diff --git a/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.test.tsx b/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.test.tsx
index 352b3a781..57dadcb58 100644
--- a/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.test.tsx
+++ b/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.test.tsx
@@ -128,6 +128,30 @@ describe('usePresence', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  /** @nospec */
+  it('usePresence works without default client', async () => {
+    const updateListener = vi.fn();
+    ablyClient.channels.get(testChannelName).presence.subscribe('update', updateListener);
+
+    render(
+      <AblyProvider ablyId="otherClient" client={otherClient as unknown as Ably.RealtimeClient}>
+        <ChannelProvider channelName={testChannelName} ablyId="otherClient">
+          <UsePresenceComponentWithOtherClient />
+        </ChannelProvider>
+      </AblyProvider>,
+    );
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      const button = screen.getByText(/Update/i);
+      button.click();
+      await wait(2);
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(updateListener).toHaveBeenCalledWith(expect.objectContaining({ data: 'baz' }));
+    });
+  });
+
   /** @nospec */
   it('handles channel errors', async () => {
     const onChannelError = vi.fn();
@@ -246,6 +270,22 @@ const UsePresenceComponentMultipleClients = () => {
   );
 };
 
+const UsePresenceComponentWithOtherClient = () => {
+  const { updateStatus } = usePresence({ channelName: testChannelName, ablyId: 'otherClient' }, 'bar');
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <button
+        onClick={() => {
+          updateStatus('baz');
+        }}
+      >
+        Update
+      </button>
+    </>
+  );
+};
+
 interface UsePresenceStateErrorsComponentProps {
   onConnectionError?: (err: Ably.ErrorInfo) => unknown;
   onChannelError?: (err: Ably.ErrorInfo) => unknown;
diff --git a/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.ts b/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.ts
index d301c336a..42c7a6b6f 100644
--- a/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.ts
+++ b/src/platform/react-hooks/src/hooks/usePresence.ts
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ export function usePresence<T = any>(
   const [connectionState, setConnectionState] = useState(ably.connection.state);
   useConnectionStateListener((stateChange) => {
     setConnectionState(stateChange.current);
-  });
+  }, params.ablyId);
 
   // similar to connection states, we should only attempt to enter presence when in certain
   // channel states.