diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-client.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f1252eb8bfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import {ApplicationToken, IdentityToken} from '../../session/schema.js'
+import {ExchangeScopes} from '../../session/exchange.js'
+import {API} from '../../api.js'
+
+export abstract class IdentityClient {
+  abstract requestAccessToken(scopes: string[]): Promise<IdentityToken>
+
+  abstract exchangeAccessForApplicationTokens(
+    identityToken: IdentityToken,
+    scopes: ExchangeScopes,
+    store?: string,
+  ): Promise<{[x: string]: ApplicationToken}>
+
+  abstract refreshAccessToken(currentToken: IdentityToken): Promise<IdentityToken>
+
+  clientId(): string {
+    return ''
+  }
+
+  applicationId(_api: API): string {
+    return ''
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-mock-client.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-mock-client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..29a8c40f829
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-mock-client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import {IdentityClient} from './identity-client.js'
+import {ApplicationToken, IdentityToken} from '../../session/schema.js'
+import {ExchangeScopes} from '../../session/exchange.js'
+
+export class IdentityMockClient extends IdentityClient {
+  async requestAccessToken(_scopes: string[]): Promise<IdentityToken> {
+    return {} as IdentityToken
+  }
+
+  async exchangeAccessForApplicationTokens(
+    _identityToken: IdentityToken,
+    _scopes: ExchangeScopes,
+    _store?: string,
+  ): Promise<{[x: string]: ApplicationToken}> {
+    return {}
+  }
+
+  async refreshAccessToken(_currentToken: IdentityToken): Promise<IdentityToken> {
+    return {} as IdentityToken
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-service-client.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-service-client.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..309ea41a8c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/identity-service-client.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+import {IdentityClient} from './identity-client.js'
+import {ApplicationToken, IdentityToken} from '../../session/schema.js'
+import {ExchangeScopes} from '../../session/exchange.js'
+
+export class IdentityServiceClient extends IdentityClient {
+  async requestAccessToken(_scopes: string[]): Promise<IdentityToken> {
+    return {} as IdentityToken
+  }
+
+  async exchangeAccessForApplicationTokens(
+    _identityToken: IdentityToken,
+    _scopes: ExchangeScopes,
+    _store?: string,
+  ): Promise<{[x: string]: ApplicationToken}> {
+    return {}
+  }
+
+  async refreshAccessToken(_currentToken: IdentityToken): Promise<IdentityToken> {
+    return {} as IdentityToken
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/instance.test.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/instance.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..35aec51f7ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/instance.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+import {Environment} from '../../context/service.js'
+import {describe, expect, test, vi, beforeEach} from 'vitest'
+
+const mockServiceEnvironment = vi.fn()
+const mockIsRunning2024 = vi.fn()
+
+vi.mock('../../context/service.js', async () => {
+  const actual = await vi.importActual('../../context/service.js')
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    serviceEnvironment: (...args: unknown[]) => mockServiceEnvironment(...args),
+  }
+})
+
+vi.mock('../../../../public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.js', async () => {
+  const actual = await vi.importActual('../../../../public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.js')
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    isRunning2024: (...args: unknown[]) => mockIsRunning2024(...args),
+  }
+})
+
+describe('getIdentityClient', () => {
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    mockServiceEnvironment.mockReset()
+    mockIsRunning2024.mockReset()
+    vi.resetModules()
+  })
+
+  test('returns IdentityServiceClient when environment is Production', async () => {
+    mockServiceEnvironment.mockReturnValue(Environment.Production)
+    mockIsRunning2024.mockReturnValue(false)
+
+    const {getIdentityClient} = await import('./instance.js')
+
+    const instance = getIdentityClient()
+
+    expect(instance.constructor.name).toBe('IdentityServiceClient')
+  })
+
+  test('returns IdentityServiceClient when environment is Local and identity service is running', async () => {
+    mockServiceEnvironment.mockReturnValue(Environment.Local)
+    mockIsRunning2024.mockReturnValue(true)
+
+    const {getIdentityClient} = await import('./instance.js')
+
+    const instance = getIdentityClient()
+
+    expect(instance.constructor.name).toBe('IdentityServiceClient')
+    expect(mockIsRunning2024).toHaveBeenCalledWith('identity')
+  })
+
+  test('returns IdentityMockClient when environment is Local and identity service is not running', async () => {
+    mockServiceEnvironment.mockReturnValue(Environment.Local)
+    mockIsRunning2024.mockReturnValue(false)
+
+    const {getIdentityClient} = await import('./instance.js')
+
+    const instance = getIdentityClient()
+
+    expect(instance.constructor.name).toBe('IdentityMockClient')
+    expect(mockIsRunning2024).toHaveBeenCalledWith('identity')
+  })
+
+  test('returns the same instance on subsequent calls (singleton pattern)', async () => {
+    mockServiceEnvironment.mockReturnValue(Environment.Production)
+    mockIsRunning2024.mockReturnValue(false)
+
+    const {getIdentityClient} = await import('./instance.js')
+
+    const firstInstance = getIdentityClient()
+    const secondInstance = getIdentityClient()
+
+    expect(firstInstance).toBe(secondInstance)
+    expect(mockServiceEnvironment).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/instance.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/instance.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7aa05c2cf46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/private/node/clients/identity/instance.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+import {IdentityClient} from './identity-client.js'
+import {IdentityMockClient} from './identity-mock-client.js'
+import {IdentityServiceClient} from './identity-service-client.js'
+import {Environment, serviceEnvironment} from '../../context/service.js'
+import {isRunning2024} from '../../../../public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.js'
+
+let _identityClient: IdentityClient | undefined
+
+export function getIdentityClient() {
+  if (!_identityClient) {
+    const isLocal = serviceEnvironment() === Environment.Local
+    const identityServiceRunning = isRunning2024('identity')
+    const client = isLocal && !identityServiceRunning ? new IdentityMockClient() : new IdentityServiceClient()
+    _identityClient = client
+  }
+
+  return _identityClient
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.ts b/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.ts
index 2882024d84b..79ce264c54f 100644
--- a/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.ts
+++ b/packages/cli-kit/src/public/node/vendor/dev_server/dev-server-2024.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,15 @@ function assertRunning2024(projectName: string): void {
   })
 }
 
+export function isRunning2024(projectName: string) {
+  try {
+    assertRunning2024(projectName)
+    return true
+  } catch (_) {
+    return false
+  }
+}
+
 function getBackendIp(projectName: string): string {
   try {
     const backendIp = resolveBackendHost(projectName)