diff --git a/changes.md b/changes.md
index b11842b2dd..92d22f8ce0 100644
--- a/changes.md
+++ b/changes.md
@@ -140,7 +140,8 @@ Changes log
           "websocket.maxMessageSize", "websocket.maxFrameSize" and "websocket.compression"
           parameters. Server and client support "permessage-deflate" compression (RFC 7692),
           enabled by default. `WebSocketClient.setClient` shares the I/O threads of a borrowed,
-          started Netty HTTP `Client` instead of creating its own.
+          started Netty HTTP `Client` instead of creating its own, with or without a context
+          (issue #1599). `Client.getHelper()` is now public, as an engine extension point.
         - Added the experimental `org.restlet.ext.graphql` extension, on graphql-java.
           `GraphqlServerAdapter` serves a `graphql.GraphQL` instance as a Restlet, following the
           GraphQL over HTTP draft (`application/graphql-response+json` and `application/json`);
diff --git a/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/main/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketClient.java b/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/main/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketClient.java
index 2a73a9b306..7d15465b47 100644
--- a/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/main/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketClient.java
+++ b/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/main/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketClient.java
@@ -210,10 +210,10 @@ public synchronized Client getClient() {
 
     /**
      * Sets a borrowed HTTP client whose I/O threads are shared, instead of creating new ones. The
-     * client must use the Netty HTTP connector of the core, have a context, and be started before
-     * this WebSocket client. Its owner stops it, after this WebSocket client: stopping it closes
-     * the sessions. Only the I/O threads are shared; the other settings, including TLS, are those
-     * of this WebSocket client.
+     * client must use the Netty HTTP connector of the core and be started before this WebSocket
+     * client. Its owner stops it, after this WebSocket client: stopping it closes the sessions.
+     * Only the I/O threads are shared; the other settings, including TLS, are those of this
+     * WebSocket client.
      *
      * @param client The borrowed client, or null to create new I/O threads.
      */
@@ -313,13 +313,9 @@ private EventLoopGroup borrowedEventLoopGroup() {
         if (client == null) {
             return null;
         }
-        Object helper =
-                (client.getContext() == null)
-                        ? null
-                        : client.getContext().getAttributes().get("org.restlet.engine.helper");
-        if (!(helper instanceof NettyClientHelper nettyHelper)) {
+        if (!(client.getHelper() instanceof NettyClientHelper nettyHelper)) {
             throw new IllegalStateException(
-                    "The borrowed client must have a context and use the Netty HTTP connector");
+                    "The borrowed client must use the Netty HTTP connector");
         }
         EventLoopGroup group = nettyHelper.getEventLoopGroup();
         if (group == null || group.isShuttingDown()) {
diff --git a/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/test/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketSharedEventLoopTestCase.java b/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/test/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketSharedEventLoopTestCase.java
index e19eaf1487..e7021b0d95 100644
--- a/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/test/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketSharedEventLoopTestCase.java
+++ b/org.restlet.ext.websocket/src/test/java/org/restlet/ext/websocket/WebSocketSharedEventLoopTestCase.java
@@ -159,6 +159,20 @@ void acceptsAClientWhoseContextIsSetLater() throws Exception {
         }
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void acceptsAClientWithoutContext() throws Exception {
+        Client plain = new Client(Protocol.HTTP);
+        plain.start();
+        try (WebSocketClient client = new WebSocketClient()) {
+            client.setClient(plain);
+            WebSocketSession session = client.connect(uri);
+            session.sendText("plain");
+            assertEquals("plain", session.receive().getText());
+        } finally {
+            plain.stop();
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     void rejectsUnsuitableClients() throws Exception {
         WebSocketClient client = new WebSocketClient();
diff --git a/org.restlet/src/main/java/org/restlet/Client.java b/org.restlet/src/main/java/org/restlet/Client.java
index 5b84376c5a..f24c9c7b21 100644
--- a/org.restlet/src/main/java/org/restlet/Client.java
+++ b/org.restlet/src/main/java/org/restlet/Client.java
@@ -107,11 +107,14 @@ public Client(String protocolName) {
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns the helper provided by the implementation.
+     * Returns the helper provided by the implementation. This is an engine extension point, meant
+     * for Restlet extensions that share the connector's resources, such as its I/O threads. It
+     * doesn't depend on the client having a context.
      *
-     * @return The helper provided by the implementation.
+     * @return The helper provided by the implementation, or null if no connector supports the
+     *     protocols.
      */
-    private RestletHelper<Client> getHelper() {
+    public RestletHelper<Client> getHelper() {
         return this.helper;
     }