diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 2791ce4309..0a1af32a0f 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -572,7 +572,11 @@ func (cfg *Config) NewNode() (host.Host, error) {
 			if !cfg.DisableMetrics {
 				mt = autonatv2.NewMetricsTracer(cfg.PrometheusRegisterer)
 			}
-			autoNATv2, err := autonatv2.New(ah, autonatv2.WithMetricsTracer(mt))
+			opts := []autonatv2.AutoNATOption{autonatv2.WithMetricsTracer(mt)}
+			if cfg.AutoNATConfig.ForceReachability != nil {
+				opts = append(opts, autonatv2.WithReachability(*cfg.AutoNATConfig.ForceReachability))
+			}
+			autoNATv2, err := autonatv2.New(ah, opts...)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create autonatv2: %w", err)
 			}
diff --git a/libp2p_test.go b/libp2p_test.go
index d9ca422c2c..727b8f12f2 100644
--- a/libp2p_test.go
+++ b/libp2p_test.go
@@ -423,6 +423,24 @@ func TestAutoNATv2Service(t *testing.T) {
 	h.Close()
 }
 
+func TestAutoNATv2ForcedReachability(t *testing.T) {
+	client, err := New(
+		EnableAutoNATv2(),
+		ForceReachabilityPrivate(),
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	confirmedAddrsHost, ok := client.(interface {
+		ConfirmedAddrs() (reachable, unreachable, unknown []ma.Multiaddr)
+	})
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	require.Eventually(t, func() bool {
+		reachable, unreachable, unknown := confirmedAddrsHost.ConfirmedAddrs()
+		return len(reachable) == 0 && len(unreachable) > 0 && len(unknown) == 0
+	}, 10*time.Second, 50*time.Millisecond)
+}
+
 func TestDisableIdentifyAddressDiscovery(t *testing.T) {
 	h, err := New(DisableIdentifyAddressDiscovery())
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat.go b/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat.go
index 95f78c9329..a2a1f887a2 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat.go
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ type AutoNAT struct {
 	// allowPrivateAddrs enables using private and localhost addresses for reachability checks.
 	// This is only useful for testing.
 	allowPrivateAddrs bool
+	forceReachability *network.Reachability
 }
 
 // New returns a new AutoNAT instance.
@@ -110,6 +111,7 @@ func New(dialerHost host.Host, opts ...AutoNATOption) (*AutoNAT, error) {
 		srv:                  newServer(dialerHost, s),
 		cli:                  newClient(s),
 		allowPrivateAddrs:    s.allowPrivateAddrs,
+		forceReachability:    s.forceReachability,
 		peers:                newPeersMap(),
 		throttlePeer:         make(map[peer.ID]time.Time),
 		throttlePeerDuration: s.throttlePeerDuration,
@@ -179,6 +181,9 @@ func (an *AutoNAT) Close() {
 
 // GetReachability makes a single dial request for checking reachability for requested addresses
 func (an *AutoNAT) GetReachability(ctx context.Context, reqs []Request) (Result, error) {
+	if an.forceReachability != nil && len(reqs) > 0 {
+		return Result{Addr: reqs[0].Addr, Idx: 0, Reachability: *an.forceReachability}, nil
+	}
 	var filteredReqs []Request
 	if !an.allowPrivateAddrs {
 		filteredReqs = make([]Request, 0, len(reqs))
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat_test.go b/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat_test.go
index dca55d2140..174129d385 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat_test.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/autonat_test.go
@@ -97,6 +97,24 @@ func TestAutoNATPrivateAddr(t *testing.T) {
 	require.ErrorIs(t, err, ErrPrivateAddrs)
 }
 
+func TestForcedReachability(t *testing.T) {
+	addr := ma.StringCast("/ip4/192.168.0.1/udp/10/quic-v1")
+	for _, reachability := range []network.Reachability{
+		network.ReachabilityPrivate,
+		network.ReachabilityPublic,
+	} {
+		t.Run(reachability.String(), func(t *testing.T) {
+			an := newAutoNAT(t, nil, WithReachability(reachability))
+			defer an.Close()
+			defer an.host.Close()
+
+			res, err := an.GetReachability(context.Background(), []Request{{Addr: addr}})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Equal(t, Result{Addr: addr, Reachability: reachability}, res)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestClientRequest(t *testing.T) {
 	an := newAutoNAT(t, nil, AllowPrivateAddrs)
 	defer an.Close()
diff --git a/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/options.go b/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/options.go
index 6222def0c7..b91b8d7540 100644
--- a/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/options.go
+++ b/p2p/protocol/autonatv2/options.go
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 package autonatv2
 
-import "time"
+import (
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p/core/network"
+)
 
 // autoNATSettings is used to configure AutoNAT
 type autoNATSettings struct {
@@ -14,6 +18,7 @@ type autoNATSettings struct {
 	amplificatonAttackPreventionDialWait time.Duration
 	metricsTracer                        MetricsTracer
 	throttlePeerDuration                 time.Duration
+	forceReachability                    *network.Reachability
 }
 
 func defaultSettings() *autoNATSettings {
@@ -49,6 +54,15 @@ func WithMetricsTracer(m MetricsTracer) AutoNATOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithReachability overrides automatic reachability detection with a fixed status.
+// The AutoNAT service continues to handle requests from other peers.
+func WithReachability(reachability network.Reachability) AutoNATOption {
+	return func(s *autoNATSettings) error {
+		s.forceReachability = &reachability
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 func withDataRequestPolicy(drp dataRequestPolicyFunc) AutoNATOption {
 	return func(s *autoNATSettings) error {
 		s.dataRequestPolicy = drp