diff --git a/src/client.rs b/src/client.rs
index 9301939..c24785e 100644
--- a/src/client.rs
+++ b/src/client.rs
@@ -178,6 +178,39 @@ where
     client_with_config(request, stream, None)
 }
 
+/// Do the client handshake over the given stream given a web socket configuration. Passing `None`
+/// as configurationis equal to calling `client_allow_blocking()` function.
+///
+/// This works like `client_with_config()`, but does not return an error if the stream would block on
+/// the handshake.
+pub fn client_with_config_allow_blocking<Stream, Req>(
+    request: Req,
+    stream: Stream,
+    config: Option<WebSocketConfig>,
+) -> StdResult<(WebSocket<Stream>, Response), HandshakeError<ClientHandshake<Stream>>>
+where
+    Stream: Read + Write,
+    Req: IntoClientRequest,
+{
+    ClientHandshake::start(stream, request.into_client_request()?, config)?
+        .handshake_allow_blocking()
+}
+
+/// Do the client handshake over the given stream.
+///
+/// This works like `client()`, but does not return an error if the stream would block on
+/// the handshake.
+pub fn client_allow_blocking<Stream, Req>(
+    request: Req,
+    stream: Stream,
+) -> StdResult<(WebSocket<Stream>, Response), HandshakeError<ClientHandshake<Stream>>>
+where
+    Stream: Read + Write,
+    Req: IntoClientRequest,
+{
+    client_with_config_allow_blocking(request, stream, None)
+}
+
 /// Trait for converting various types into HTTP requests used for a client connection.
 ///
 /// This trait is implemented by default for string slices, strings, `url::Url`, `http::Uri` and
diff --git a/src/handshake/mod.rs b/src/handshake/mod.rs
index e063d4a..83f9177 100644
--- a/src/handshake/mod.rs
+++ b/src/handshake/mod.rs
@@ -35,13 +35,32 @@ impl<Role: HandshakeRole> MidHandshake<Role> {
         &mut self.machine
     }
 
-    /// Restarts the handshake process.
-    pub fn handshake(mut self) -> Result<Role::FinalResult, HandshakeError<Role>> {
+    /// Restarts the handshake process, but returns an error if the stream would block
+    pub fn handshake(self) -> Result<Role::FinalResult, HandshakeError<Role>> {
+        self.handshake_internal(false)
+    }
+
+    /// Restarts the handshake process, but allows the stream to block
+    pub fn handshake_allow_blocking(self) -> Result<Role::FinalResult, HandshakeError<Role>> {
+        self.handshake_internal(true)
+    }
+
+    fn handshake_internal(
+        mut self,
+        allow_blocking: bool,
+    ) -> Result<Role::FinalResult, HandshakeError<Role>> {
         let mut mach = self.machine;
         loop {
             mach = match mach.single_round()? {
                 RoundResult::WouldBlock(m) => {
-                    return Err(HandshakeError::Interrupted(MidHandshake { machine: m, ..self }))
+                    if allow_blocking {
+                        m
+                    } else {
+                        return Err(HandshakeError::Interrupted(MidHandshake {
+                            machine: m,
+                            ..self
+                        }));
+                    }
                 }
                 RoundResult::Incomplete(m) => m,
                 RoundResult::StageFinished(s) => match self.role.stage_finished(s)? {