diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/build_events/BuildError.vue b/frappe/public/js/frappe/build_events/BuildError.vue
index 13c0ce39a2..4cdbbd85c0 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/build_events/BuildError.vue
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/build_events/BuildError.vue
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function hide() {
 	data.value = null;
 }
 function open_in_editor(location) {
-	frappe.socketio.socket.emit("open_in_editor", location);
+	frappe.realtime.emit("open_in_editor", location);
 }
 function error_component(error, i) {
 	let location = data.value.error.errors[i].location;
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ function error_component(error, i) {
 		template: `<div>${template}</div>`,
 		methods: {
 			open() {
-				frappe.socketio.socket.emit("open_in_editor", location);
+				frappe.realtime.emit("open_in_editor", location);
 			}
 		}
 	};
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/desk.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/desk.js
index a797c6302f..5476dc9dbf 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/desk.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/desk.js
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ frappe.Application = class Application {
 	}
 
 	startup() {
-		frappe.socketio.init();
+		frappe.realtime.init();
 		frappe.model.init();
 
 		this.load_bootinfo();
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/form.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/form.js
index 876be1867a..e8fa017cf0 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/form.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/form.js
@@ -1950,7 +1950,7 @@ frappe.ui.form.Form = class FrappeForm {
 		let docname = this.docname;
 
 		if (this.doc && !this.is_new()) {
-			frappe.socketio.doc_subscribe(doctype, docname);
+			frappe.realtime.doc_subscribe(doctype, docname);
 		}
 		frappe.realtime.off("docinfo_update");
 		frappe.realtime.on("docinfo_update", ({ doc, key, action = "update" }) => {
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/toolbar.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/toolbar.js
index fa1d7330cf..60b90fe9db 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/toolbar.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/form/toolbar.js
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ frappe.ui.form.Toolbar = class Toolbar {
 		}
 
 		let rename_document = () => {
-			if (input_name != docname) frappe.socketio.doctype_subscribe(doctype, input_name);
+			if (input_name != docname) frappe.realtime.doctype_subscribe(doctype, input_name);
 			return frappe
 				.xcall("frappe.model.rename_doc.update_document_title", {
 					doctype,
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/list/list_view.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/list/list_view.js
index 1ca72a4e45..10f933aecd 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/list/list_view.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/list/list_view.js
@@ -1362,7 +1362,7 @@ frappe.views.ListView = class ListView extends frappe.views.BaseList {
 		if (this.list_view_settings?.disable_auto_refresh || this.realtime_events_setup) {
 			return;
 		}
-		frappe.socketio.doctype_subscribe(this.doctype);
+		frappe.realtime.doctype_subscribe(this.doctype);
 		frappe.realtime.off("list_update");
 		frappe.realtime.on("list_update", (data) => {
 			if (data?.doctype !== this.doctype) {
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ frappe.views.ListView = class ListView extends frappe.views.BaseList {
 	}
 
 	disable_realtime_updates() {
-		frappe.socketio.doctype_unsubscribe(this.doctype);
+		frappe.realtime.doctype_unsubscribe(this.doctype);
 		this.realtime_events_setup = false;
 	}
 
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/request.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/request.js
index 47ca1f7548..69867a6b14 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/request.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/request.js
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ frappe.call = function (opts) {
 	var callback = function (data, response_text) {
 		if (data.task_id) {
 			// async call, subscribe
-			frappe.socketio.subscribe(data.task_id, opts);
+			frappe.realtime.subscribe(data.task_id, opts);
 
 			if (opts.queued) {
 				opts.queued(data);
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/socketio_client.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/socketio_client.js
index 7084e9e2df..4797756baa 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/socketio_client.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/socketio_client.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 
 	on(event, callback) {
 		if (this.socket) {
+			this.connect();
 			this.socket.on(event, callback);
 		}
 	}
@@ -20,7 +21,19 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 		}
 	}
 
-	init(port = 9000) {
+	connect() {
+		if (this.lazy_connect) {
+			this.socket.connect();
+			this.lazy_connect = false;
+		}
+	}
+
+	emit(event, ...args) {
+		this.connect();
+		this.socket.emit(event, ...args);
+	}
+
+	init(port = 9000, lazy_connect = false) {
 		if (frappe.boot.disable_async) {
 			return;
 		}
@@ -28,7 +41,7 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 		if (this.socket) {
 			return;
 		}
-
+		this.lazy_connect = lazy_connect;
 		let me = this;
 
 		// Enable secure option when using HTTPS
@@ -37,11 +50,13 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 				secure: true,
 				withCredentials: true,
 				reconnectionAttempts: 3,
+				autoConnect: !lazy_connect,
 			});
 		} else if (window.location.protocol == "http:") {
 			this.socket = io(this.get_host(port), {
 				withCredentials: true,
 				reconnectionAttempts: 3,
+				autoConnect: !lazy_connect,
 			});
 		}
 
@@ -108,24 +123,22 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 	}
 
 	subscribe(task_id, opts) {
-		// TODO DEPRECATE
-
-		this.socket.emit("task_subscribe", task_id);
-		this.socket.emit("progress_subscribe", task_id);
+		this.emit("task_subscribe", task_id);
+		this.emit("progress_subscribe", task_id);
 
 		this.open_tasks[task_id] = opts;
 	}
 	task_subscribe(task_id) {
-		this.socket.emit("task_subscribe", task_id);
+		this.emit("task_subscribe", task_id);
 	}
 	task_unsubscribe(task_id) {
-		this.socket.emit("task_unsubscribe", task_id);
+		this.emit("task_unsubscribe", task_id);
 	}
 	doctype_subscribe(doctype) {
-		this.socket.emit("doctype_subscribe", doctype);
+		this.emit("doctype_subscribe", doctype);
 	}
 	doctype_unsubscribe(doctype) {
-		this.socket.emit("doctype_unsubscribe", doctype);
+		this.emit("doctype_unsubscribe", doctype);
 	}
 	doc_subscribe(doctype, docname) {
 		if (frappe.flags.doc_subscribe) {
@@ -143,18 +156,18 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 			frappe.flags.doc_subscribe = false;
 		}, 1000);
 
-		this.socket.emit("doc_subscribe", doctype, docname);
+		this.emit("doc_subscribe", doctype, docname);
 		this.open_docs.add(`${doctype}:${docname}`);
 	}
 	doc_unsubscribe(doctype, docname) {
-		this.socket.emit("doc_unsubscribe", doctype, docname);
+		this.emit("doc_unsubscribe", doctype, docname);
 		return this.open_docs.delete(`${doctype}:${docname}`);
 	}
 	doc_open(doctype, docname) {
-		this.socket.emit("doc_open", doctype, docname);
+		this.emit("doc_open", doctype, docname);
 	}
 	doc_close(doctype, docname) {
-		this.socket.emit("doc_close", doctype, docname);
+		this.emit("doc_close", doctype, docname);
 	}
 	setup_listeners() {
 		this.socket.on("task_status_change", function (data) {
@@ -194,7 +207,7 @@ class RealTimeClient {
 
 	publish(event, message) {
 		if (this.socket) {
-			this.socket.emit(event, message);
+			this.emit(event, message);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/frappe/public/js/frappe/views/reports/report_view.js b/frappe/public/js/frappe/views/reports/report_view.js
index b45f2346f1..2efe2314f5 100644
--- a/frappe/public/js/frappe/views/reports/report_view.js
+++ b/frappe/public/js/frappe/views/reports/report_view.js
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ frappe.views.ReportView = class ReportView extends frappe.views.ListView {
 		if (this.list_view_settings?.disable_auto_refresh) {
 			return;
 		}
-		frappe.socketio.doctype_subscribe(this.doctype);
+		frappe.realtime.doctype_subscribe(this.doctype);
 		frappe.realtime.on("list_update", (data) => this.on_update(data));
 	}
 
diff --git a/frappe/templates/discussions/discussions.js b/frappe/templates/discussions/discussions.js
index ad6d13e834..56ab3e1ed2 100644
--- a/frappe/templates/discussions/discussions.js
+++ b/frappe/templates/discussions/discussions.js
@@ -69,14 +69,14 @@ const show_new_topic_modal = (e) => {
 };
 
 const setup_socket_io = () => {
-	frappe.socketio.init(window.socketio_port || "9000");
-	frappe.socketio.socket.on("publish_message", (data) => {
+	frappe.realtime.init(window.socketio_port || "9000");
+	frappe.realtime.on("publish_message", (data) => {
 		publish_message(data);
 	});
-	frappe.socketio.socket.on("update_message", (data) => {
+	frappe.realtime.on("update_message", (data) => {
 		update_message(data);
 	});
-	frappe.socketio.socket.on("delete_message", (data) => {
+	frappe.realtime.socket.on("delete_message", (data) => {
 		delete_message(data);
 	});
 };
diff --git a/frappe/website/js/website.js b/frappe/website/js/website.js
index a93c4d88cf..13f6390e97 100644
--- a/frappe/website/js/website.js
+++ b/frappe/website/js/website.js
@@ -653,5 +653,5 @@ $(document).on("page-change", function () {
 frappe.ready(function () {
 	frappe.show_language_picker();
 	frappe.setup_videos();
-	frappe.socketio.init(window.socketio_port);
+	frappe.realtime.init(window.socketio_port, true); // lazy connection
 });
diff --git a/realtime/middlewares/authenticate.js b/realtime/middlewares/authenticate.js
index 1f8876a1da..6d81cd2e15 100644
--- a/realtime/middlewares/authenticate.js
+++ b/realtime/middlewares/authenticate.js
@@ -56,7 +56,6 @@ function get_site_name(socket) {
 		conf.default_site &&
 		["localhost", "127.0.0.1"].indexOf(get_hostname(socket.request.headers.host)) !== -1
 	) {
-		// from currentsite.txt since host is localhost
 		socket.site_name = conf.default_site;
 	} else if (socket.request.headers.origin) {
 		socket.site_name = get_hostname(socket.request.headers.origin);