diff --git a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnector.java b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnector.java
index bada702b233..db838d6ad06 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnector.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/main/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnector.java
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ import org.springframework.util.Assert;
  * @author Brian Clozel
  * @author Rossen Stoyanchev
  * @author Sebastien Deleuze
+ * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @since 5.0
  * @see reactor.netty.http.client.HttpClient
  */
@@ -72,6 +73,8 @@ public class ReactorClientHttpConnector implements ClientHttpConnector, SmartLif
 	@Nullable
 	private volatile HttpClient httpClient;
 
+	private boolean lazyStart = false;
+
 	private final Object lifecycleMonitor = new Object();
 
 
@@ -121,6 +124,9 @@ public class ReactorClientHttpConnector implements ClientHttpConnector, SmartLif
 		if (resourceFactory.isRunning()) {
 			this.httpClient = createHttpClient(resourceFactory, mapper);
 		}
+		else {
+			this.lazyStart = true;
+		}
 	}
 
 	private static HttpClient createHttpClient(ReactorResourceFactory factory, Function<HttpClient, HttpClient> mapper) {
@@ -136,7 +142,21 @@ public class ReactorClientHttpConnector implements ClientHttpConnector, SmartLif
 		HttpClient httpClient = this.httpClient;
 		if (httpClient == null) {
 			Assert.state(this.resourceFactory != null && this.mapper != null, "Illegal configuration");
-			httpClient = createHttpClient(this.resourceFactory, this.mapper);
+			if (this.resourceFactory.isRunning()) {
+				// Retain HttpClient instance if resource factory has been started in the meantime,
+				// considering this connector instance as lazily started as well.
+				synchronized (this.lifecycleMonitor) {
+					httpClient = this.httpClient;
+					if (httpClient == null && this.lazyStart) {
+						httpClient = createHttpClient(this.resourceFactory, this.mapper);
+						this.httpClient = httpClient;
+						this.lazyStart = false;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			if (httpClient == null) {
+				httpClient = createHttpClient(this.resourceFactory, this.mapper);
+			}
 		}
 
 		HttpClient.RequestSender requestSender = httpClient
@@ -185,6 +205,7 @@ public class ReactorClientHttpConnector implements ClientHttpConnector, SmartLif
 			synchronized (this.lifecycleMonitor) {
 				if (this.httpClient == null) {
 					this.httpClient = createHttpClient(this.resourceFactory, this.mapper);
+					this.lazyStart = false;
 				}
 			}
 		}
@@ -199,6 +220,7 @@ public class ReactorClientHttpConnector implements ClientHttpConnector, SmartLif
 		if (this.resourceFactory != null && this.mapper != null) {
 			synchronized (this.lifecycleMonitor) {
 				this.httpClient = null;
+				this.lazyStart = false;
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests.java b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests.java
index bd1579b129c..4fbd278fad6 100644
--- a/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests.java
+++ b/spring-web/src/test/java/org/springframework/http/client/reactive/ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2002-2023 the original author or authors.
+ * Copyright 2002-2024 the original author or authors.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -16,17 +16,21 @@
 
 package org.springframework.http.client.reactive;
 
+import java.net.URI;
 import java.util.function.Function;
 
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
 import reactor.netty.http.client.HttpClient;
 
+import org.springframework.http.HttpMethod;
 import org.springframework.http.client.ReactorResourceFactory;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
 
 /**
  * @author Sebastien Deleuze
+ * @author Juergen Hoeller
  * @since 6.1
  */
 class ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests {
@@ -41,6 +45,8 @@ class ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests {
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
 		connector.start();
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
+		connector.stop();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -54,6 +60,8 @@ class ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests {
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
 		connector.start();
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
+		connector.stop();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -69,6 +77,8 @@ class ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests {
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
 		connector.start();
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
+		connector.stop();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
 	}
 
 	@Test
@@ -84,6 +94,27 @@ class ReactorClientHttpConnectorTests {
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
 		connector.start();
 		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
+		connector.stop();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	void lazyStartWithExternalResourceFactory() throws Exception {
+		ReactorResourceFactory resourceFactory = new ReactorResourceFactory();
+		Function<HttpClient, HttpClient> mapper = Function.identity();
+		ReactorClientHttpConnector connector = new ReactorClientHttpConnector(resourceFactory, mapper);
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
+		resourceFactory.start();
+		connector.connect(HttpMethod.GET, new URI(""), request -> Mono.empty());
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
+		connector.stop();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
+		connector.connect(HttpMethod.GET, new URI(""), request -> Mono.empty());
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
+		connector.start();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isTrue();
+		connector.stop();
+		assertThat(connector.isRunning()).isFalse();
 	}
 
 }