+                    reader_ptr, format_bytes,
+                    self._own_stream._stream,
+                )
+                # reader_ptr has been invalidated(consumed)
 
             _check_ffi_operation_result(new_ptr,
                 Reader._ERROR_MESSAGES[
diff --git a/tests/test_unit_tests.py b/tests/test_unit_tests.py
index 5602e550..7d6744c4 100644
--- a/tests/test_unit_tests.py
+++ b/tests/test_unit_tests.py
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ def load_test_settings_json():
 class TestC2paSdk(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_sdk_version(self):
         # This test verifies the native libraries used match the expected version.
-        self.assertIn("0.77.0", sdk_version())
+        self.assertIn("0.77.1", sdk_version())
 
 
 class TestReader(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -6122,6 +6122,42 @@ def test_archive_sign_with_ingredient_trusted_via_context(self):
         context.close()
         settings.close()
 
+    def test_remote_sign_trusted_via_context(self):
+        trust_dict = load_test_settings_json()
+        settings = Settings.from_dict(trust_dict)
+        context = Context(settings=settings)
+        signer = self._ctx_make_signer()
+        builder = Builder(
+            self.test_manifest, context=context,
+        )
+        builder.set_no_embed()
+        with open(DEFAULT_TEST_FILE, "rb") as source:
+            with io.BytesIO() as output_buffer:
+                manifest_data = builder.sign(
+                    signer, "image/jpeg",
+                    source, output_buffer,
+                )
+                output_buffer.seek(0)
+                read_buffer = io.BytesIO(
+                    output_buffer.getvalue()
+                )
+                reader = Reader(
+                    "image/jpeg", read_buffer,
+                    manifest_data, context=context,
+                )
+                validation_state = (
+                    reader.get_validation_state()
+                )
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    validation_state, "Trusted",
+                )
+                reader.close()
+                read_buffer.close()
+        builder.close()
+        signer.close()
+        context.close()
+        settings.close()
+
     def test_sign_callback_signer_in_ctx(self):
         signer = self._ctx_make_callback_signer()
         context = Context(signer=signer)