diff --git a/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/realtime_channel.dart b/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/realtime_channel.dart
index 02c7aa864..8710a77fb 100644
--- a/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/realtime_channel.dart
+++ b/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/realtime_channel.dart
@@ -104,6 +104,27 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
     }
   }
 
+  bool _shouldEnablePresence() {
+    return (_bindings['presence']?.isNotEmpty == true) ||
+        (params['config']['presence']['enabled'] == true);
+  }
+
+  void _handlePresenceUpdate() {
+    if (joinedOnce && isJoined) {
+      final currentPresenceEnabled = params['config']['presence']['enabled'];
+      final shouldEnablePresence = _shouldEnablePresence();
+
+      if (!currentPresenceEnabled && shouldEnablePresence) {
+        final config = Map<String, dynamic>.from(params['config']);
+        config['presence'] = Map<String, dynamic>.from(config['presence']);
+        config['presence']['enabled'] = true;
+        params['config'] = config;
+        updateJoinPayload({'config': config});
+        rejoin();
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   /// Subscribes to receive real-time changes
   ///
   /// Pass a [callback] to react to different status changes.
@@ -130,10 +151,12 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
         if (callback != null) callback(RealtimeSubscribeStatus.closed, null);
       });
 
+      final presenceEnabled = _shouldEnablePresence();
+
       final accessTokenPayload = <String, String>{};
       final config = <String, dynamic>{
         'broadcast': broadcast,
-        'presence': presence,
+        'presence': {...presence, 'enabled': presenceEnabled},
         'postgres_changes':
             _bindings['postgres_changes']?.map((r) => r.filter).toList() ?? [],
         'private': isPrivate == true,
@@ -348,7 +371,7 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
   RealtimeChannel onPresenceSync(
     void Function(RealtimePresenceSyncPayload payload) callback,
   ) {
-    return onEvents(
+    final result = onEvents(
       'presence',
       ChannelFilter(
         event: PresenceEvent.sync.name,
@@ -358,6 +381,8 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
             Map<String, dynamic>.from(payload)));
       },
     );
+    _handlePresenceUpdate();
+    return result;
   }
 
   /// Sets up a listener for realtime presence join event.
@@ -374,7 +399,7 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
   RealtimeChannel onPresenceJoin(
     void Function(RealtimePresenceJoinPayload payload) callback,
   ) {
-    return onEvents(
+    final result = onEvents(
       'presence',
       ChannelFilter(
         event: PresenceEvent.join.name,
@@ -384,6 +409,8 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
             Map<String, dynamic>.from(payload)));
       },
     );
+    _handlePresenceUpdate();
+    return result;
   }
 
   /// Sets up a listener for realtime presence leave event.
@@ -400,7 +427,7 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
   RealtimeChannel onPresenceLeave(
     void Function(RealtimePresenceLeavePayload payload) callback,
   ) {
-    return onEvents(
+    final result = onEvents(
       'presence',
       ChannelFilter(
         event: PresenceEvent.leave.name,
@@ -410,6 +437,8 @@ class RealtimeChannel {
             Map<String, dynamic>.from(payload)));
       },
     );
+    _handlePresenceUpdate();
+    return result;
   }
 
   /// Sets up a listener for realtime system events for debugging purposes.
diff --git a/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/types.dart b/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/types.dart
index 32a0cea25..e3597df37 100644
--- a/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/types.dart
+++ b/packages/realtime_client/lib/src/types.dart
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ class RealtimeChannelConfig {
   /// [key] option is used to track presence payload across clients
   final String key;
 
+  /// Enables presence even without presence bindings
+  final bool enabled;
+
   /// Defines if the channel is private or not and if RLS policies will be used to check data
   final bool private;
 
@@ -155,6 +158,7 @@ class RealtimeChannelConfig {
     this.ack = false,
     this.self = false,
     this.key = '',
+    this.enabled = false,
     this.private = false,
   });
 
@@ -167,6 +171,7 @@ class RealtimeChannelConfig {
         },
         'presence': {
           'key': key,
+          'enabled': enabled,
         },
         'private': private,
       }
diff --git a/packages/realtime_client/test/channel_test.dart b/packages/realtime_client/test/channel_test.dart
index 3cb034419..8d8733d86 100644
--- a/packages/realtime_client/test/channel_test.dart
+++ b/packages/realtime_client/test/channel_test.dart
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(channel.params, {
         'config': {
           'broadcast': {'ack': false, 'self': false},
-          'presence': {'key': ''},
+          'presence': {'key': '', 'enabled': false},
           'private': false,
         }
       });
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(joinPush.payload, {
         'config': {
           'broadcast': {'ack': false, 'self': false},
-          'presence': {'key': ''},
+          'presence': {'key': '', 'enabled': false},
           'private': true,
         },
       });
@@ -386,4 +386,234 @@ void main() {
       expect(leaveCalled, isTrue);
     });
   });
+
+  group('presence enabled', () {
+    setUp(() {
+      socket = RealtimeClient('', timeout: const Duration(milliseconds: 1234));
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should enable presence when config.presence.enabled is true even without bindings',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(enabled: true),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+
+      final joinPayload = channel.joinPush.payload;
+      expect(joinPayload['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test('should enable presence when presence listeners exist', () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {});
+      channel.subscribe();
+
+      final joinPayload = channel.joinPush.payload;
+      expect(joinPayload['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should enable presence when both bindings exist and config.presence.enabled is true',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(enabled: true),
+      );
+
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {});
+      channel.subscribe();
+
+      final joinPayload = channel.joinPush.payload;
+      expect(joinPayload['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should not enable presence when neither bindings exist nor config.presence.enabled is true',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+
+      final joinPayload = channel.joinPush.payload;
+      expect(joinPayload['config']['presence']['enabled'], isFalse);
+    });
+
+    test('should enable presence when join listener exists', () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.onPresenceJoin((payload) {});
+      channel.subscribe();
+
+      final joinPayload = channel.joinPush.payload;
+      expect(joinPayload['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test('should enable presence when leave listener exists', () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.onPresenceLeave((payload) {});
+      channel.subscribe();
+
+      final joinPayload = channel.joinPush.payload;
+      expect(joinPayload['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+  });
+
+  group('presence resubscription', () {
+    setUp(() {
+      socket = RealtimeClient('', timeout: const Duration(milliseconds: 1234));
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should resubscribe when presence callback added to subscribed channel without initial presence',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+      channel.joinPush.trigger('ok', {});
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isFalse);
+
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {});
+
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should not resubscribe when presence callback added to channel with existing presence',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(enabled: true),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+      channel.joinPush.trigger('ok', {});
+      final initialPayload = Map.from(channel.params);
+
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {});
+
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+      expect(channel.params, equals(initialPayload));
+    });
+
+    test('should only resubscribe once when multiple presence callbacks added',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+      channel.joinPush.trigger('ok', {});
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isFalse);
+
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {});
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+
+      final payloadAfterFirst = Map.from(channel.params);
+
+      channel.onPresenceJoin((payload) {});
+      channel.onPresenceLeave((payload) {});
+
+      expect(channel.params, equals(payloadAfterFirst));
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should not resubscribe when presence callback added to unsubscribed channel',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      expect(channel.joinedOnce, isFalse);
+
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {});
+
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isFalse);
+    });
+
+    test(
+        'should receive presence events after resubscription triggered by adding callback',
+        () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+      channel.joinPush.trigger('ok', {});
+
+      bool syncCalled = false;
+      channel.onPresenceSync((payload) {
+        syncCalled = true;
+      });
+
+      channel.trigger('presence', {'event': 'sync'}, '1');
+
+      expect(syncCalled, isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test('should handle presence join callback resubscription', () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+      channel.joinPush.trigger('ok', {});
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isFalse);
+
+      channel.onPresenceJoin((payload) {});
+
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+
+    test('should handle presence leave callback resubscription', () {
+      channel = RealtimeChannel(
+        'topic',
+        socket,
+        params: const RealtimeChannelConfig(),
+      );
+
+      channel.subscribe();
+      channel.joinPush.trigger('ok', {});
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isFalse);
+
+      channel.onPresenceLeave((payload) {});
+
+      expect(channel.params['config']['presence']['enabled'], isTrue);
+    });
+  });
 }
diff --git a/packages/realtime_client/test/socket_test.dart b/packages/realtime_client/test/socket_test.dart
index ac36c1e31..7754422f3 100644
--- a/packages/realtime_client/test/socket_test.dart
+++ b/packages/realtime_client/test/socket_test.dart
@@ -354,7 +354,7 @@ void main() {
       expect(channel.params, {
         'config': {
           'broadcast': {'ack': false, 'self': false},
-          'presence': {'key': ''},
+          'presence': {'key': '', 'enabled': false},
           'private': false,
         }
       });