diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index 65d0b372..fd1ed74b 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # pyspark
-pyspark==3.5.3
+pyspark[connect]==3.5.3
 # linters
 flake8==7.1.1
 pylint==3.3.2
diff --git a/tests/_core/test_column.py b/tests/_core/test_column.py
index 730ff3ae..a761a9b6 100644
--- a/tests/_core/test_column.py
+++ b/tests/_core/test_column.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# from typedspark import configure  # isort:skip
+
+# configure(spark_connect=True)
+
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import Annotated
 
diff --git a/tests/_core/test_dataset.py b/tests/_core/test_dataset.py
index fc04c20e..2e56995b 100644
--- a/tests/_core/test_dataset.py
+++ b/tests/_core/test_dataset.py
@@ -3,11 +3,12 @@
 import pandas as pd
 import pytest
 from pyspark import StorageLevel
-from pyspark.sql import DataFrame, SparkSession
+from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
 from pyspark.sql.types import LongType, StringType
 
 from typedspark import Column, DataSet, Schema
 from typedspark._core.dataset import DataSetImplements
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import DataFrame
 from typedspark._utils.create_dataset import create_empty_dataset
 
 
diff --git a/tests/_utils/test_register_schema_to_dataset.py b/tests/_utils/test_register_schema_to_dataset.py
index 91bbf9b6..8d287daa 100644
--- a/tests/_utils/test_register_schema_to_dataset.py
+++ b/tests/_utils/test_register_schema_to_dataset.py
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import pytest
 from chispa.dataframe_comparer import assert_df_equality  # type: ignore
-from pyspark.errors import AnalysisException
 from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
 from pyspark.sql.types import IntegerType, StringType
 
@@ -11,6 +10,7 @@
     create_partially_filled_dataset,
     register_schema_to_dataset,
 )
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import SPARK_CONNECT, AnalysisException
 from typedspark._utils.register_schema_to_dataset import register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias
 
 
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ def test_register_schema_to_dataset(spark: SparkSession):
     df_b = create_partially_filled_dataset(spark, Job, {Job.a: [1, 2, 3]})
 
     with pytest.raises(AnalysisException):
-        df_a.join(df_b, Person.a == Job.a)
+        df_a.join(df_b, Person.a == Job.a).show()
 
     person = register_schema_to_dataset(df_a, Person)
     job = register_schema_to_dataset(df_b, Job)
@@ -69,13 +69,21 @@ def test_register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias(spark: SparkSession):
         },
     )
 
-    with pytest.raises(AnalysisException):
+    def self_join_without_register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias():
         df_a = df.alias("a")
         df_b = df.alias("b")
         schema_a = register_schema_to_dataset(df_a, Person)
         schema_b = register_schema_to_dataset(df_b, Person)
-        df_a.join(df_b, schema_a.a == schema_b.b)
+        df_a.join(df_b, schema_a.a == schema_b.b).show()
+
+    # there seems to be a discrepancy between spark and spark connect here
+    if SPARK_CONNECT:
+        self_join_without_register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias()
+    else:
+        with pytest.raises(AnalysisException):
+            self_join_without_register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias()
 
+    # the following is the way it works with regular spark
     df_a, schema_a = register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias(df, Person, "a")
     df_b, schema_b = register_schema_to_dataset_with_alias(df, Person, "b")
     joined = df_a.join(df_b, schema_a.a == schema_b.b)
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index 22ba1940..2c4854a3 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -5,12 +5,35 @@
 from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
 
 
+def pytest_addoption(parser):
+    parser.addoption(
+        "--spark-connect",
+        action="store_true",
+        default=False,
+        help="Run the unit tests using a spark-connect session.",
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.fixture(scope="session")
-def spark():
+def spark(pytestconfig: pytest.Config):
     """Fixture for creating a spark session."""
     os.environ["PYSPARK_PYTHON"] = sys.executable
     os.environ["PYSPARK_DRIVER_PYTHON"] = sys.executable
 
-    spark = SparkSession.Builder().getOrCreate()
+    spark_connect = pytestconfig.getoption("--spark-connect")
+    if spark_connect:
+        # from typedspark import configure
+
+        # configure(spark_connect=True)
+
+        spark = (
+            SparkSession.Builder()
+            .config("spark.jars.packages", "org.apache.spark:spark-connect_2.12:3.5.3")
+            .remote("local")
+            .getOrCreate()
+        )
+    else:
+        spark = SparkSession.Builder().getOrCreate()
+
     yield spark
     spark.stop()
diff --git a/typedspark/__init__.py b/typedspark/__init__.py
index 11a5bb89..47b47032 100644
--- a/typedspark/__init__.py
+++ b/typedspark/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """Typedspark: column-wise type annotations for pyspark DataFrames."""
 
+# from typedspark._core.spark_imports import configure  # noqa: F401  # isort:skip
+
 from typedspark._core.column import Column
 from typedspark._core.column_meta import ColumnMeta
 from typedspark._core.dataset import DataSet, DataSetImplements
diff --git a/typedspark/_core/column.py b/typedspark/_core/column.py
index 3e528439..f5bbea4f 100644
--- a/typedspark/_core/column.py
+++ b/typedspark/_core/column.py
@@ -3,12 +3,13 @@
 from logging import warn
 from typing import Generic, Optional, TypeVar, Union, get_args, get_origin
 
-from pyspark.sql import Column as SparkColumn
-from pyspark.sql import DataFrame, SparkSession
+from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
 from pyspark.sql.functions import col
 from pyspark.sql.types import DataType
 
 from typedspark._core.datatypes import StructType
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import Column as SparkColumn
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import DataFrame
 
 T = TypeVar("T", bound=DataType)
 
diff --git a/typedspark/_core/dataset.py b/typedspark/_core/dataset.py
index 2b0f1210..bc0e28ba 100644
--- a/typedspark/_core/dataset.py
+++ b/typedspark/_core/dataset.py
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@
 from typing import Callable, Generic, List, Literal, Optional, Type, TypeVar, Union, cast, overload
 
 from pyspark import StorageLevel
-from pyspark.sql import Column as SparkColumn
-from pyspark.sql import DataFrame
 from typing_extensions import Concatenate, ParamSpec
 
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import Column as SparkColumn
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import DataFrame
 from typedspark._core.validate_schema import validate_schema
 from typedspark._schema.schema import Schema
 
diff --git a/typedspark/_core/spark_imports.py b/typedspark/_core/spark_imports.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..fe85fa6b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/typedspark/_core/spark_imports.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+SPARK_CONNECT = False
+
+if SPARK_CONNECT:
+    from pyspark.errors.exceptions.connect import AnalysisException  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+    from pyspark.sql.connect.column import Column  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+    from pyspark.sql.connect.dataframe import DataFrame  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+else:
+    from pyspark.sql import Column, DataFrame  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+    from pyspark.sql.utils import AnalysisException  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+
+
+# import sys
+
+# from pyspark.sql import Column, DataFrame  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+# from pyspark.sql.utils import AnalysisException  # type: ignore  # noqa: F401
+
+# SPARK_CONNECT = False
+
+
+# def configure(spark_connect=False):
+#     global SPARK_CONNECT, AnalysisException, Column, DataFrame
+#     SPARK_CONNECT = spark_connect
+
+#     from pyspark.errors.exceptions.connect import (  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
+#         AnalysisException,
+#     )
+#     from pyspark.sql.connect.column import Column  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
+#     from pyspark.sql.connect.dataframe import DataFrame  # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
+
+#     sys.modules[__name__].AnalysisException = AnalysisException  # type: ignore
+#     sys.modules[__name__].Column = Column  # type: ignore
+#     sys.modules[__name__].DataFrame = DataFrame  # type: ignore
+#     hoi = True
diff --git a/typedspark/_schema/schema.py b/typedspark/_schema/schema.py
index f42e930a..b6764c7c 100644
--- a/typedspark/_schema/schema.py
+++ b/typedspark/_schema/schema.py
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@
     get_type_hints,
 )
 
-from pyspark.sql import DataFrame
 from pyspark.sql.types import DataType, StructType
 
 from typedspark._core.column import Column
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import DataFrame
 from typedspark._schema.dlt_kwargs import DltKwargs
 from typedspark._schema.get_schema_definition import get_schema_definition_as_string
 from typedspark._schema.structfield import get_structfield
diff --git a/typedspark/_transforms/rename_duplicate_columns.py b/typedspark/_transforms/rename_duplicate_columns.py
index a112a61e..fff6d7c9 100644
--- a/typedspark/_transforms/rename_duplicate_columns.py
+++ b/typedspark/_transforms/rename_duplicate_columns.py
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
 from typing import Dict, Final, Type
 from uuid import uuid4
 
-from pyspark.sql import Column as SparkColumn
-
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import Column as SparkColumn
 from typedspark._schema.schema import Schema
 
 ERROR_MSG: Final[
diff --git a/typedspark/_transforms/structtype_column.py b/typedspark/_transforms/structtype_column.py
index b4c1dafa..e11ee35c 100644
--- a/typedspark/_transforms/structtype_column.py
+++ b/typedspark/_transforms/structtype_column.py
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 from typing import Dict, Optional, Type
 
-from pyspark.sql import Column as SparkColumn
 from pyspark.sql.functions import struct
 
 from typedspark._core.column import Column
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import Column as SparkColumn
 from typedspark._schema.schema import Schema
 from typedspark._transforms.utils import add_nulls_for_unspecified_columns, convert_keys_to_strings
 
diff --git a/typedspark/_transforms/transform_to_schema.py b/typedspark/_transforms/transform_to_schema.py
index 2cb23fc1..82d044b8 100644
--- a/typedspark/_transforms/transform_to_schema.py
+++ b/typedspark/_transforms/transform_to_schema.py
@@ -3,11 +3,10 @@
 from functools import reduce
 from typing import Dict, Optional, Type, TypeVar, Union
 
-from pyspark.sql import Column as SparkColumn
-from pyspark.sql import DataFrame
-
 from typedspark._core.column import Column
 from typedspark._core.dataset import DataSet
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import Column as SparkColumn
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import DataFrame
 from typedspark._schema.schema import Schema
 from typedspark._transforms.rename_duplicate_columns import RenameDuplicateColumns
 from typedspark._transforms.utils import add_nulls_for_unspecified_columns, convert_keys_to_strings
diff --git a/typedspark/_transforms/utils.py b/typedspark/_transforms/utils.py
index 0c0bd9d3..9270cfa9 100644
--- a/typedspark/_transforms/utils.py
+++ b/typedspark/_transforms/utils.py
@@ -2,10 +2,10 @@
 
 from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Type
 
-from pyspark.sql import Column as SparkColumn
 from pyspark.sql.functions import lit
 
 from typedspark._core.column import Column
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import Column as SparkColumn
 from typedspark._schema.schema import Schema
 
 
diff --git a/typedspark/_utils/load_table.py b/typedspark/_utils/load_table.py
index ab578442..bc64c99d 100644
--- a/typedspark/_utils/load_table.py
+++ b/typedspark/_utils/load_table.py
@@ -3,9 +3,10 @@
 import re
 from typing import Dict, Optional, Tuple, Type
 
-from pyspark.sql import DataFrame, SparkSession
+from pyspark.sql import SparkSession
 
 from typedspark._core.dataset import DataSet
+from typedspark._core.spark_imports import DataFrame
 from typedspark._schema.schema import Schema
 from typedspark._utils.create_dataset_from_structtype import create_schema_from_structtype
 from typedspark._utils.register_schema_to_dataset import register_schema_to_dataset
diff --git a/typedspark_connect/__init__.py b/typedspark_connect/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a130d280
--- /dev/null
+++ b/typedspark_connect/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+SPARK_CONNECT = True
+
+
+def configure(spark_connect=False):
+    global SPARK_CONNECT
+    SPARK_CONNECT = spark_connect