diff --git a/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider.go b/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider.go
index 68dc44f13..bbf9176e7 100644
--- a/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider.go
+++ b/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider.go
@@ -19,6 +19,9 @@ var errKeyMissing = errors.New("key and targetingKey attributes are missing, at
 // Scream at compile time if Provider does not implement FeatureProvider
 var _ openfeature.FeatureProvider = (*Provider)(nil)
 
+// Scream at compile time if Provider does not implement StateHandler
+var _ openfeature.StateHandler = (*Provider)(nil)
+
 // LDClient is the narrowed local interface for the parts of the
 // `*ld.LDClient` LaunchDarkly client used by the provider.
 type LDClient interface {
@@ -27,14 +30,16 @@ type LDClient interface {
 	Float64VariationDetail(key string, context ldcontext.Context, defaultVal float64) (float64, ldreason.EvaluationDetail, error)
 	StringVariationDetail(key string, context ldcontext.Context, defaultVal string) (string, ldreason.EvaluationDetail, error)
 	JSONVariationDetail(key string, context ldcontext.Context, defaultVal ldvalue.Value) (ldvalue.Value, ldreason.EvaluationDetail, error)
+	Close() error
 }
 
 type Option func(*options)
 
 // options contains all the optional arguments supported by Provider.
 type options struct {
-	kindAttr string
-	l        Logger
+	kindAttr        string
+	l               Logger
+	closeOnShutdown bool
 }
 
 // WithLogger sets a logger implementation. By default a noop logger is used.
@@ -52,6 +57,14 @@ func WithKindAttr(name string) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithCloseOnShutdown sets whether the LaunchDarkly client should be closed
+// when the provider is shut down. By default, this is false.
+func WithCloseOnShutdown(close bool) Option {
+	return func(o *options) {
+		o.closeOnShutdown = close
+	}
+}
+
 // Provider implements the FeatureProvider interface for LaunchDarkly.
 type Provider struct {
 	options
@@ -372,3 +385,15 @@ func (p *Provider) ObjectEvaluation(ctx context.Context, flagKey string, default
 func (p *Provider) Hooks() []openfeature.Hook {
 	return []openfeature.Hook{}
 }
+
+func (p *Provider) Init(evaluationContext openfeature.EvaluationContext) error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (p *Provider) Shutdown() {
+	if p.closeOnShutdown {
+		if err := p.client.Close(); err != nil {
+			p.l.Error("error during LaunchDarkly client shutdown: %s", err)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider_test.go b/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider_test.go
index efe5b424c..8ee0a13aa 100644
--- a/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider_test.go
+++ b/providers/launchdarkly/pkg/provider_test.go
@@ -280,3 +280,39 @@ func TestContextCancellation(t *testing.T) {
 	_, err = client.ObjectValue(ctx, "rate_limit_config", nil, evalCtx)
 	assert.Equals(t, errors.New("GENERAL: context canceled"), errors.Unwrap(err))
 }
+
+// mockLDClient can be a struct that implements the LDClient interface for testing.
+type mockLDClient struct {
+	ld.LDClient // Embedding the real client can be useful for mocking only specific methods
+	closeCalled bool
+	closeErr    error
+}
+
+func (c *mockLDClient) Close() error {
+	c.closeCalled = true
+	return c.closeErr
+}
+
+func TestShutdown(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("should not call client close on shutdown", func(t *testing.T) {
+		mockClient := &mockLDClient{}
+		provider := NewProvider(mockClient)
+
+		err := openfeature.SetProvider(provider)
+		assert.Ok(t, err)
+
+		openfeature.Shutdown()
+		assert.Cond(t, !mockClient.closeCalled, "expected client.Close() to be called")
+	})
+
+	t.Run("should call client close on shutdown", func(t *testing.T) {
+		mockClient := &mockLDClient{}
+		provider := NewProvider(mockClient, WithCloseOnShutdown(true))
+
+		err := openfeature.SetProvider(provider)
+		assert.Ok(t, err)
+
+		openfeature.Shutdown()
+		assert.Cond(t, mockClient.closeCalled, "expected client.Close() to be called")
+	})
+}