diff --git a/.changeset/runtime-query-binding.md b/.changeset/runtime-query-binding.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cd93840f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/runtime-query-binding.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@tanstack/query-db-collection': patch
+---
+
+Add `defineQueryCollectionOptions` for defining query collections without a `QueryClient` and binding a runtime client later.
diff --git a/docs/collections/query-collection.md b/docs/collections/query-collection.md
index 6c90f53df..4454de6c3 100644
--- a/docs/collections/query-collection.md
+++ b/docs/collections/query-collection.md
@@ -43,6 +43,31 @@ const todosCollection = createCollection(
 )
 ```
 
+## Runtime QueryClient Binding
+
+For SSR or request-scoped environments, define the collection options without a `QueryClient`, then bind the request-local client where you create the collection:
+
+```typescript
+import { QueryClient } from "@tanstack/query-core"
+import { createCollection } from "@tanstack/db"
+import { defineQueryCollectionOptions } from "@tanstack/query-db-collection"
+
+const todosDefinition = defineQueryCollectionOptions({
+  queryKey: ["todos"],
+  queryFn: async () => {
+    const response = await fetch("/api/todos")
+    return response.json()
+  },
+  getKey: (item) => item.id,
+})
+
+export function createTodosCollection(queryClient: QueryClient) {
+  return createCollection(todosDefinition.bind({ queryClient }))
+}
+```
+
+Each call to `bind` uses only the `QueryClient` you pass. The direct `queryCollectionOptions({ queryClient, ... })` API remains supported.
+
 ## Configuration Options
 
 The `queryCollectionOptions` function accepts the following options:
diff --git a/packages/query-db-collection/src/index.ts b/packages/query-db-collection/src/index.ts
index 14a5fe702..4cb0ee21b 100644
--- a/packages/query-db-collection/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/query-db-collection/src/index.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 export type { QueryCollectionMeta } from './global'
 
 export {
+  defineQueryCollectionOptions,
   queryCollectionOptions,
+  type DefinedQueryCollectionOptions,
   type QueryCollectionConfig,
   type QueryCollectionUtils,
   type SyncOperation,
diff --git a/packages/query-db-collection/src/query.ts b/packages/query-db-collection/src/query.ts
index ea303b8dd..5b5e01177 100644
--- a/packages/query-db-collection/src/query.ts
+++ b/packages/query-db-collection/src/query.ts
@@ -359,6 +359,194 @@ function getLoadSubsetOptionsForMeta(
   return serializableOptions
 }
 
+export interface DefinedQueryCollectionOptions<TConfig, TResult> {
+  bind: (runtime: { queryClient: QueryClient }) => TResult
+  config: TConfig
+}
+
+type QueryCollectionConfigWithoutClient<
+  T extends object = object,
+  TQueryFn extends (context: QueryFunctionContext<any>) => any = (
+    context: QueryFunctionContext<any>,
+  ) => any,
+  TError = unknown,
+  TQueryKey extends QueryKey = QueryKey,
+  TKey extends string | number = string | number,
+  TSchema extends StandardSchemaV1 = never,
+  TQueryData = Awaited<ReturnType<TQueryFn>>,
+> = Omit<
+  QueryCollectionConfig<
+    T,
+    TQueryFn,
+    TError,
+    TQueryKey,
+    TKey,
+    TSchema,
+    TQueryData
+  >,
+  `queryClient`
+> & {
+  queryClient?: never
+}
+
+export function defineQueryCollectionOptions<
+  T extends StandardSchemaV1,
+  TQueryFn extends (context: QueryFunctionContext<any>) => any,
+  TError = unknown,
+  TQueryKey extends QueryKey = QueryKey,
+  TKey extends string | number = string | number,
+  TQueryData = Awaited<ReturnType<TQueryFn>>,
+>(
+  config: QueryCollectionConfigWithoutClient<
+    InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+    TQueryFn,
+    TError,
+    TQueryKey,
+    TKey,
+    T
+  > & {
+    schema: T
+    select: (data: TQueryData) => Array<InferSchemaInput<T>>
+  },
+): DefinedQueryCollectionOptions<
+  typeof config,
+  CollectionConfig<
+    InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+    TKey,
+    T,
+    QueryCollectionUtils<
+      InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+      TKey,
+      InferSchemaInput<T>,
+      TError
+    >
+  > & {
+    schema: T
+    utils: QueryCollectionUtils<
+      InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+      TKey,
+      InferSchemaInput<T>,
+      TError
+    >
+  }
+>
+
+export function defineQueryCollectionOptions<
+  T extends object,
+  TQueryFn extends (context: QueryFunctionContext<any>) => any = (
+    context: QueryFunctionContext<any>,
+  ) => any,
+  TError = unknown,
+  TQueryKey extends QueryKey = QueryKey,
+  TKey extends string | number = string | number,
+  TQueryData = Awaited<ReturnType<TQueryFn>>,
+>(
+  config: QueryCollectionConfigWithoutClient<
+    T,
+    TQueryFn,
+    TError,
+    TQueryKey,
+    TKey,
+    never,
+    TQueryData
+  > & {
+    schema?: never
+    select: (data: TQueryData) => Array<T>
+  },
+): DefinedQueryCollectionOptions<
+  typeof config,
+  CollectionConfig<T, TKey, never, QueryCollectionUtils<T, TKey, T, TError>> & {
+    schema?: never
+    utils: QueryCollectionUtils<T, TKey, T, TError>
+  }
+>
+
+export function defineQueryCollectionOptions<
+  T extends StandardSchemaV1,
+  TError = unknown,
+  TQueryKey extends QueryKey = QueryKey,
+  TKey extends string | number = string | number,
+>(
+  config: QueryCollectionConfigWithoutClient<
+    InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+    (
+      context: QueryFunctionContext<any>,
+    ) => Array<InferSchemaOutput<T>> | Promise<Array<InferSchemaOutput<T>>>,
+    TError,
+    TQueryKey,
+    TKey,
+    T
+  > & {
+    schema: T
+  },
+): DefinedQueryCollectionOptions<
+  typeof config,
+  CollectionConfig<
+    InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+    TKey,
+    T,
+    QueryCollectionUtils<
+      InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+      TKey,
+      InferSchemaInput<T>,
+      TError
+    >
+  > & {
+    schema: T
+    utils: QueryCollectionUtils<
+      InferSchemaOutput<T>,
+      TKey,
+      InferSchemaInput<T>,
+      TError
+    >
+  }
+>
+
+export function defineQueryCollectionOptions<
+  T extends object,
+  TError = unknown,
+  TQueryKey extends QueryKey = QueryKey,
+  TKey extends string | number = string | number,
+>(
+  config: QueryCollectionConfigWithoutClient<
+    T,
+    (context: QueryFunctionContext<any>) => Array<T> | Promise<Array<T>>,
+    TError,
+    TQueryKey,
+    TKey
+  > & { schema?: never },
+): DefinedQueryCollectionOptions<
+  typeof config,
+  CollectionConfig<T, TKey, never, QueryCollectionUtils<T, TKey, T, TError>> & {
+    schema?: never
+    utils: QueryCollectionUtils<T, TKey, T, TError>
+  }
+>
+
+export function defineQueryCollectionOptions(
+  config: QueryCollectionConfigWithoutClient<
+    Record<string, unknown>,
+    (context: QueryFunctionContext<any>) => any
+  >,
+): DefinedQueryCollectionOptions<
+  typeof config,
+  CollectionConfig<
+    Record<string, unknown>,
+    string | number,
+    never,
+    QueryCollectionUtils
+  > & { utils: QueryCollectionUtils }
+> {
+  return {
+    config,
+    bind: ({ queryClient }) =>
+      queryCollectionOptions({
+        ...config,
+        queryClient,
+      }),
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Creates query collection options for use with a standard Collection.
  * This integrates TanStack Query with TanStack DB for automatic synchronization.
diff --git a/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test-d.ts b/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test-d.ts
index c526398f8..cdc39cf11 100644
--- a/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test-d.ts
+++ b/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test-d.ts
@@ -10,7 +10,10 @@ import {
 } from '@tanstack/db'
 import { QueryClient } from '@tanstack/query-core'
 import { z } from 'zod'
-import { queryCollectionOptions } from '../src/query'
+import {
+  defineQueryCollectionOptions,
+  queryCollectionOptions,
+} from '../src/query'
 import type {
   DataTag,
   QueryFunctionContext,
@@ -32,6 +35,37 @@ describe(`Query collection type resolution tests`, () => {
   // Create a mock QueryClient for tests
   const queryClient = new QueryClient()
 
+  it(`should preserve explicit types when definition is bound`, () => {
+    const definition = defineQueryCollectionOptions<ExplicitType>({
+      id: `defined-test`,
+      queryKey: [`defined-test`],
+      queryFn: () => Promise.resolve([]),
+      getKey: (item) => item.id,
+    })
+
+    const options = definition.bind({ queryClient })
+
+    expectTypeOf(options.getKey).parameters.toEqualTypeOf<[ExplicitType]>()
+  })
+
+  it(`should not accept QueryClient in runtime-bound definitions`, () => {
+    defineQueryCollectionOptions<ExplicitType>({
+      id: `defined-test-without-client`,
+      queryKey: [`defined-test-without-client`],
+      queryFn: () => Promise.resolve([]),
+      getKey: (item) => item.id,
+    })
+
+    defineQueryCollectionOptions<ExplicitType>({
+      id: `defined-test-with-client`,
+      // @ts-expect-error - queryClient is supplied by definition.bind()
+      queryClient,
+      queryKey: [`defined-test-with-client`],
+      queryFn: () => Promise.resolve([]),
+      getKey: (item) => item.id,
+    })
+  })
+
   it(`should prioritize explicit type in QueryCollectionConfig`, () => {
     const options = queryCollectionOptions<ExplicitType>({
       id: `test`,
diff --git a/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test.ts b/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test.ts
index 9a792093f..62855b00b 100644
--- a/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test.ts
+++ b/packages/query-db-collection/tests/query.test.ts
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@ import {
   stripVirtualProps,
 } from '../../db/tests/utils'
 import { persistedCollectionOptions } from '../../db-sqlite-persistence-core/src'
-import { queryCollectionOptions } from '../src/query'
+import {
+  defineQueryCollectionOptions,
+  queryCollectionOptions,
+} from '../src/query'
 import type { QueryFunctionContext } from '@tanstack/query-core'
 import type {
   Collection,
@@ -185,6 +188,62 @@ describe(`QueryCollection`, () => {
     queryClient.clear()
   })
 
+  it(`should define options without QueryClient and bind at runtime`, async () => {
+    const initialItems: Array<TestItem> = [{ id: `1`, name: `Item 1` }]
+    const queryFn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(initialItems)
+
+    const definition = defineQueryCollectionOptions<TestItem>({
+      id: `defined-test`,
+      queryKey: [`definedItems`],
+      queryFn,
+      getKey,
+      startSync: true,
+    })
+
+    const collection = createCollection(definition.bind({ queryClient }))
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() => {
+      expect(queryFn).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(collection.size).toBe(initialItems.length)
+    })
+
+    expect(stripVirtualProps(collection.get(`1`))).toEqual(initialItems[0])
+  })
+
+  it(`should isolate bindings to the provided QueryClient`, async () => {
+    const firstClient = new QueryClient({
+      defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false } },
+    })
+    const secondClient = new QueryClient({
+      defaultOptions: { queries: { retry: false } },
+    })
+    const queryFn = vi.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ id: `1`, name: `Item 1` }])
+
+    const definition = defineQueryCollectionOptions<TestItem>({
+      id: `isolated-test`,
+      queryKey: [`isolatedItems`],
+      queryFn,
+      getKey,
+      startSync: false,
+    })
+
+    createCollection(definition.bind({ queryClient: firstClient }))
+    createCollection(definition.bind({ queryClient: secondClient }))
+
+    firstClient.setQueryData(
+      [`isolatedItems`],
+      [{ id: `first`, name: `First` }],
+    )
+
+    expect(firstClient.getQueryData([`isolatedItems`])).toEqual([
+      { id: `first`, name: `First` },
+    ])
+    expect(secondClient.getQueryData([`isolatedItems`])).toBeUndefined()
+
+    firstClient.clear()
+    secondClient.clear()
+  })
+
   it(`should initialize and fetch initial data`, async () => {
     const queryKey = [`testItems`]
     const initialItems: Array<TestItem> = [