diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index c04e7b2..3867518 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+## 1.7.0
+
+* Feat: manual control over updateToggles and sendMetrics
+
+
 ## 1.6.0
 
 * Feat: save network calls when context fields don't change
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 867a622..2b3f53b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -194,6 +194,10 @@ final unleash = UnleashClient(
 * If `bootstrapOverride` is `true` (by default), any local cached data will be overridden with the bootstrap specified.   
 * If `bootstrapOverride` is `false` any local cached data will not be overridden unless the local cache is empty.
 
+## Manage your own refresh mechanism
+
+You can opt out of the Unleash feature flag auto-refresh mechanism and metrics update by settings the `refreshInterval` and/or `metricsInterval` options to `0`.
+In this case, it becomes your responsibility to call `updateToggles` and/or `sendMetrics` methods.
 
 ## Release guide
 * Run tests: `flutter test`
diff --git a/lib/metrics.dart b/lib/metrics.dart
index 6d36b21..c0eefd9 100644
--- a/lib/metrics.dart
+++ b/lib/metrics.dart
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ class Metrics {
       : bucket = Bucket(clock);
 
   Future<void> start() async {
-    if (disableMetrics) {
+    if (disableMetrics || metricsInterval == 0) {
       return;
     }
 
@@ -119,14 +119,14 @@ class Metrics {
     }
   }
 
-  void sendMetrics() async {
+  Future<void> sendMetrics() async {
     bucket.closeBucket();
     if (bucket.isEmpty()) {
       return;
     }
 
     final localBucket = bucket;
-    // For now, accept that a failing request will lose the metrics.
+    // For now, accept that a failing request will loose the metrics.
     bucket = Bucket(clock);
 
     try {
diff --git a/lib/unleash_proxy_client_flutter.dart b/lib/unleash_proxy_client_flutter.dart
index 933e81c..59e42e2 100644
--- a/lib/unleash_proxy_client_flutter.dart
+++ b/lib/unleash_proxy_client_flutter.dart
@@ -321,6 +321,18 @@ class UnleashClient extends EventEmitter {
     }
   }
 
+  Future<void> sendMetrics() async {
+    await metrics.sendMetrics();
+  }
+
+  Future<void> updateToggles() async {
+    if (clientState != ClientState.ready) {
+      await _waitForEvent('ready');
+      await _fetchToggles();
+    }
+    await _fetchToggles();
+  }
+
   void _updateContextField(String field, String value) {
     if (field == 'userId') {
       context.userId = value;
@@ -358,7 +370,7 @@ class UnleashClient extends EventEmitter {
       emit(readyEvent);
     }
 
-    if (!disableRefresh) {
+    if (!disableRefresh && refreshInterval > 0) {
       timer = Timer.periodic(Duration(seconds: refreshInterval), (timer) {
         _fetchToggles();
       });
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index dbba715..b6a1b69 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ description: A Flutter/Dart client that can be used together with the unleash-pr
 homepage: https://github.com/Unleash/unleash_proxy_client_flutter
 repository: https://github.com/Unleash/unleash_proxy_client_flutter
 issue_tracker: https://github.com/Unleash/unleash_proxy_client_flutter
-version: 1.6.0
+version: 1.7.0
 
 environment:
   sdk: ">=2.18.0 <4.0.0"
diff --git a/test/unleash_proxy_client_flutter_test.dart b/test/unleash_proxy_client_flutter_test.dart
index 98f652d..39214a9 100644
--- a/test/unleash_proxy_client_flutter_test.dart
+++ b/test/unleash_proxy_client_flutter_test.dart
@@ -444,6 +444,100 @@ void main() {
     });
   });
 
+  test('can manually update toggles', () async {
+    final getMock = GetMock();
+    final unleash = UnleashClient(
+        url: url,
+        clientKey: 'proxy-123',
+        appName: 'flutter-test',
+        disableRefresh: true,
+        storageProvider: InMemoryStorageProvider(),
+        fetcher: getMock);
+
+    var updateEventCount = 0;
+    unleash.on('update', (_) {
+      updateEventCount += 1;
+    });
+
+    await unleash.start();
+    expect(getMock.calledTimes, 1);
+    expect(updateEventCount, 1);
+
+    await unleash.updateToggles();
+    expect(getMock.calledTimes, 2);
+    expect(updateEventCount, 2);
+
+    await unleash.updateToggles();
+    expect(getMock.calledTimes, 3);
+    expect(updateEventCount, 3);
+  });
+
+  test('should not update toggles when not started', () async {
+    final getMock = GetMock();
+    final unleash = UnleashClient(
+        url: url,
+        clientKey: 'proxy-123',
+        appName: 'flutter-test',
+        refreshInterval: 0,
+        storageProvider: InMemoryStorageProvider(),
+        fetcher: getMock);
+
+    unleash.updateToggles();
+    expect(getMock.calledTimes, 0);
+  });
+
+  test('update toggles should wait on asynchronous start', () async {
+    final getMock = GetMock();
+    final unleash = UnleashClient(
+        url: url,
+        clientKey: 'proxy-123',
+        appName: 'flutter-test',
+        refreshInterval: 0,
+        storageProvider: InMemoryStorageProvider(),
+        fetcher: getMock);
+
+    final completer = Completer<void>();
+    // Ready should be registered before we start the client.
+    unleash.on('ready', (_) {
+      completer.complete();
+    });
+
+    unleash.start();
+    unleash.updateToggles();
+
+    await completer.future;
+
+    expect(getMock.calledTimes, 1);
+
+    await unleash.updateToggles();
+
+    expect(getMock.calledTimes, 3);
+  });
+
+  test('can manually send metrics', () async {
+    var postMock = PostMock(payload: '''{}''', status: 200, headers: {});
+    final getMock = GetMock(body: mockData, status: 200, headers: {});
+    final unleash = UnleashClient(
+        url: url,
+        clientKey: 'proxy-123',
+        appName: 'flutter-test',
+        refreshInterval: 0,
+        metricsInterval: 0,
+        storageProvider: InMemoryStorageProvider(),
+        fetcher: getMock,
+        poster: postMock);
+
+    await unleash.start();
+
+    // no buckets to send
+    await unleash.sendMetrics();
+    expect(postMock.calledTimes, 0);
+
+    unleash.isEnabled('flutter-on');
+    await unleash.sendMetrics();
+    expect(postMock.calledTimes, 1);
+  });
+
   test('stopping client should cancel the timer', () {
     fakeAsync((async) {
       final getMock = GetMock();