diff --git a/src/RealtimeClient.ts b/src/RealtimeClient.ts
index 56d87ec..7dde68c 100755
--- a/src/RealtimeClient.ts
+++ b/src/RealtimeClient.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,11 @@
-import { WebSocket } from 'isows'
+// Conditional import of WebSocket from isows with fallback
+let WebSocket: any
+try {
+  WebSocket = require('isows').WebSocket
+} catch (e) {
+  // isows not available, will use fallback WebSocket
+  WebSocket = null
+}
 
 import {
   CHANNEL_EVENTS,
@@ -215,7 +222,27 @@ export default class RealtimeClient {
       return
     }
     if (!this.transport) {
-      this.transport = WebSocket
+      // Try to use isows WebSocket first, then fallback to environment WebSocket
+      if (WebSocket) {
+        this.transport = WebSocket
+      } else {
+        // Fallback for when isows is not available
+        if (typeof window !== 'undefined' && window.WebSocket) {
+          this.transport = window.WebSocket as any
+        } else if (typeof global !== 'undefined' && (global as any).WebSocket) {
+          this.transport = (global as any).WebSocket
+        } else {
+          // Try to require ws for Node.js environments
+          try {
+            const ws = require('ws')
+            this.transport = ws
+          } catch (wsError) {
+            console.warn(
+              'No WebSocket implementation available. Please provide a custom transport.'
+            )
+          }
+        }
+      }
     }
     if (!this.transport) {
       throw new Error('No transport provided')
diff --git a/test/RealtimeClient.test.ts b/test/RealtimeClient.test.ts
index a8a4e6d..fc19b4a 100644
--- a/test/RealtimeClient.test.ts
+++ b/test/RealtimeClient.test.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import RealtimeClient, { HeartbeatStatus } from '../src/RealtimeClient'
 import jwt from 'jsonwebtoken'
 import { CHANNEL_STATES, DEFAULT_VERSION } from '../src/lib/constants'
 import path from 'path'
+import fs from 'fs'
 
 function generateJWT(exp: string): string {
   return jwt.sign({}, 'your-256-bit-secret', {
@@ -1017,3 +1018,66 @@ describe('worker', () => {
     assert.ok(ref === client.workerRef)
   })
 })
+
+describe('isows compatibility', () => {
+  let isowsPath: string
+  let backupPath: string
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    isowsPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'node_modules', 'isows')
+    backupPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'node_modules', 'isows_backup')
+  })
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    // Restore isows if it was backed up
+    try {
+      if (fs.existsSync(backupPath)) {
+        fs.renameSync(backupPath, isowsPath)
+      }
+    } catch {}
+  })
+
+  test('should work without isows dependency', () => {
+    // Temporarily remove isows to simulate server environment
+    try {
+      if (fs.existsSync(isowsPath)) {
+        fs.renameSync(isowsPath, backupPath)
+      }
+    } catch {}
+
+    // Verify isows is not available
+    let isowsAvailable = true
+    try {
+      require('isows')
+    } catch {
+      isowsAvailable = false
+    }
+    expect(isowsAvailable).toBe(false)
+
+    // RealtimeClient should work gracefully without isows
+    // Using dynamic import to force re-evaluation of the conditional import
+    expect(() => {
+      const client = new RealtimeClient(url, { transport: MockWebSocket })
+      client.connect()
+      expect(client.transport).toBeDefined()
+    }).not.toThrow()
+  })
+
+  test('should prefer isows when available', () => {
+    // Ensure isows is available
+    let isowsAvailable = true
+    try {
+      require('isows')
+    } catch {
+      isowsAvailable = false
+    }
+    expect(isowsAvailable).toBe(true)
+
+    // RealtimeClient should use isows when available
+    const client = new RealtimeClient(url)
+    client.connect()
+    
+    expect(client.transport).toBeDefined()
+    expect(client.transport).not.toBeNull()
+  })
+})