diff --git a/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/IProtocolVersionExchange.cs b/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/IProtocolVersionExchange.cs
index c804c291f..68c3c334c 100644
--- a/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/IProtocolVersionExchange.cs
+++ b/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/IProtocolVersionExchange.cs
@@ -19,8 +19,22 @@ internal interface IProtocolVersionExchange
         /// </returns>
         SshIdentification Start(string clientVersion, Socket socket, TimeSpan timeout);
 
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Performs the SSH protocol version exchange.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="clientVersion">The identification string of the SSH client.</param>
+        /// <param name="socket">A <see cref="Socket"/> connected to the server.</param>
+        /// <param name="timeout">The maximum time to wait for the server to respond.</param>
+        /// <param name="lazyIdentification">Allow server to identify itself first.</param>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// The SSH identification of the server.
+        /// </returns>
+        SshIdentification Start(string clientVersion, Socket socket, TimeSpan timeout, bool lazyIdentification);
+
 #if FEATURE_TAP
         System.Threading.Tasks.Task<SshIdentification> StartAsync(string clientVersion, Socket socket, System.Threading.CancellationToken cancellationToken);
 #endif
+
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/ProtocolVersionExchange.cs b/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/ProtocolVersionExchange.cs
index 4e6957c10..5f41f50c2 100644
--- a/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/ProtocolVersionExchange.cs
+++ b/src/Renci.SshNet/Connection/ProtocolVersionExchange.cs
@@ -41,9 +41,27 @@ internal class ProtocolVersionExchange : IProtocolVersionExchange
         /// </returns>
         public SshIdentification Start(string clientVersion, Socket socket, TimeSpan timeout)
         {
-            // Immediately send the identification string since the spec states both sides MUST send an identification string
-            // when the connection has been established
-            SocketAbstraction.Send(socket, Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(clientVersion + "\x0D\x0A"));
+            return Start(clientVersion, socket, timeout, false);
+        }
+        
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Performs the SSH protocol version exchange.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <param name="clientVersion">The identification string of the SSH client.</param>
+        /// <param name="socket">A <see cref="Socket"/> connected to the server.</param>
+        /// <param name="timeout">The maximum time to wait for the server to respond.</param>
+        /// <param name="lazyIdentification">Allow server to identify itself first.</param>
+        /// <returns>
+        /// The SSH identification of the server.
+        /// </returns>
+        public SshIdentification Start(string clientVersion, Socket socket, TimeSpan timeout, bool lazyIdentification = false)
+        {
+            if (!lazyIdentification)
+            {
+                // Immediately send the identification string since the spec states both sides MUST send an identification string
+                // when the connection has been established
+                SocketAbstraction.Send(socket, Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(clientVersion + "\x0D\x0A"));
+            }
 
             var bytesReceived = new List<byte>();
 
@@ -75,6 +93,12 @@ public SshIdentification Start(string clientVersion, Socket socket, TimeSpan tim
                 var identificationMatch = ServerVersionRe.Match(line);
                 if (identificationMatch.Success)
                 {
+                    if (lazyIdentification)
+                    {
+                        // Send identification only after server identification has been validated.
+                        SocketAbstraction.Send(socket, Encoding.UTF8.GetBytes(clientVersion + "\x0D\x0A"));
+                    }
+
                     return new SshIdentification(GetGroupValue(identificationMatch, "protoversion"),
                                                  GetGroupValue(identificationMatch, "softwareversion"),
                                                  GetGroupValue(identificationMatch, "comments"));
diff --git a/src/Renci.SshNet/ConnectionInfo.cs b/src/Renci.SshNet/ConnectionInfo.cs
index af8e1ca5c..ebb0dc3ac 100644
--- a/src/Renci.SshNet/ConnectionInfo.cs
+++ b/src/Renci.SshNet/ConnectionInfo.cs
@@ -183,6 +183,14 @@ public class ConnectionInfo : IConnectionInfoInternal
         /// </value>
         public int MaxSessions { get; set; }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Gets or sets if the client should identify itself later.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <value>
+        /// <c>false</c>, the default for strict RFC4253 compliance where both sides identify at the same time. <c>true</c> if the client should wait for the server identification.
+        /// </value>
+        public bool LazyIdentification { get; set; }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Occurs when authentication banner is sent by the server.
         /// </summary>
@@ -432,6 +440,8 @@ public ConnectionInfo(string host, int port, string username, ProxyTypes proxyTy
             ProxyPassword = proxyPassword;
 
             AuthenticationMethods = authenticationMethods;
+
+            LazyIdentification = false;
         }
 
         /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/Renci.SshNet/Session.cs b/src/Renci.SshNet/Session.cs
index 0846cb2cd..5966eeec6 100644
--- a/src/Renci.SshNet/Session.cs
+++ b/src/Renci.SshNet/Session.cs
@@ -591,7 +591,7 @@ public void Connect()
                                              .Connect(ConnectionInfo);
 
                     var serverIdentification = _serviceFactory.CreateProtocolVersionExchange()
-                                                              .Start(ClientVersion, _socket, ConnectionInfo.Timeout);
+                                                              .Start(ClientVersion, _socket, ConnectionInfo.Timeout, ConnectionInfo.LazyIdentification);
 
                     // Set connection versions
                     ServerVersion = ConnectionInfo.ServerVersion = serverIdentification.ToString();