diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts
index b9754c956..38ccd9e1e 100644
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/cookie-banner/src/client.ts
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ import type {
   Regulation,
   VisitorConsent,
 } from "./types";
-import { getOrCreateVisitorId } from "./visitor";
+import { getOrCreateVisitorId, getVisitorId } from "./visitor";
 
 export type {
   BannerConfig,
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export type {
 export class CookieBannerClient {
   private readonly baseUrl: URL;
   private readonly bannerId: string;
-  private readonly visitorId: string;
+  private visitorId: string | null;
   private readonly lang: string;
 
   private readonly integrations: ConsentIntegration[];
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
     }
     this.baseUrl = new URL(base);
     this.bannerId = config.bannerId;
-    this.visitorId = getOrCreateVisitorId(config.bannerId);
+    this.visitorId = getVisitorId(config.bannerId);
     this.lang = detectLanguage(config.lang);
     this.integrations = createDefaultIntegrations();
   }
@@ -97,50 +97,52 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
     }
     this.startDetector(config);
 
-    const cookie = getConsentCookie();
-    if (cookie && cookie.bid === this.bannerId && cookie.v === config.version && cookie.vid === this.visitorId) {
-      this.consent = {
-        visitor_id: cookie.vid,
-        version: cookie.v,
-        action: cookie.action,
-        consent_data: cookie.data,
-        created_at: "",
-      };
-      this._gpcApplied = cookie.action === "GPC";
-      this.activate(cookie.data);
-      void flush(this.bannerId);
-      return;
-    }
+    if (this.visitorId) {
+      const cookie = getConsentCookie();
+      if (cookie && cookie.bid === this.bannerId && cookie.v === config.version && cookie.vid === this.visitorId) {
+        this.consent = {
+          visitor_id: cookie.vid,
+          version: cookie.v,
+          action: cookie.action,
+          consent_data: cookie.data,
+          created_at: "",
+        };
+        this._gpcApplied = cookie.action === "GPC";
+        this.activate(cookie.data);
+        void flush(this.bannerId);
+        return;
+      }
 
-    const consentUrl = new URL(
-      `${this.bannerId}/consents/${this.visitorId}`,
-      this.baseUrl,
-    );
-    const apiConsent = await fetchJSON<VisitorConsent>(consentUrl).catch(
-      (err) => {
-        if (err instanceof NotFoundError) {
-          return null;
-        }
-        throw err;
-      },
-    );
-
-    if (apiConsent && apiConsent.version === config.version) {
-      this.consent = apiConsent;
-      this._gpcApplied = apiConsent.action === "GPC";
-      setConsentCookie(
-        {
-          bid: this.bannerId,
-          v: apiConsent.version,
-          vid: apiConsent.visitor_id,
-          action: apiConsent.action,
-          data: apiConsent.consent_data,
-        },
-        config.consent_expiry_days,
+      const consentUrl = new URL(
+        `${this.bannerId}/consents/${this.visitorId}`,
+        this.baseUrl,
       );
-      this.activate(apiConsent.consent_data);
-    } else {
-      this.consent = null;
+      const apiConsent = await fetchJSON<VisitorConsent>(consentUrl).catch(
+        (err) => {
+          if (err instanceof NotFoundError) {
+            return null;
+          }
+          throw err;
+        },
+      );
+
+      if (apiConsent && apiConsent.version === config.version) {
+        this.consent = apiConsent;
+        this._gpcApplied = apiConsent.action === "GPC";
+        setConsentCookie(
+          {
+            bid: this.bannerId,
+            v: apiConsent.version,
+            vid: apiConsent.visitor_id,
+            action: apiConsent.action,
+            data: apiConsent.consent_data,
+          },
+          config.consent_expiry_days,
+        );
+        this.activate(apiConsent.consent_data);
+      } else {
+        this.consent = null;
+      }
     }
 
     if (!this.consent && this.gpcDetected) {
@@ -225,6 +227,13 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
     this.recordConsent("CUSTOMIZE", consentData);
   }
 
+  private ensureVisitorId(): string {
+    if (!this.visitorId) {
+      this.visitorId = getOrCreateVisitorId(this.bannerId);
+    }
+    return this.visitorId;
+  }
+
   private recordConsent(
     action: ConsentAction,
     consentData: Record<string, boolean>,
@@ -232,9 +241,10 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
     this._gpcApplied = action === "GPC";
 
     const cfg = this.config;
+    const visitorId = this.ensureVisitorId();
 
     this.consent = {
-      visitor_id: this.visitorId,
+      visitor_id: visitorId,
       version: cfg.version,
       action,
       consent_data: consentData,
@@ -245,7 +255,7 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
       {
         bid: this.bannerId,
         v: cfg.version,
-        vid: this.visitorId,
+        vid: visitorId,
         action,
         data: consentData,
       },
@@ -256,7 +266,7 @@ export class CookieBannerClient {
 
     const url = new URL(`${this.bannerId}/consents`, this.baseUrl);
     const body = {
-      visitor_id: this.visitorId,
+      visitor_id: visitorId,
       version: cfg.version,
       action,
       consent_data: consentData,
diff --git a/packages/cookie-banner/src/visitor.ts b/packages/cookie-banner/src/visitor.ts
index e58257d45..ddc75e2a1 100644
--- a/packages/cookie-banner/src/visitor.ts
+++ b/packages/cookie-banner/src/visitor.ts
@@ -14,18 +14,23 @@
 
 import { COOKIE_NAME } from "./cookie";
 
-export function getOrCreateVisitorId(bannerId: string): string {
+export function getVisitorId(bannerId: string): string | null {
   const key = `${COOKIE_NAME}:${bannerId}:vid`;
 
   try {
-    const stored = localStorage.getItem(key);
-    if (stored) {
-      return stored;
-    }
+    return localStorage.getItem(key);
   } catch {
-    // localStorage unavailable
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+export function getOrCreateVisitorId(bannerId: string): string {
+  const existing = getVisitorId(bannerId);
+  if (existing) {
+    return existing;
   }
 
+  const key = `${COOKIE_NAME}:${bannerId}:vid`;
   const array = new Uint8Array(16);
   crypto.getRandomValues(array);
   const id = Array.from(array, (b) => b.toString(16).padStart(2, "0")).join("");