diff --git a/lib/client/client-handshake.c b/lib/client/client-handshake.c
index 5062b4dd..a6b98fd6 100644
--- a/lib/client/client-handshake.c
+++ b/lib/client/client-handshake.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ lws_client_connect_2(struct lws *wsi)
 	 * to whatever we decided to connect to
 	 */
 
-       lwsl_notice("%s: %p: address %s\n", __func__, wsi, ads);
+       lwsl_info("%s: %p: address %s\n", __func__, wsi, ads);
 
        n = lws_getaddrinfo46(wsi, ads, &result);
 
@@ -717,12 +717,20 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 	struct lws *wsi;
 	int v = SPEC_LATEST_SUPPORTED;
 	const struct lws_protocols *p;
+	const char *local = i->protocol;
 
 	if (i->context->requested_kill)
 		return NULL;
 
 	if (!i->context->protocol_init_done)
 		lws_protocol_init(i->context);
+	/*
+	 * If we have .local_protocol_name, use it to select the
+	 * local protocol handler to bind to.  Otherwise use .protocol if
+	 * http[s].
+	 */
+	if (i->local_protocol_name)
+		local = i->local_protocol_name;
 
 	wsi = lws_zalloc(sizeof(struct lws), "client wsi");
 	if (wsi == NULL)
@@ -765,10 +773,19 @@ lws_client_connect_via_info(struct lws_client_connect_info *i)
 
 	wsi->protocol = &wsi->vhost->protocols[0];
 
-	/* for http[s] connection, allow protocol selection by name */
-
-	if (i->method && i->vhost && i->protocol) {
-		p = lws_vhost_name_to_protocol(i->vhost, i->protocol);
+	/*
+	 * 1) for http[s] connection, allow protocol selection by name
+	 * 2) for ws[s], if local_protocol_name given also use it for
+	 *    local protocol binding... this defeats the server
+	 *    protocol negotiation if so
+	 *
+	 * Otherwise leave at protocols[0]... the server will tell us
+	 * which protocol we are associated with since we can give it a
+	 * list.
+	 */
+	if ((i->method || i->local_protocol_name) && wsi->vhost && local) {
+		lwsl_info("binding to %s\n", local);
+		p = lws_vhost_name_to_protocol(wsi->vhost, local);
 		if (p)
 			wsi->protocol = p;
 	}
diff --git a/lib/client/client.c b/lib/client/client.c
index 13fe80bd..29e89e2b 100644
--- a/lib/client/client.c
+++ b/lib/client/client.c
@@ -816,7 +816,7 @@ lws_client_interpret_server_handshake(struct lws *wsi)
 
 	len = lws_hdr_total_length(wsi, WSI_TOKEN_PROTOCOL);
 	if (!len) {
-		lwsl_info("lws_client_int_s_hs: WSI_TOKEN_PROTOCOL is null\n");
+		lwsl_info("%s: WSI_TOKEN_PROTOCOL is null\n", __func__);
 		/*
 		 * no protocol name to work from,
 		 * default to first protocol
@@ -842,7 +842,7 @@ lws_client_interpret_server_handshake(struct lws *wsi)
 	}
 
 	if (!okay) {
-		lwsl_err("lws_client_int_s_hs: got bad protocol %s\n", p);
+		lwsl_info("%s: got bad protocol %s\n", __func__, p);
 		cce = "HS: PROTOCOL malformed";
 		goto bail2;
 	}
@@ -851,21 +851,47 @@ lws_client_interpret_server_handshake(struct lws *wsi)
 	 * identify the selected protocol struct and set it
 	 */
 	n = 0;
-	wsi->protocol = NULL;
-	while (wsi->vhost->protocols[n].callback && !wsi->protocol) {
-		if (strcmp(p, wsi->vhost->protocols[n].name) == 0) {
+	/* keep client connection pre-bound protocol */
+	if (!(wsi->mode & LWSCM_FLAG_IMPLIES_CALLBACK_CLOSED_CLIENT_HTTP))
+		wsi->protocol = NULL;
+
+	while (wsi->vhost->protocols[n].callback) {
+		if (!wsi->protocol &&
+		    strcmp(p, wsi->vhost->protocols[n].name) == 0) {
 			wsi->protocol = &wsi->vhost->protocols[n];
 			break;
 		}
 		n++;
 	}
 
-	if (wsi->protocol == NULL) {
-		lwsl_err("lws_client_int_s_hs: fail protocol %s\n", p);
-		cce = "HS: Cannot match protocol";
-		goto bail2;
+	if (!wsi->vhost->protocols[n].callback) { /* no match */
+		/* if server, that's already fatal */
+		if (!(wsi->mode & LWSCM_FLAG_IMPLIES_CALLBACK_CLOSED_CLIENT_HTTP)) {
+			lwsl_info("%s: fail protocol %s\n", __func__, p);
+			cce = "HS: Cannot match protocol";
+			goto bail2;
+		}
+
+		/* for client, find the index of our pre-bound protocol */
+
+		n = 0;
+		while (wsi->vhost->protocols[n].callback) {
+			if (strcmp(wsi->protocol->name,
+				   wsi->vhost->protocols[n].name) == 0) {
+				wsi->protocol = &wsi->vhost->protocols[n];
+				break;
+			}
+			n++;
+		}
+
+		if (!wsi->vhost->protocols[n].callback) {
+			lwsl_err("Failed to match protocol %s\n", wsi->protocol->name);
+			goto bail2;
+		}
 	}
 
+	lwsl_debug("Selected protocol %s\n", wsi->protocol->name);
+
 check_extensions:
 	/*
 	 * stitch protocol choice into the vh protocol linked list
diff --git a/lib/libwebsockets.h b/lib/libwebsockets.h
index 264dd994..3d4a4e2d 100644
--- a/lib/libwebsockets.h
+++ b/lib/libwebsockets.h
@@ -3321,6 +3321,13 @@ struct lws_client_connect_info {
 	const char *iface;
 	/**< NULL to allow routing on any interface, or interface name or IP
 	 * to bind the socket to */
+	const char *local_protocol_name;
+	/**< NULL: .protocol is used both to select the local protocol handler
+	 *         to bind to and as the list of remote ws protocols we could
+	 *         accept.
+	 *   non-NULL: this protocol name is used to bind the connection to
+	 *             the local protocol handler.  .protocol is used for the
+	 *             list of remote ws protocols we could accept */
 
 	/* Add new things just above here ---^
 	 * This is part of the ABI, don't needlessly break compatibility