diff --git a/Auth/src/androidMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/setupPlatform.kt b/Auth/src/androidMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/setupPlatform.kt
index 6446b4c48..52298833d 100644
--- a/Auth/src/androidMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/setupPlatform.kt
+++ b/Auth/src/androidMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/setupPlatform.kt
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ import androidx.lifecycle.LifecycleOwner
 import androidx.lifecycle.ProcessLifecycleOwner
 import androidx.startup.Initializer
 import io.github.jan.supabase.annotations.SupabaseInternal
-import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.status.SessionStatus
 import io.github.jan.supabase.logging.d
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ private fun addLifecycleCallbacks(auth: Auth) {
                         auth.logger.d { "Cancelling auto refresh because app is switching to the background" }
                         scope.launch {
                             auth.stopAutoRefreshForCurrentSession()
-                            auth.setSessionStatus(SessionStatus.Initializing)
+                            auth.resetSessionStatusForBackground()
                         }
                     }
                 }
diff --git a/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/AuthConfig.kt b/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/AuthConfig.kt
index ec78ec500..0957db327 100644
--- a/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/AuthConfig.kt
+++ b/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/AuthConfig.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import io.github.jan.supabase.annotations.SupabaseExperimental
 import io.github.jan.supabase.annotations.SupabaseInternal
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.jwt.JwkCache
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.jwt.SharedJwkCache
+import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.status.SessionStatus
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.user.UserSession
 import io.github.jan.supabase.plugins.CustomSerializationConfig
 import io.github.jan.supabase.plugins.MainConfig
@@ -106,6 +107,19 @@ open class AuthConfigDefaults : MainConfig(), AuthDependentPluginConfig, CustomS
      */
     var enableLifecycleCallbacks: Boolean = true
 
+    /**
+     * Whether to reset [Auth.sessionStatus] to [SessionStatus.Initializing] when the app moves to
+     * the background.
+     *
+     * When `true` (default), the status is reset on background and re-established on resume, which
+     * means consumers observe a transient [SessionStatus.Initializing] after every resume. When
+     * `false`, the last known status (e.g. [SessionStatus.Authenticated]) is kept while auto-refresh
+     * is paused, avoiding that transient state.
+     *
+     * Only has an effect when [enableLifecycleCallbacks] is `true`. Currently only supported on Android.
+     */
+    var resetStatusOnBackground: Boolean = true
+
     /**
      * The URL launcher used to open OAuth links in the system browser.
      */
diff --git a/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/Utils.kt b/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/Utils.kt
index 775d3bb24..5c654a2e9 100644
--- a/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/Utils.kt
+++ b/Auth/src/commonMain/kotlin/io/github/jan/supabase/auth/Utils.kt
@@ -23,6 +23,12 @@ internal fun Auth.initDone() {
     }
 }
 
+internal fun Auth.resetSessionStatusForBackground() {
+    if(config.resetStatusOnBackground) {
+        setSessionStatus(SessionStatus.Initializing)
+    }
+}
+
 internal suspend fun Auth.tryToGetUser(accessToken: String) = try {
     retrieveUser(accessToken)
 } catch (e: Exception) {
diff --git a/Auth/src/commonTest/kotlin/AuthTest.kt b/Auth/src/commonTest/kotlin/AuthTest.kt
index 8cd98c8ee..0533b00a4 100644
--- a/Auth/src/commonTest/kotlin/AuthTest.kt
+++ b/Auth/src/commonTest/kotlin/AuthTest.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.auth
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.event.AuthEvent
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.minimalConfig
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.providers.Github
+import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.resetSessionStatusForBackground
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.status.RefreshFailureCause
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.status.SessionSource
 import io.github.jan.supabase.auth.status.SessionStatus
@@ -104,6 +105,35 @@ class AuthTest {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun testBackgroundKeepsAuthenticatedStatusWhenResetDisabled() = runTest {
+        client = createMockedSupabaseClient(configuration = {
+            install(Auth) {
+                minimalConfig()
+                resetStatusOnBackground = false
+            }
+        })
+        client.auth.awaitInitialization()
+        client.auth.importSession(userSession())
+        assertIs<SessionStatus.Authenticated>(client.auth.sessionStatus.value)
+        client.auth.resetSessionStatusForBackground()
+        assertIs<SessionStatus.Authenticated>(client.auth.sessionStatus.value)
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun testBackgroundResetsStatusToInitializingByDefault() = runTest {
+        client = createMockedSupabaseClient(configuration = {
+            install(Auth) {
+                minimalConfig()
+            }
+        })
+        client.auth.awaitInitialization()
+        client.auth.importSession(userSession())
+        assertIs<SessionStatus.Authenticated>(client.auth.sessionStatus.value)
+        client.auth.resetSessionStatusForBackground()
+        assertIs<SessionStatus.Initializing>(client.auth.sessionStatus.value)
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun testImportExpiredSession() {
         runTest {