diff --git a/docs/src/api/params.md b/docs/src/api/params.md
index 4434bd2db9aa2..84e7a7449e61b 100644
--- a/docs/src/api/params.md
+++ b/docs/src/api/params.md
@@ -571,6 +571,7 @@ Whether to emulate network being offline. Defaults to `false`. Learn more about
   - `username` <[string]>
   - `password` <[string]>
   - `origin` ?<[string]> Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
+  - `sendImmediately` ?<[boolean]> Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent from the browser.
 
 Credentials for [HTTP authentication](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTTP/Authentication).
 If no origin is specified, the username and password are sent to any servers upon unauthorized responses.
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/validator.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/validator.ts
index f29428e2a8674..5e316402247a5 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/validator.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/protocol/validator.ts
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@ scheme.PlaywrightNewRequestParams = tObject({
     username: tString,
     password: tString,
     origin: tOptional(tString),
+    sendImmediately: tOptional(tBoolean),
   })),
   proxy: tOptional(tObject({
     server: tString,
@@ -545,6 +546,7 @@ scheme.BrowserTypeLaunchPersistentContextParams = tObject({
     username: tString,
     password: tString,
     origin: tOptional(tString),
+    sendImmediately: tOptional(tBoolean),
   })),
   deviceScaleFactor: tOptional(tNumber),
   isMobile: tOptional(tBoolean),
@@ -623,6 +625,7 @@ scheme.BrowserNewContextParams = tObject({
     username: tString,
     password: tString,
     origin: tOptional(tString),
+    sendImmediately: tOptional(tBoolean),
   })),
   deviceScaleFactor: tOptional(tNumber),
   isMobile: tOptional(tBoolean),
@@ -684,6 +687,7 @@ scheme.BrowserNewContextForReuseParams = tObject({
     username: tString,
     password: tString,
     origin: tOptional(tString),
+    sendImmediately: tOptional(tBoolean),
   })),
   deviceScaleFactor: tOptional(tNumber),
   isMobile: tOptional(tBoolean),
@@ -2474,6 +2478,7 @@ scheme.AndroidDeviceLaunchBrowserParams = tObject({
     username: tString,
     password: tString,
     origin: tOptional(tString),
+    sendImmediately: tOptional(tBoolean),
   })),
   deviceScaleFactor: tOptional(tNumber),
   isMobile: tOptional(tBoolean),
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/fetch.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/fetch.ts
index 425d514650371..fa38723645539 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/fetch.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/fetch.ts
@@ -158,6 +158,10 @@ export abstract class APIRequestContext extends SdkObject {
         requestUrl.searchParams.set(name, value);
     }
 
+    const credentials = this._getHttpCredentials(requestUrl);
+    if (credentials?.sendImmediately)
+      setBasicAuthorizationHeader(headers, credentials);
+
     const method = params.method?.toUpperCase() || 'GET';
     const proxy = defaults.proxy;
     let agent;
@@ -355,9 +359,7 @@ export abstract class APIRequestContext extends SdkObject {
           const auth = response.headers['www-authenticate'];
           const credentials = this._getHttpCredentials(url);
           if (auth?.trim().startsWith('Basic') && credentials) {
-            const { username, password } = credentials;
-            const encoded = Buffer.from(`${username || ''}:${password || ''}`).toString('base64');
-            setHeader(options.headers, 'authorization', `Basic ${encoded}`);
+            setBasicAuthorizationHeader(options.headers, credentials);
             notifyRequestFinished();
             fulfill(this._sendRequest(progress, url, options, postData));
             request.destroy();
@@ -729,4 +731,10 @@ function shouldBypassProxy(url: URL, bypass?: string): boolean {
   });
   const domain = '.' + url.hostname;
   return domains.some(d => domain.endsWith(d));
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+function setBasicAuthorizationHeader(headers: { [name: string]: string }, credentials: HTTPCredentials) {
+  const { username, password } = credentials;
+  const encoded = Buffer.from(`${username || ''}:${password || ''}`).toString('base64');
+  setHeader(headers, 'authorization', `Basic ${encoded}`);
+}
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/firefox/ffBrowser.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/firefox/ffBrowser.ts
index 0519ff83079d2..ae26d0994a2db 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/firefox/ffBrowser.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/firefox/ffBrowser.ts
@@ -344,7 +344,12 @@ export class FFBrowserContext extends BrowserContext {
 
   async doSetHTTPCredentials(httpCredentials?: types.Credentials): Promise<void> {
     this._options.httpCredentials = httpCredentials;
-    await this._browser.session.send('Browser.setHTTPCredentials', { browserContextId: this._browserContextId, credentials: httpCredentials || null });
+    let credentials = null;
+    if (httpCredentials) {
+      const { username, password, origin } = httpCredentials;
+      credentials = { username, password, origin };
+    }
+    await this._browser.session.send('Browser.setHTTPCredentials', { browserContextId: this._browserContextId, credentials });
   }
 
   async doAddInitScript(source: string) {
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/types.ts b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/types.ts
index bcdc20751e56f..f1046d8825116 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/src/server/types.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/src/server/types.ts
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export type Credentials = {
   username: string;
   password: string;
   origin?: string;
+  sendImmediately?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type Geolocation = {
diff --git a/packages/playwright-core/types/types.d.ts b/packages/playwright-core/types/types.d.ts
index 9a09ede72e710..fbba3e7f9a601 100644
--- a/packages/playwright-core/types/types.d.ts
+++ b/packages/playwright-core/types/types.d.ts
@@ -13376,6 +13376,13 @@ export interface BrowserType<Unused = {}> {
        * Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
        */
       origin?: string;
+
+      /**
+       * Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when
+       * 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent
+       * from the browser.
+       */
+      sendImmediately?: boolean;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -14892,6 +14899,13 @@ export interface AndroidDevice {
        * Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
        */
       origin?: string;
+
+      /**
+       * Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when
+       * 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent
+       * from the browser.
+       */
+      sendImmediately?: boolean;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -15616,6 +15630,13 @@ export interface APIRequest {
        * Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
        */
       origin?: string;
+
+      /**
+       * Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when
+       * 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent
+       * from the browser.
+       */
+      sendImmediately?: boolean;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -16760,6 +16781,13 @@ export interface Browser extends EventEmitter {
        * Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
        */
       origin?: string;
+
+      /**
+       * Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when
+       * 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent
+       * from the browser.
+       */
+      sendImmediately?: boolean;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -17647,6 +17675,13 @@ export interface Electron {
        * Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
        */
       origin?: string;
+
+      /**
+       * Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when
+       * 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent
+       * from the browser.
+       */
+      sendImmediately?: boolean;
     };
 
     /**
@@ -20307,6 +20342,13 @@ export interface HTTPCredentials {
    * Restrain sending http credentials on specific origin (scheme://host:port).
    */
   origin?: string;
+
+  /**
+   * Whether to send `Authorization` header with the first API request. By deafult, the credentials are sent only when
+   * 401 (Unauthorized) response with `WWW-Authenticate` header is received. This option does not affect requests sent
+   * from the browser.
+   */
+  sendImmediately?: boolean;
 }
 
 export interface Geolocation {
diff --git a/packages/protocol/src/channels.ts b/packages/protocol/src/channels.ts
index edc8e2cb7eb35..7e683b9161e93 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/src/channels.ts
+++ b/packages/protocol/src/channels.ts
@@ -574,6 +574,7 @@ export type PlaywrightNewRequestParams = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   proxy?: {
     server: string,
@@ -597,6 +598,7 @@ export type PlaywrightNewRequestOptions = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   proxy?: {
     server: string,
@@ -953,6 +955,7 @@ export type BrowserTypeLaunchPersistentContextParams = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -1025,6 +1028,7 @@ export type BrowserTypeLaunchPersistentContextOptions = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -1132,6 +1136,7 @@ export type BrowserNewContextParams = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -1190,6 +1195,7 @@ export type BrowserNewContextOptions = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -1251,6 +1257,7 @@ export type BrowserNewContextForReuseParams = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -1309,6 +1316,7 @@ export type BrowserNewContextForReuseOptions = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -4471,6 +4479,7 @@ export type AndroidDeviceLaunchBrowserParams = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
@@ -4527,6 +4536,7 @@ export type AndroidDeviceLaunchBrowserOptions = {
     username: string,
     password: string,
     origin?: string,
+    sendImmediately?: boolean,
   },
   deviceScaleFactor?: number,
   isMobile?: boolean,
diff --git a/packages/protocol/src/protocol.yml b/packages/protocol/src/protocol.yml
index 3f1d75f0d04fa..8ffe531754819 100644
--- a/packages/protocol/src/protocol.yml
+++ b/packages/protocol/src/protocol.yml
@@ -454,6 +454,7 @@ ContextOptions:
         username: string
         password: string
         origin: string?
+        sendImmediately: boolean?
     deviceScaleFactor: number?
     isMobile: boolean?
     hasTouch: boolean?
@@ -671,6 +672,7 @@ Playwright:
             username: string
             password: string
             origin: string?
+            sendImmediately: boolean?
         proxy:
           type: object?
           properties:
diff --git a/tests/library/browsercontext-fetch.spec.ts b/tests/library/browsercontext-fetch.spec.ts
index 28716da835179..223a57b5d04a9 100644
--- a/tests/library/browsercontext-fetch.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/library/browsercontext-fetch.spec.ts
@@ -421,6 +421,30 @@ it('should return error with wrong credentials', async ({ context, server }) =>
   expect(response2.status()).toBe(401);
 });
 
+it('should support HTTPCredentials.sendImmediately', async ({ contextFactory, server }) => {
+  it.info().annotations.push({ type: 'issue', description: 'https://github.com/microsoft/playwright/issues/30534' });
+  const context = await contextFactory({
+    httpCredentials: { username: 'user', password: 'pass', origin: server.PREFIX.toUpperCase(), sendImmediately: true }
+  });
+  {
+    const [serverRequest, response] = await Promise.all([
+      server.waitForRequest('/empty.html'),
+      context.request.get(server.EMPTY_PAGE)
+    ]);
+    expect(serverRequest.headers.authorization).toBe('Basic ' + Buffer.from('user:pass').toString('base64'));
+    expect(response.status()).toBe(200);
+  }
+  {
+    const [serverRequest, response] = await Promise.all([
+      server.waitForRequest('/empty.html'),
+      context.request.get(server.CROSS_PROCESS_PREFIX + '/empty.html')
+    ]);
+    // Not sent to another origin.
+    expect(serverRequest.headers.authorization).toBe(undefined);
+    expect(response.status()).toBe(200);
+  }
+});
+
 it('delete should support post data', async ({ context, server }) => {
   const [request, response] = await Promise.all([
     server.waitForRequest('/simple.json'),
diff --git a/tests/library/global-fetch.spec.ts b/tests/library/global-fetch.spec.ts
index ce389644830e7..58dec04519b93 100644
--- a/tests/library/global-fetch.spec.ts
+++ b/tests/library/global-fetch.spec.ts
@@ -154,6 +154,30 @@ it('should support WWW-Authenticate: Basic', async ({ playwright, server }) => {
   expect(credentials).toBe('user:pass');
 });
 
+it('should support HTTPCredentials.sendImmediately', async ({ playwright, server }) => {
+  it.info().annotations.push({ type: 'issue', description: 'https://github.com/microsoft/playwright/issues/30534' });
+  const request = await playwright.request.newContext({
+    httpCredentials: { username: 'user', password: 'pass', origin: server.PREFIX.toUpperCase(), sendImmediately: true }
+  });
+  {
+    const [serverRequest, response] = await Promise.all([
+      server.waitForRequest('/empty.html'),
+      request.get(server.EMPTY_PAGE)
+    ]);
+    expect(serverRequest.headers.authorization).toBe('Basic ' + Buffer.from('user:pass').toString('base64'));
+    expect(response.status()).toBe(200);
+  }
+  {
+    const [serverRequest, response] = await Promise.all([
+      server.waitForRequest('/empty.html'),
+      request.get(server.CROSS_PROCESS_PREFIX + '/empty.html')
+    ]);
+    // Not sent to another origin.
+    expect(serverRequest.headers.authorization).toBe(undefined);
+    expect(response.status()).toBe(200);
+  }
+});
+
 it('should support global ignoreHTTPSErrors option', async ({ playwright, httpsServer }) => {
   const request = await playwright.request.newContext({ ignoreHTTPSErrors: true });
   const response = await request.get(httpsServer.EMPTY_PAGE);