diff --git a/packages/rum-core/src/index.ts b/packages/rum-core/src/index.ts
index 0e93fb94b0..e4a81f2eb2 100644
--- a/packages/rum-core/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/rum-core/src/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-export { RumUserConfiguration, RumPublicApi, makeRumPublicApi } from './boot/rumPublicApi'
+export { RumUserConfiguration, RumPublicApi, makeRumPublicApi, StartRum } from './boot/rumPublicApi'
 export { ProvidedSource } from './domain/rumEventsCollection/error/errorCollection'
 export {
   RumEvent,
diff --git a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/recorder.entry.ts b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/recorder.entry.ts
index 6ab06e16f5..91dfbfc123 100644
--- a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/recorder.entry.ts
+++ b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/recorder.entry.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,10 @@
 import { defineGlobal, getGlobalObject } from '@datadog/browser-core'
-import {
-  CommonContext,
-  makeRumPublicApi,
-  RumPublicApi,
-  RumUserConfiguration,
-  startRum,
-} from '@datadog/browser-rum-core'
+import { RumPublicApi, startRum } from '@datadog/browser-rum-core'
 
 import { startRecording } from './recorder'
+import { makeRumRecorderPublicApi } from './rumRecorderPublicApi'
 
-function startRumAndRecording(userConfiguration: RumUserConfiguration, getCommonContext: () => CommonContext) {
-  const startRumResult = startRum(userConfiguration, () => ({
-    ...getCommonContext(),
-    hasReplay: true,
-  }))
-
-  const { lifeCycle, parentContexts, configuration, session } = startRumResult
-  startRecording(lifeCycle, userConfiguration.applicationId, configuration, session, parentContexts)
-
-  return startRumResult
-}
-
-export const datadogRum = makeRumPublicApi(startRumAndRecording)
+export const datadogRum = makeRumRecorderPublicApi(startRum, startRecording)
 
 interface BrowserWindow extends Window {
   DD_RUM?: RumPublicApi
diff --git a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..38ee85b32f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+import { Configuration } from '@datadog/browser-core'
+import { RumPublicApi, StartRum } from '@datadog/browser-rum-core'
+import { makeRumRecorderPublicApi, StartRecording } from './rumRecorderPublicApi'
+
+const DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION = { applicationId: 'xxx', clientToken: 'xxx' }
+
+describe('makeRumRecorderPublicApi', () => {
+  let rumGlobal: RumPublicApi & { startSessionRecord?(): void }
+  let startRecordingSpy: jasmine.Spy<StartRecording>
+  let startRumSpy: jasmine.Spy<StartRum>
+  let enabledFlags: string[] = []
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    enabledFlags = []
+    startRecordingSpy = jasmine.createSpy()
+    startRumSpy = jasmine.createSpy().and.callFake(() => {
+      const configuration: Partial<Configuration> = {
+        isEnabled(flag: string) {
+          return enabledFlags.indexOf(flag) >= 0
+        },
+      }
+      return ({ configuration } as unknown) as ReturnType<StartRum>
+    })
+    rumGlobal = makeRumRecorderPublicApi(startRumSpy, startRecordingSpy)
+  })
+
+  function getCommonContext() {
+    return startRumSpy.calls.first().args[1]()
+  }
+
+  describe('init', () => {
+    it('should start RUM when init is called', () => {
+      expect(startRumSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(startRumSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('should start recording when init is called', () => {
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('should set commonContext.hasReplay to true', () => {
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBe(true)
+    })
+  })
+
+  describe('experimental flag postpone_start_recording', () => {
+    it('if disabled, startSessionRecord should not be defined', () => {
+      expect(rumGlobal.startSessionRecord).toBeUndefined()
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(rumGlobal.startSessionRecord).toBeUndefined()
+    })
+
+    it('if enabled, recording should not start when calling init()', () => {
+      enabledFlags = ['postpone_start_recording']
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
+
+    it('if enabled, startSessionRecord should be defined', () => {
+      enabledFlags = ['postpone_start_recording']
+      expect(rumGlobal.startSessionRecord).toBeUndefined()
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(rumGlobal.startSessionRecord).toEqual(jasmine.any(Function))
+    })
+
+    it('if enabled, commonContext.hasReplay should be true only if startSessionRecord is called', () => {
+      enabledFlags = ['postpone_start_recording']
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBe(false)
+      rumGlobal.startSessionRecord!()
+      expect(getCommonContext().hasReplay).toBe(true)
+    })
+
+    it('if enabled, calling startSessionRecord multiple times should only start recording once', () => {
+      enabledFlags = ['postpone_start_recording']
+      rumGlobal.init(DEFAULT_INIT_CONFIGURATION)
+      rumGlobal.startSessionRecord!()
+      rumGlobal.startSessionRecord!()
+      rumGlobal.startSessionRecord!()
+      expect(startRecordingSpy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..79163fda19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/rum-recorder/src/boot/rumRecorderPublicApi.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+import { monitor } from '@datadog/browser-core'
+import { makeRumPublicApi, StartRum } from '@datadog/browser-rum-core'
+
+import { startRecording } from './recorder'
+
+export type StartRecording = typeof startRecording
+
+export function makeRumRecorderPublicApi(startRumImpl: StartRum, startRecordingImpl: StartRecording) {
+  const rumRecorderGlobal = makeRumPublicApi((userConfiguration, getCommonContext) => {
+    let isRecording = false
+
+    const startRumResult = startRumImpl(userConfiguration, () => ({
+      ...getCommonContext(),
+      hasReplay: isRecording,
+    }))
+
+    const { lifeCycle, parentContexts, configuration, session } = startRumResult
+
+    if (configuration.isEnabled('postpone_start_recording')) {
+      ;(rumRecorderGlobal as any).startSessionRecord = monitor(startSessionRecord)
+    } else {
+      startSessionRecord()
+    }
+
+    function startSessionRecord() {
+      if (isRecording) {
+        return
+      }
+
+      isRecording = true
+      startRecordingImpl(lifeCycle, userConfiguration.applicationId, configuration, session, parentContexts)
+    }
+
+    return startRumResult
+  })
+  return rumRecorderGlobal
+}