diff --git a/packages/vue-flow/src/composables/useHandle.ts b/packages/vue-flow/src/composables/useHandle.ts
index 90d16c6f..b98fc48d 100644
--- a/packages/vue-flow/src/composables/useHandle.ts
+++ b/packages/vue-flow/src/composables/useHandle.ts
@@ -78,11 +78,14 @@ export default () => {
     connectOnClick,
     nodesConnectable,
     connectionStartHandle,
-    connectionPosition,
     connectionMode,
     emits,
+    startConnection,
+    updateConnection,
+    endConnection,
     setState,
     getNode,
+    vueFlowRef,
   } = $(useVueFlow())
 
   let recentHoveredHandle: Element
@@ -97,8 +100,6 @@ export default () => {
     onEdgeUpdate?: (connection: Connection) => void,
     onEdgeUpdateEnd?: () => void,
   ) => {
-    const flowNode = (event.target as Element).closest('.vue-flow')
-
     const doc = getHostForElement(event.target as HTMLElement)
     if (!doc) return
 
@@ -116,13 +117,13 @@ export default () => {
     const elementBelowIsTarget = elementBelow?.classList.contains('target')
     const elementBelowIsSource = elementBelow?.classList.contains('source')
 
-    if (!flowNode || (!elementBelowIsTarget && !elementBelowIsSource && !elementEdgeUpdaterType)) return
+    if (!vueFlowRef || (!elementBelowIsTarget && !elementBelowIsSource && !elementEdgeUpdaterType)) return
 
     const handleType = elementEdgeUpdaterType ?? (elementBelowIsTarget ? 'target' : 'source')
 
-    const containerBounds = flowNode.getBoundingClientRect()
+    const containerBounds = vueFlowRef.getBoundingClientRect()
 
-    setState({
+    startConnection({
       connectionPosition: {
         x: event.clientX - containerBounds.left,
         y: event.clientY - containerBounds.top,
@@ -135,8 +136,10 @@ export default () => {
     emits.connectStart({ event, nodeId, handleId, handleType })
 
     function onMouseMove(event: MouseEvent) {
-      connectionPosition.x = event.clientX - containerBounds.left
-      connectionPosition.y = event.clientY - containerBounds.top
+      updateConnection({
+        x: event.clientX - containerBounds.left,
+        y: event.clientY - containerBounds.top,
+      })
 
       const { connection, elementBelow, isValid, isHoveringHandle } = checkElementBelowIsValid(
         event,
@@ -189,12 +192,7 @@ export default () => {
 
       resetRecentHandle(recentHoveredHandle)
 
-      setState({
-        connectionNodeId: null,
-        connectionHandleId: null,
-        connectionHandleType: null,
-        connectionPosition: { x: NaN, y: NaN },
-      })
+      endConnection()
 
       doc.removeEventListener('mousemove', onMouseMove as EventListenerOrEventListenerObject)
       doc.removeEventListener('mouseup', onMouseUp as EventListenerOrEventListenerObject)
diff --git a/packages/vue-flow/src/store/actions.ts b/packages/vue-flow/src/store/actions.ts
index 4cbbecef..c3efd3a8 100644
--- a/packages/vue-flow/src/store/actions.ts
+++ b/packages/vue-flow/src/store/actions.ts
@@ -358,6 +358,24 @@ export default (state: State, getters: ComputedGetters): Actions => {
 
   const applyEdgeChanges: Actions['applyEdgeChanges'] = (changes) => applyChanges(changes, state.edges)
 
+  const startConnection: Actions['startConnection'] = (params) => {
+    state.connectionPosition = params.connectionPosition
+    state.connectionNodeId = params.connectionNodeId
+    state.connectionHandleId = params.connectionHandleId
+    state.connectionHandleType = params.connectionHandleType
+  }
+
+  const updateConnection: Actions['updateConnection'] = (position) => {
+    state.connectionPosition = position
+  }
+
+  const endConnection: Actions['endConnection'] = () => {
+    state.connectionPosition = { x: NaN, y: NaN }
+    state.connectionNodeId = null
+    state.connectionHandleId = null
+    state.connectionHandleType = null
+  }
+
   const setState: Actions['setState'] = (options) => {
     const opts = options instanceof Function ? options(state) : options
     const skip: (keyof typeof opts)[] = [
@@ -435,6 +453,9 @@ export default (state: State, getters: ComputedGetters): Actions => {
     removeSelectedElements,
     removeSelectedNodes,
     removeSelectedEdges,
+    startConnection,
+    updateConnection,
+    endConnection,
     setInteractive,
     setState,
     fitView: async (params = { padding: 0.1 }) => {
diff --git a/packages/vue-flow/src/types/store.ts b/packages/vue-flow/src/types/store.ts
index 955e5735..342b0146 100644
--- a/packages/vue-flow/src/types/store.ts
+++ b/packages/vue-flow/src/types/store.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,13 @@ export interface UpdateNodeDimensionsParams {
   forceUpdate?: boolean
 }
 
+export interface StartConnectionParams {
+  connectionPosition: XYPosition
+  connectionNodeId: string
+  connectionHandleId: string | null
+  connectionHandleType: HandleType
+}
+
 export interface State extends Omit<FlowOptions, 'id' | 'modelValue'> {
   /** Vue flow element ref */
   vueFlowRef: HTMLDivElement | null
@@ -60,6 +67,7 @@ export interface State extends Omit<FlowOptions, 'id' | 'modelValue'> {
   multiSelectionKeyCode: KeyFilter
   zoomActivationKeyCode: KeyFilter
 
+  // todo: remove these and just use connection start handle
   connectionNodeId: string | null
   connectionHandleId: string | null
   connectionHandleType: HandleType | null
@@ -130,6 +138,12 @@ export type SetState = (
 export type UpdateNodePosition = (dragItems: NodeDragItem[], changed: boolean, dragging: boolean) => void
 export type UpdateNodeDimensions = (updates: UpdateNodeDimensionsParams[]) => void
 export type UpdateNodeInternals = (nodeIds: string[]) => void
+export type FindNode = <Data = ElementData, CustomEvents extends Record<string, CustomEvent> = any>(
+  id: string,
+) => GraphNode<Data, CustomEvents> | undefined
+export type FindEdge = <Data = ElementData, CustomEvents extends Record<string, CustomEvent> = any>(
+  id: string,
+) => GraphEdge<Data, CustomEvents> | undefined
 
 export interface Actions extends ViewportFunctions {
   /** parses elements (nodes + edges) and re-sets the state */
@@ -147,13 +161,9 @@ export interface Actions extends ViewportFunctions {
   /** remove edges from state */
   removeEdges: RemoveEdges
   /** find a node by id */
-  findNode: <Data = ElementData, CustomEvents extends Record<string, CustomEvent> = any>(
-    id: string,
-  ) => GraphNode<Data, CustomEvents> | undefined
+  findNode: FindNode
   /** find an edge by id */
-  findEdge: <Data = ElementData, CustomEvents extends Record<string, CustomEvent> = any>(
-    id: string,
-  ) => GraphEdge<Data, CustomEvents> | undefined
+  findEdge: FindEdge
   /** updates an edge */
   updateEdge: UpdateEdge
   /** applies default edge change handler */
@@ -188,6 +198,12 @@ export interface Actions extends ViewportFunctions {
   toObject: () => FlowExportObject
   /** force update node internal data, if handle bounds are incorrect, you might want to use this */
   updateNodeInternals: UpdateNodeInternals
+  /** start a connection */
+  startConnection: (params: StartConnectionParams) => void
+  /** update connection position */
+  updateConnection: (position: XYPosition) => void
+  /** end (or cancel) a connection */
+  endConnection: () => void
 
   /** internal position updater, you probably don't want to use this */
   updateNodePositions: UpdateNodePosition