diff --git a/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/ConnectionStatus.tsx b/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/ConnectionStatus.tsx
index 4102b9a7..43cdb5bf 100644
--- a/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/ConnectionStatus.tsx
+++ b/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/ConnectionStatus.tsx
@@ -6,15 +6,21 @@ import styles from './validation.module.css';
 const selector = (state: ReactFlowState) => ({
   connectionPosition: state.connectionPosition,
   connectionStatus: state.connectionStatus,
-  connectionNodeId: state.connectionNodeId,
-  connectionTargetNodeId: state.connectionTargetNodeId,
+  connectionStartNodeId: state.connectionStartHandle?.nodeId,
+  connectionStartHandleType: state.connectionStartHandle?.type,
+  connectionEndNodeId: state.connectionEndHandle?.nodeId,
+  connectionEndHandleType: state.connectionEndHandle?.type,
 });
 
 function ConnectionStatus() {
-  const { connectionPosition, connectionStatus, connectionNodeId, connectionTargetNodeId } = useStore(
-    selector,
-    shallow
-  );
+  const {
+    connectionPosition,
+    connectionStatus,
+    connectionStartNodeId,
+    connectionStartHandleType,
+    connectionEndNodeId,
+    connectionEndHandleType,
+  } = useStore(selector, shallow);
 
   if (!connectionPosition) {
     return null;
@@ -22,15 +28,17 @@ function ConnectionStatus() {
 
   return (
     <div className={styles.connectionstatus}>
-      {connectionNodeId ? (
+      {connectionStartNodeId ? (
         <>
           <div>
             <strong>connection info</strong>
           </div>
           <div>position: {JSON.stringify(connectionPosition)}</div>
-          <div>status: {JSON.stringify(connectionStatus)}</div>
-          <div>source node id: {JSON.stringify(connectionNodeId)}</div>
-          <div>target node id: {JSON.stringify(connectionTargetNodeId)}</div>
+          <div>status: {connectionStatus}</div>
+          <div>from node id: {connectionStartNodeId}</div>
+          <div>from handle type: {connectionStartHandleType}</div>
+          <div>to node id: {connectionEndNodeId}</div>
+          <div>to handle type: {connectionEndHandleType}</div>
         </>
       ) : (
         'no connection data'
diff --git a/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/index.tsx b/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/index.tsx
index ed2b5419..f385083b 100644
--- a/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/index.tsx
+++ b/examples/vite-app/src/examples/Validation/index.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ const CustomInput: FC<NodeProps> = () => (
 
 const CustomNode: FC<NodeProps> = ({ id }) => (
   <>
-    <Handle type="target" position={Position.Left} />
+    <Handle type="target" position={Position.Left} isConnectableStart={false} />
     <div>{id}</div>
     <Handle type="source" position={Position.Right} />
   </>
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/Handle/handler.ts b/packages/core/src/components/Handle/handler.ts
index 3ad191b8..9825295b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/Handle/handler.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/Handle/handler.ts
@@ -89,12 +89,17 @@ export function handlePointerDown({
 
   setState({
     connectionPosition,
+    connectionStatus: null,
+    // connectionNodeId etc will be removed in the next major in favor of connectionStartHandle
     connectionNodeId: nodeId,
     connectionHandleId: handleId,
     connectionHandleType: handleType,
-    connectionStatus: null,
-    connectionTargetNodeId: null,
-    connectionTargetHandleId: null,
+    connectionStartHandle: {
+      nodeId,
+      handleId,
+      type: handleType,
+    },
+    connectionEndHandle: null,
   });
 
   onConnectStart?.(event, { nodeId, handleId, handleType });
@@ -141,8 +146,7 @@ export function handlePointerDown({
             )
           : connectionPosition,
       connectionStatus: getConnectionStatus(!!prevClosestHandle, isValid),
-      connectionTargetNodeId: connection.target,
-      connectionTargetHandleId: connection.targetHandle,
+      connectionEndHandle: result.endHandle,
     });
 
     if (!prevClosestHandle && !isValid && !handleDomNode) {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/Handle/index.tsx b/packages/core/src/components/Handle/index.tsx
index 1dc6df1c..dcd95d7c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/Handle/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/Handle/index.tsx
@@ -7,8 +7,7 @@ import { useNodeId } from '../../contexts/NodeIdContext';
 import { handlePointerDown } from './handler';
 import { getHostForElement, isMouseEvent } from '../../utils';
 import { addEdge } from '../../utils/graph';
-import { Position } from '../../types';
-import type { HandleProps, Connection, ReactFlowState } from '../../types';
+import { type HandleProps, type Connection, type ReactFlowState, HandleType, Position } from '../../types';
 import { isValidHandle } from './utils';
 import { errorMessages } from '../../contants';
 
@@ -22,6 +21,23 @@ const selector = (s: ReactFlowState) => ({
   noPanClassName: s.noPanClassName,
 });
 
+const connectingSelector =
+  (nodeId: string | null, handleId: string | null, type: HandleType) => (state: ReactFlowState) => {
+    const {
+      connectionStartHandle: startHandle,
+      connectionEndHandle: endHandle,
+      connectionClickStartHandle: clickHandle,
+    } = state;
+
+    return {
+      connecting:
+        (startHandle?.nodeId === nodeId && startHandle?.handleId === handleId && startHandle?.type === type) ||
+        (endHandle?.nodeId === nodeId && endHandle?.handleId === handleId && endHandle?.type === type),
+      clickConnecting:
+        clickHandle?.nodeId === nodeId && clickHandle?.handleId === handleId && clickHandle?.type === type,
+    };
+  };
+
 const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
   (
     {
@@ -41,20 +57,17 @@ const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
     },
     ref
   ) => {
+    const handleId = id || null;
+    const isTarget = type === 'target';
     const store = useStoreApi();
     const nodeId = useNodeId();
+    const { connectOnClick, noPanClassName } = useStore(selector, shallow);
+    const { connecting, clickConnecting } = useStore(connectingSelector(nodeId, handleId, type));
 
     if (!nodeId) {
       store.getState().onError?.('010', errorMessages['error010']());
-
-      return null;
     }
 
-    const { connectionStartHandle, connectOnClick, noPanClassName } = useStore(selector, shallow);
-
-    const handleId = id || null;
-    const isTarget = type === 'target';
-
     const onConnectExtended = (params: Connection) => {
       const { defaultEdgeOptions, onConnect: onConnectAction, hasDefaultEdges } = store.getState();
 
@@ -72,6 +85,10 @@ const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
     };
 
     const onPointerDown = (event: ReactMouseEvent<HTMLDivElement> | ReactTouchEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
+      if (!nodeId) {
+        return;
+      }
+
       const isMouseTriggered = isMouseEvent(event);
 
       if (isConnectableStart && ((isMouseTriggered && event.button === 0) || !isMouseTriggered)) {
@@ -98,17 +115,18 @@ const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
       const {
         onClickConnectStart,
         onClickConnectEnd,
+        connectionClickStartHandle,
         connectionMode,
         isValidConnection: isValidConnectionStore,
       } = store.getState();
 
-      if (!connectionStartHandle && !isConnectableStart) {
+      if (!nodeId || (!connectionClickStartHandle && !isConnectableStart)) {
         return;
       }
 
-      if (!connectionStartHandle) {
+      if (!connectionClickStartHandle) {
         onClickConnectStart?.(event, { nodeId, handleId, handleType: type });
-        store.setState({ connectionStartHandle: { nodeId, type, handleId } });
+        store.setState({ connectionClickStartHandle: { nodeId, type, handleId } });
         return;
       }
 
@@ -122,9 +140,9 @@ const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
           type,
         },
         connectionMode,
-        connectionStartHandle.nodeId,
-        connectionStartHandle.handleId || null,
-        connectionStartHandle.type,
+        connectionClickStartHandle.nodeId,
+        connectionClickStartHandle.handleId || null,
+        connectionClickStartHandle.type,
         isValidConnectionHandler,
         doc
       );
@@ -135,14 +153,9 @@ const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
 
       onClickConnectEnd?.(event as unknown as MouseEvent);
 
-      store.setState({ connectionStartHandle: null });
+      store.setState({ connectionClickStartHandle: null });
     };
 
-    const connecting =
-      connectionStartHandle?.nodeId === nodeId &&
-      connectionStartHandle?.handleId === handleId &&
-      connectionStartHandle?.type === type;
-
     return (
       <div
         data-handleid={handleId}
@@ -161,9 +174,10 @@ const Handle = forwardRef<HTMLDivElement, HandleComponentProps>(
             connectable: isConnectable,
             connectablestart: isConnectableStart,
             connectableend: isConnectableEnd,
-            connecting,
+            connecting: clickConnecting,
+            // this class is used to style the handle when the user is connecting
             connectionindicator:
-              (isConnectable && isConnectableStart && !connecting) || (isConnectableEnd && connecting),
+              isConnectable && ((isConnectableStart && !connecting) || (isConnectableEnd && connecting)),
           },
         ])}
         onMouseDown={onPointerDown}
diff --git a/packages/core/src/components/Handle/utils.ts b/packages/core/src/components/Handle/utils.ts
index 2825bb0e..b8e8cf6a 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/components/Handle/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/components/Handle/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { MouseEvent as ReactMouseEvent, TouchEvent as ReactTouchEvent } from 'react';
 
-import { ConnectionMode, ConnectionStatus } from '../../types';
+import { ConnectingHandle, ConnectionMode, ConnectionStatus } from '../../types';
 import { getEventPosition, internalsSymbol } from '../../utils';
 import type { Connection, HandleType, XYPosition, Node, NodeHandleBounds } from '../../types';
 
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ type Result = {
   handleDomNode: Element | null;
   isValid: boolean;
   connection: Connection;
+  endHandle: ConnectingHandle | null;
 };
 
 const nullConnection: Connection = { source: null, target: null, sourceHandle: null, targetHandle: null };
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ export function isValidHandle(
   connectionMode: ConnectionMode,
   fromNodeId: string,
   fromHandleId: string | null,
-  fromType: string,
+  fromType: HandleType,
   isValidConnection: ValidConnectionFunc,
   doc: Document | ShadowRoot
 ) {
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ export function isValidHandle(
     handleDomNode: handleToCheck,
     isValid: false,
     connection: nullConnection,
+    endHandle: null,
   };
 
   if (handleToCheck) {
@@ -113,6 +115,12 @@ export function isValidHandle(
         : handleNodeId !== fromNodeId || handleId !== fromHandleId);
 
     if (isValid) {
+      result.endHandle = {
+        nodeId: handleNodeId as string,
+        handleId,
+        type: handleType as HandleType,
+      };
+
       result.isValid = isValidConnection(connection);
     }
   }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/store/index.ts b/packages/core/src/store/index.ts
index 58cc5080..f4365d45 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/store/index.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/store/index.ts
@@ -275,8 +275,8 @@ const createRFStore = () =>
         connectionHandleId: initialState.connectionHandleId,
         connectionHandleType: initialState.connectionHandleType,
         connectionStatus: initialState.connectionStatus,
-        connectionTargetNodeId: initialState.connectionTargetNodeId,
-        connectionTargetHandleId: initialState.connectionTargetHandleId,
+        connectionStartHandle: initialState.connectionStartHandle,
+        connectionEndHandle: initialState.connectionEndHandle,
       }),
     reset: () => set({ ...initialState }),
   }));
diff --git a/packages/core/src/store/initialState.ts b/packages/core/src/store/initialState.ts
index 2722038d..8c4a5d76 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/store/initialState.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/store/initialState.ts
@@ -31,8 +31,6 @@ const initialState: ReactFlowStore = {
   connectionNodeId: null,
   connectionHandleId: null,
   connectionHandleType: 'source',
-  connectionTargetNodeId: null,
-  connectionTargetHandleId: null,
   connectionPosition: { x: 0, y: 0 },
   connectionStatus: null,
   connectionMode: ConnectionMode.Strict,
@@ -57,6 +55,8 @@ const initialState: ReactFlowStore = {
   multiSelectionActive: false,
 
   connectionStartHandle: null,
+  connectionEndHandle: null,
+  connectionClickStartHandle: null,
   connectOnClick: true,
 
   ariaLiveMessage: '',
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types/general.ts b/packages/core/src/types/general.ts
index fab391d0..aeb33632 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types/general.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types/general.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ import type {
   NodeOrigin,
 } from './nodes';
 import type { Edge, EdgeProps, WrapEdgeProps } from './edges';
-import type { HandleType, StartHandle } from './handles';
+import type { HandleType, ConnectingHandle } from './handles';
 import type { DefaultEdgeOptions } from '.';
 import type { ReactFlowInstance } from './instance';
 
@@ -167,10 +167,9 @@ export type ReactFlowStore = {
   userSelectionActive: boolean;
   userSelectionRect: SelectionRect | null;
 
+  // @todo remove this in next major version in favor of connectionStartHandle
   connectionNodeId: string | null;
   connectionHandleId: string | null;
-  connectionTargetNodeId: string | null;
-  connectionTargetHandleId: string | null;
   connectionHandleType: HandleType | null;
   connectionPosition: XYPosition;
   connectionStatus: ConnectionStatus | null;
@@ -188,7 +187,10 @@ export type ReactFlowStore = {
 
   multiSelectionActive: boolean;
 
-  connectionStartHandle: StartHandle | null;
+  connectionStartHandle: ConnectingHandle | null;
+  connectionEndHandle: ConnectingHandle | null;
+  // @todo this is only used for the click connection - we might remove this in the next major version
+  connectionClickStartHandle: ConnectingHandle | null;
 
   onNodeDragStart?: NodeDragHandler;
   onNodeDrag?: NodeDragHandler;
diff --git a/packages/core/src/types/handles.ts b/packages/core/src/types/handles.ts
index aff196f6..7e40d1e5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/types/handles.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/types/handles.ts
@@ -2,18 +2,19 @@ import type { XYPosition, Position, Dimensions, OnConnect, Connection } from '.'
 
 export type HandleType = 'source' | 'target';
 
-export interface HandleElement extends XYPosition, Dimensions {
-  id?: string | null;
-  position: Position;
-}
+export type HandleElement = XYPosition &
+  Dimensions & {
+    id?: string | null;
+    position: Position;
+  };
 
-export interface StartHandle {
+export type ConnectingHandle = {
   nodeId: string;
   type: HandleType;
   handleId?: string | null;
-}
+};
 
-export interface HandleProps {
+export type HandleProps = {
   type: HandleType;
   position: Position;
   isConnectable?: boolean;
@@ -22,4 +23,4 @@ export interface HandleProps {
   onConnect?: OnConnect;
   isValidConnection?: (connection: Connection) => boolean;
   id?: string;
-}
+};