diff --git a/client.go b/client.go
index f8a6b9c..40c4209 100644
--- a/client.go
+++ b/client.go
@@ -81,6 +81,24 @@ func ClientWithFormat(format Format) ClientOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// ClientWithProtocolVersion will result in the given protocol version being used.
+//
+// The default is to use the protocol version returned by the plugin.
+func ClientWithProtocolVersion(version int) ClientOption {
+	return func(clientOptions *clientOptions) {
+		clientOptions.protocolVersion = version
+	}
+}
+
+// ClientWithSpec will result in the given Spec being used.
+//
+// The default is to use the Spec returned by the plugin.
+func ClientWithSpec(spec Spec) ClientOption {
+	return func(clientOptions *clientOptions) {
+		clientOptions.spec = spec
+	}
+}
+
 // CallOption is an option for an individual client call.
 type CallOption func(*callOptions)
 
@@ -91,9 +109,9 @@ type client struct {
 	stderr io.Writer
 	format Format
 
-	spec    Spec
-	specErr error
-	lock    sync.RWMutex
+	protocolVersion int
+	spec            Spec
+	lock            sync.RWMutex
 }
 
 func newClient(
@@ -111,9 +129,11 @@ func newClient(
 		clientOptions.format = FormatBinary
 	}
 	return &client{
-		runner: runner,
-		stderr: clientOptions.stderr,
-		format: clientOptions.format,
+		runner:          runner,
+		stderr:          clientOptions.stderr,
+		format:          clientOptions.format,
+		protocolVersion: clientOptions.protocolVersion,
+		spec:            clientOptions.spec,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -125,22 +145,26 @@ func newClient(
 // be desirable for situations where clients are long-lived, for example in services.
 func (c *client) Spec(ctx context.Context) (Spec, error) {
 	// Difficult to use sync.OnceValues since we want to use the context for cancellation
-	// when passing to the runner. It's awkward if the client constructor took a conteext.
+	// when passing to the runner. It's awkward if the client constructor took a context.
 	c.lock.RLock()
-	if c.spec != nil || c.specErr != nil {
+	if c.spec != nil {
 		c.lock.RUnlock()
-		return c.spec, c.specErr
+		return c.spec, nil
 	}
 	c.lock.RUnlock()
 
 	c.lock.Lock()
 	defer c.lock.Unlock()
 
-	if c.spec != nil || c.specErr != nil {
-		return c.spec, c.specErr
+	if c.spec != nil {
+		return c.spec, nil
 	}
-	c.spec, c.specErr = c.getSpecUncached(ctx)
-	return c.spec, c.specErr
+	spec, err := c.getSpecUncached(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	c.spec = spec
+	return spec, nil
 }
 
 func (c *client) Call(
@@ -217,7 +241,7 @@ func (c *client) getSpecUncached(ctx context.Context) (Spec, error) {
 }
 
 func (c *client) checkProtocolVersion(ctx context.Context) error {
-	version, err := c.getProtocolVersionUncached(ctx)
+	version, err := c.getProtocolVersion(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -227,6 +251,18 @@ func (c *client) checkProtocolVersion(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (c *client) getProtocolVersion(ctx context.Context) (int, error) {
+	if c.protocolVersion != 0 {
+		return c.protocolVersion, nil
+	}
+	protocolVersion, err := c.getProtocolVersionUncached(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	c.protocolVersion = protocolVersion
+	return protocolVersion, nil
+}
+
 func (c *client) getProtocolVersionUncached(ctx context.Context) (int, error) {
 	stdout := bytes.NewBuffer(nil)
 	if err := c.runner.Run(
@@ -251,8 +287,10 @@ func (c *client) getProtocolVersionUncached(ctx context.Context) (int, error) {
 }
 
 type clientOptions struct {
-	stderr io.Writer
-	format Format
+	stderr          io.Writer
+	format          Format
+	protocolVersion int
+	spec            Spec
 }
 
 func newClientOptions() *clientOptions {