diff --git a/Source/ARTRealtimeChannel.m b/Source/ARTRealtimeChannel.m
index 189b14eb9..31147a7bd 100644
--- a/Source/ARTRealtimeChannel.m
+++ b/Source/ARTRealtimeChannel.m
@@ -435,12 +435,16 @@ - (ARTEventListener *)_subscribe:(nullable NSString *)name onAttach:(nullable AR
 
     __block ARTEventListener *listener = nil;
 dispatch_sync(_queue, ^{
+    ARTRealtimeChannelOptions *options = self.getOptions_nosync;
+    BOOL attachOnSubscribe = options != nil ? options.attachOnSubscribe : true;
     if (self.state_nosync == ARTRealtimeChannelFailed) {
-        if (onAttach) onAttach([ARTErrorInfo createWithCode:ARTErrorChannelOperationFailedInvalidState message:@"attempted to subscribe while channel is in FAILED state."]);
+        if (onAttach && attachOnSubscribe) { // RTL7h
+            onAttach([ARTErrorInfo createWithCode:ARTErrorChannelOperationFailedInvalidState message:@"attempted to subscribe while channel is in FAILED state."]);
+        }
         ARTLogWarn(self.logger, @"R:%p C:%p (%@) subscribe of '%@' has been ignored (attempted to subscribe while channel is in FAILED state)", self->_realtime, self, self.name, name == nil ? @"all" : name);
         return;
     }
-    if (self.shouldAttach) { // RTL7c
+    if (self.shouldAttach && attachOnSubscribe) { // RTL7g
         [self _attach:onAttach];
     }
     listener = name == nil ? [self.messagesEventEmitter on:cb] : [self.messagesEventEmitter on:name callback:cb];
diff --git a/Source/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.m b/Source/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.m
index a65606e96..ad08ed8fa 100644
--- a/Source/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.m
+++ b/Source/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.m
@@ -4,6 +4,21 @@
 @implementation ARTRealtimeChannelOptions {
     NSStringDictionary *_params;
     ARTChannelMode _modes;
+    BOOL _attachOnSubscribe;
+}
+
+- (instancetype)init {
+    if (self = [super init]) {
+        _attachOnSubscribe = true;
+    }
+    return self;
+}
+
+- (instancetype)initWithCipher:(id<ARTCipherParamsCompatible>)cipherParams {
+    if (self = [super initWithCipher:cipherParams]) {
+        _attachOnSubscribe = true;
+    }
+    return self;
 }
 
 - (NSStringDictionary *)params {
@@ -32,4 +47,17 @@ - (void)setModes:(ARTChannelMode)modes {
     _modes = modes;
 }
 
+- (BOOL)attachOnSubscribe {
+    return _attachOnSubscribe;
+}
+
+- (void)setAttachOnSubscribe:(BOOL)value {
+    if (self.isFrozen) {
+        @throw [NSException exceptionWithName:NSObjectInaccessibleException
+                                       reason:[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@: You can't change options after you've passed it to receiver.", self.class]
+                                     userInfo:nil];
+    }
+    _attachOnSubscribe = value;
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/Source/ARTRealtimePresence.m b/Source/ARTRealtimePresence.m
index 8d27e63dc..aa5770e8c 100644
--- a/Source/ARTRealtimePresence.m
+++ b/Source/ARTRealtimePresence.m
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #import "ARTProtocolMessage+Private.h"
 #import "ARTEventEmitter+Private.h"
 #import "ARTClientOptions.h"
+#import "ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.h"
 
 #pragma mark - ARTRealtimePresenceQuery
 
@@ -497,12 +498,16 @@ - (ARTEventListener *)_subscribe:(ARTPresenceAction)action onAttach:(nullable AR
 
     __block ARTEventListener *listener = nil;
 dispatch_sync(_queue, ^{
+    ARTRealtimeChannelOptions *options = self->_channel.getOptions_nosync;
+    BOOL attachOnSubscribe = options != nil ? options.attachOnSubscribe : true;
     if (self->_channel.state_nosync == ARTRealtimeChannelFailed) {
-        if (onAttach) onAttach([ARTErrorInfo createWithCode:ARTErrorChannelOperationFailedInvalidState message:@"attempted to subscribe while channel is in Failed state."]);
+        if (onAttach && attachOnSubscribe) { // RTL7h
+            onAttach([ARTErrorInfo createWithCode:ARTErrorChannelOperationFailedInvalidState message:@"attempted to subscribe while channel is in Failed state."]);
+        }
         ARTLogWarn(self.logger, @"R:%p C:%p (%@) presence subscribe to '%@' action(s) has been ignored (attempted to subscribe while channel is in FAILED state)", self->_realtime, self->_channel, self->_channel.name, ARTPresenceActionToStr(action));
         return;
     }
-    if (self->_channel.shouldAttach) { // RTP6c
+    if (self->_channel.shouldAttach && attachOnSubscribe) { // RTP6c
         [self->_channel _attach:onAttach];
     }
     listener = action == ARTPresenceActionAll ? [_eventEmitter on:cb] : [_eventEmitter on:[ARTEvent newWithPresenceAction:action] callback:cb];
diff --git a/Source/include/Ably/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.h b/Source/include/Ably/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.h
index 1bc622cd1..30d4ed90d 100644
--- a/Source/include/Ably/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.h
+++ b/Source/include/Ably/ARTRealtimeChannelOptions.h
@@ -42,6 +42,11 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
  */
 @property (nonatomic) ARTChannelMode modes;
 
+/**
+ * Determines whether calling `subscribe` on a channel or presence object should trigger an implicit attach. Defaults to `true`.
+ */
+@property (nonatomic) BOOL attachOnSubscribe;
+
 @end
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END
diff --git a/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientChannelTests.swift b/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientChannelTests.swift
index 548e98ba2..d700be963 100644
--- a/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientChannelTests.swift
+++ b/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientChannelTests.swift
@@ -3314,8 +3314,8 @@ class RealtimeClientChannelTests: XCTestCase {
         }
     }
 
-    // RTL7c
-    func test__109__Channel__subscribe__should_implicitly_attach_the_channel() throws {
+    // RTL7g
+    func test__109__Channel__subscribe__should_implicitly_attach_the_channel_if_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_true() throws {
         let test = Test()
         let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
         defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
@@ -3340,8 +3340,29 @@ class RealtimeClientChannelTests: XCTestCase {
         expect(channel.state).toEventually(equal(ARTRealtimeChannelState.attached), timeout: testTimeout)
     }
 
-    // RTL7c
-    func test__110__Channel__subscribe__should_result_in_an_error_if_channel_is_in_the_FAILED_state() throws {
+    // RTL7h
+    func test__109b__Channel__subscribe__should_not_implicitly_attach_the_channel_if_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_false() throws {
+        let test = Test()
+        let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
+        defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
+        
+        let channelOptions = ARTRealtimeChannelOptions()
+        channelOptions.attachOnSubscribe = false
+        let channel = client.channels.get(test.uniqueChannelName(), options: channelOptions)
+
+        // Initialized
+        XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.initialized)
+        channel.subscribe(attachCallback: { errorInfo in
+            fail("Attach callback should not be called.")
+        }) { _ in }
+        // Make sure that channel stays initialized
+        delay(1) {
+            XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.initialized)
+        }
+    }
+
+    // RTL7g
+    func test__110__Channel__subscribe__should_result_in_an_error_if_channel_is_in_the_FAILED_state_and_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_true() throws {
         let test = Test()
         let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
         defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
@@ -3362,6 +3383,28 @@ class RealtimeClientChannelTests: XCTestCase {
         }
     }
 
+    // RTL7g
+    func test__110b__Channel__subscribe__should_not_result_in_an_error_if_channel_is_in_the_FAILED_state_and_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_false() throws {
+        let test = Test()
+        let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
+        defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
+
+        let channelOptions = ARTRealtimeChannelOptions()
+        channelOptions.attachOnSubscribe = false
+        let channel = client.channels.get(test.uniqueChannelName(), options: channelOptions)
+        
+        channel.internal.onError(AblyTests.newErrorProtocolMessage())
+        XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.failed)
+        
+        channel.subscribe(attachCallback: { errorInfo in
+            fail("Attach callback should not be called.")
+        }) { _ in }
+        // Make sure that channel stays failed
+        delay(1) {
+            XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.failed)
+        }
+    }
+
     // RTL7d
 
     func test__112__Channel__subscribe__should_deliver_the_message_even_if_there_is_an_error_while_decoding__using_crypto_data_128() throws {
diff --git a/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientPresenceTests.swift b/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientPresenceTests.swift
index dc2a545af..27a30c4a6 100644
--- a/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientPresenceTests.swift
+++ b/Test/Tests/RealtimeClientPresenceTests.swift
@@ -886,8 +886,8 @@ class RealtimeClientPresenceTests: XCTestCase {
 
     // RTP6
 
-    // RTP6c
-    func test__026__Presence__subscribe__should_implicitly_attach_the_channel() throws {
+    // RTP6d
+    func test__026__Presence__subscribe__should_implicitly_attach_the_channel_if_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_true() throws {
         let test = Test()
         let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
         defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
@@ -912,8 +912,29 @@ class RealtimeClientPresenceTests: XCTestCase {
         expect(channel.state).toEventually(equal(ARTRealtimeChannelState.attached), timeout: testTimeout)
     }
 
-    // RTP6c
-    func test__027__Presence__subscribe__should_result_in_an_error_if_the_channel_is_in_the_FAILED_state() throws {
+    // RTP6d
+    func test__026b__Presence__subscribe__should_not_implicitly_attach_the_channel_if_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_false() throws {
+        let test = Test()
+        let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
+        defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
+        
+        let channelOptions = ARTRealtimeChannelOptions()
+        channelOptions.attachOnSubscribe = false
+        let channel = client.channels.get(test.uniqueChannelName(), options: channelOptions)
+
+        // Initialized
+        XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.initialized)
+        channel.presence.subscribe(attachCallback: { errorInfo in
+            fail("Attach callback should not be called.")
+        }) { _ in }
+        // Make sure that channel stays initialized
+        delay(1) {
+            XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.initialized)
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // RTP6d
+    func test__027__Presence__subscribe__should_result_in_an_error_if_the_channel_is_in_the_FAILED_state_and_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_true() throws {
         let test = Test()
         let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
         defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
@@ -931,6 +952,28 @@ class RealtimeClientPresenceTests: XCTestCase {
             })
         }
     }
+    
+    // RTP6e
+    func test__027b__Presence__subscribe__should_not_result_in_an_error_if_the_channel_is_in_the_FAILED_state_and_options_attachOnSubscribe_is_false() throws {
+        let test = Test()
+        let client = ARTRealtime(options: try AblyTests.commonAppSetup(for: test))
+        defer { client.dispose(); client.close() }
+
+        let channelOptions = ARTRealtimeChannelOptions()
+        channelOptions.attachOnSubscribe = false
+        let channel = client.channels.get(test.uniqueChannelName(), options: channelOptions)
+        
+        channel.internal.onError(AblyTests.newErrorProtocolMessage())
+        XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.failed)
+        
+        channel.presence.subscribe(attachCallback: { errorInfo in
+            fail("Attach callback should not be called.")
+        }) { _ in }
+        // Make sure that channel stays failed
+        delay(1) {
+            XCTAssertEqual(channel.state, ARTRealtimeChannelState.failed)
+        }
+    }
 
     // RTP6c
     func test__028__Presence__subscribe__should_result_in_an_error_if_the_channel_moves_to_the_FAILED_state() throws {