diff --git a/build.config.ts b/build.config.ts
index e5110529b..46ad68c73 100644
--- a/build.config.ts
+++ b/build.config.ts
@@ -21,4 +21,5 @@ export default defineBuildConfig({
       declaration: false,
     },
   ],
+  externals: ["mongodb"],
 });
diff --git a/src/drivers/azure-app-configuration.ts b/src/drivers/azure-app-configuration.ts
index 934df4631..6c1a86f76 100644
--- a/src/drivers/azure-app-configuration.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/azure-app-configuration.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: AzureAppConfigurationOptions = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getClient,
     async hasItem(key) {
       try {
         await getClient().getConfigurationSetting({
diff --git a/src/drivers/azure-cosmos.ts b/src/drivers/azure-cosmos.ts
index f4920cf9a..9983318a4 100644
--- a/src/drivers/azure-cosmos.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/azure-cosmos.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: AzureCosmosOptions) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getCosmosClient,
     async hasItem(key) {
       const item = await (await getCosmosClient())
         .item(key)
diff --git a/src/drivers/azure-key-vault.ts b/src/drivers/azure-key-vault.ts
index be53d1a65..973f4894b 100644
--- a/src/drivers/azure-key-vault.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/azure-key-vault.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: AzureKeyVaultOptions) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getKeyVaultClient,
     async hasItem(key) {
       try {
         await getKeyVaultClient().getSecret(encode(key));
diff --git a/src/drivers/azure-storage-blob.ts b/src/drivers/azure-storage-blob.ts
index a872980c0..346235278 100644
--- a/src/drivers/azure-storage-blob.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/azure-storage-blob.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: AzureStorageBlobOptions) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getContainerClient,
     async hasItem(key) {
       return await getContainerClient().getBlockBlobClient(key).exists();
     },
diff --git a/src/drivers/azure-storage-table.ts b/src/drivers/azure-storage-table.ts
index 293071178..21cfbe822 100644
--- a/src/drivers/azure-storage-table.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/azure-storage-table.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: AzureStorageTableOptions) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getClient,
     async hasItem(key) {
       try {
         await getClient().getEntity(partitionKey, key);
diff --git a/src/drivers/capacitor-preferences.ts b/src/drivers/capacitor-preferences.ts
index c46db61a5..aade7a8c7 100644
--- a/src/drivers/capacitor-preferences.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/capacitor-preferences.ts
@@ -8,43 +8,46 @@ export interface CapacitorPreferencesOptions {
   base?: string;
 }
 
-export default defineDriver<CapacitorPreferencesOptions>((opts) => {
-  const base = normalizeKey(opts?.base || "");
-  const resolveKey = (key: string) => joinKeys(base, key);
+export default defineDriver<CapacitorPreferencesOptions, typeof Preferences>(
+  (opts) => {
+    const base = normalizeKey(opts?.base || "");
+    const resolveKey = (key: string) => joinKeys(base, key);
 
-  return {
-    name: DRIVER_NAME,
-    options: opts,
-    hasItem(key) {
-      return Preferences.keys().then((r) => r.keys.includes(resolveKey(key)));
-    },
-    getItem(key) {
-      return Preferences.get({ key: resolveKey(key) }).then((r) => r.value);
-    },
-    getItemRaw(key) {
-      return Preferences.get({ key: resolveKey(key) }).then((r) => r.value);
-    },
-    setItem(key, value) {
-      return Preferences.set({ key: resolveKey(key), value });
-    },
-    setItemRaw(key, value) {
-      return Preferences.set({ key: resolveKey(key), value });
-    },
-    removeItem(key) {
-      return Preferences.remove({ key: resolveKey(key) });
-    },
-    async getKeys() {
-      const { keys } = await Preferences.keys();
-      return keys.map((key) => key.slice(base.length));
-    },
-    async clear(prefix) {
-      const { keys } = await Preferences.keys();
-      const _prefix = resolveKey(prefix || "");
-      await Promise.all(
-        keys
-          .filter((key) => key.startsWith(_prefix))
-          .map((key) => Preferences.remove({ key }))
-      );
-    },
-  };
-});
+    return {
+      name: DRIVER_NAME,
+      options: opts,
+      getInstance: () => Preferences,
+      hasItem(key) {
+        return Preferences.keys().then((r) => r.keys.includes(resolveKey(key)));
+      },
+      getItem(key) {
+        return Preferences.get({ key: resolveKey(key) }).then((r) => r.value);
+      },
+      getItemRaw(key) {
+        return Preferences.get({ key: resolveKey(key) }).then((r) => r.value);
+      },
+      setItem(key, value) {
+        return Preferences.set({ key: resolveKey(key), value });
+      },
+      setItemRaw(key, value) {
+        return Preferences.set({ key: resolveKey(key), value });
+      },
+      removeItem(key) {
+        return Preferences.remove({ key: resolveKey(key) });
+      },
+      async getKeys() {
+        const { keys } = await Preferences.keys();
+        return keys.map((key) => key.slice(base.length));
+      },
+      async clear(prefix) {
+        const { keys } = await Preferences.keys();
+        const _prefix = resolveKey(prefix || "");
+        await Promise.all(
+          keys
+            .filter((key) => key.startsWith(_prefix))
+            .map((key) => Preferences.remove({ key }))
+        );
+      },
+    };
+  }
+);
diff --git a/src/drivers/cloudflare-kv-binding.ts b/src/drivers/cloudflare-kv-binding.ts
index 22d9ca204..23c4a043f 100644
--- a/src/drivers/cloudflare-kv-binding.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/cloudflare-kv-binding.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: KVOptions) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: () => getKVBinding(opts.binding),
     async hasItem(key) {
       key = r(key);
       const binding = getKVBinding(opts.binding);
diff --git a/src/drivers/cloudflare-r2-binding.ts b/src/drivers/cloudflare-r2-binding.ts
index 8e56a1f7b..49934cc4f 100644
--- a/src/drivers/cloudflare-r2-binding.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/cloudflare-r2-binding.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: CloudflareR2Options = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: () => getR2Binding(opts.binding),
     async hasItem(key) {
       key = r(key);
       const binding = getR2Binding(opts.binding);
diff --git a/src/drivers/localstorage.ts b/src/drivers/localstorage.ts
index 60e70b907..5f1120a75 100644
--- a/src/drivers/localstorage.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/localstorage.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: LocalStorageOptions = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: () => opts.localStorage!,
     hasItem(key) {
       return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(opts.localStorage!, r(key));
     },
diff --git a/src/drivers/lru-cache.ts b/src/drivers/lru-cache.ts
index 6d5f5cf48..294bea8a0 100644
--- a/src/drivers/lru-cache.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/lru-cache.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: LRUDriverOptions = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: () => cache,
     hasItem(key) {
       return cache.has(key);
     },
diff --git a/src/drivers/memory.ts b/src/drivers/memory.ts
index 2cb310320..3f5601d05 100644
--- a/src/drivers/memory.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/memory.ts
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ import { defineDriver } from "./utils";
 
 const DRIVER_NAME = "memory";
 
-export default defineDriver<void>(() => {
+export default defineDriver<void, Map<string, any>>(() => {
   const data = new Map<string, any>();
 
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
-    options: {},
+    getInstance: () => data,
     hasItem(key) {
       return data.has(key);
     },
diff --git a/src/drivers/mongodb.ts b/src/drivers/mongodb.ts
index 8e43d7801..ae5746485 100644
--- a/src/drivers/mongodb.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/mongodb.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: MongoDbOptions) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getMongoCollection,
     async hasItem(key) {
       const result = await getMongoCollection().findOne({ key });
       return !!result;
diff --git a/src/drivers/netlify-blobs.ts b/src/drivers/netlify-blobs.ts
index dbf814b7d..62d713ed4 100644
--- a/src/drivers/netlify-blobs.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/netlify-blobs.ts
@@ -42,73 +42,73 @@ export type NetlifyStoreOptions =
   | NetlifyDeployStoreOptions
   | NetlifyNamedStoreOptions;
 
-export default defineDriver(
-  ({ deployScoped, name, ...opts }: NetlifyStoreOptions) => {
-    let store: Store;
+export default defineDriver((options: NetlifyStoreOptions) => {
+  const { deployScoped, name, ...opts } = options;
+  let store: Store;
 
-    const getClient = () => {
-      if (!store) {
-        if (deployScoped) {
-          if (name) {
-            throw createError(
-              DRIVER_NAME,
-              "deploy-scoped stores cannot have a name"
-            );
-          }
-          store = getDeployStore({ fetch, ...opts });
-        } else {
-          if (!name) {
-            throw createRequiredError(DRIVER_NAME, "name");
-          }
-          // Ensures that reserved characters are encoded
-          store = getStore({ name: encodeURIComponent(name), fetch, ...opts });
+  const getClient = () => {
+    if (!store) {
+      if (deployScoped) {
+        if (name) {
+          throw createError(
+            DRIVER_NAME,
+            "deploy-scoped stores cannot have a name"
+          );
         }
+        store = getDeployStore({ fetch, ...options });
+      } else {
+        if (!name) {
+          throw createRequiredError(DRIVER_NAME, "name");
+        }
+        // Ensures that reserved characters are encoded
+        store = getStore({ name: encodeURIComponent(name), fetch, ...opts });
       }
-      return store;
-    };
+    }
+    return store;
+  };
 
-    return {
-      name: DRIVER_NAME,
-      options: {},
-      async hasItem(key) {
-        return getClient().getMetadata(key).then(Boolean);
-      },
-      getItem: (key, tops?: GetOptions) => {
-        // @ts-expect-error has trouble with the overloaded types
-        return getClient().get(key, tops);
-      },
-      getMeta(key) {
-        return getClient().getMetadata(key);
-      },
-      getItemRaw(key, topts?: GetOptions) {
-        // @ts-expect-error has trouble with the overloaded types
-        return getClient().get(key, { type: topts?.type ?? "arrayBuffer" });
-      },
-      setItem(key, value, topts?: SetOptions) {
-        return getClient().set(key, value, topts);
-      },
-      setItemRaw(key, value: string | ArrayBuffer | Blob, topts?: SetOptions) {
-        return getClient().set(key, value, topts);
-      },
-      removeItem(key) {
-        return getClient().delete(key);
-      },
-      async getKeys(
-        base?: string,
-        tops?: Omit<ListOptions, "prefix" | "paginate">
-      ) {
-        return (await getClient().list({ ...tops, prefix: base })).blobs.map(
-          (item) => item.key
-        );
-      },
-      async clear(base?: string) {
-        const client = getClient();
-        return Promise.allSettled(
-          (await client.list({ prefix: base })).blobs.map((item) =>
-            client.delete(item.key)
-          )
-        ).then(() => {});
-      },
-    };
-  }
-);
+  return {
+    name: DRIVER_NAME,
+    options,
+    getInstance: getClient,
+    async hasItem(key) {
+      return getClient().getMetadata(key).then(Boolean);
+    },
+    getItem: (key, tops?: GetOptions) => {
+      // @ts-expect-error has trouble with the overloaded types
+      return getClient().get(key, tops);
+    },
+    getMeta(key) {
+      return getClient().getMetadata(key);
+    },
+    getItemRaw(key, topts?: GetOptions) {
+      // @ts-expect-error has trouble with the overloaded types
+      return getClient().get(key, { type: topts?.type ?? "arrayBuffer" });
+    },
+    setItem(key, value, topts?: SetOptions) {
+      return getClient().set(key, value, topts);
+    },
+    setItemRaw(key, value: string | ArrayBuffer | Blob, topts?: SetOptions) {
+      return getClient().set(key, value, topts);
+    },
+    removeItem(key) {
+      return getClient().delete(key);
+    },
+    async getKeys(
+      base?: string,
+      tops?: Omit<ListOptions, "prefix" | "paginate">
+    ) {
+      return (await getClient().list({ ...tops, prefix: base })).blobs.map(
+        (item) => item.key
+      );
+    },
+    async clear(base?: string) {
+      const client = getClient();
+      return Promise.allSettled(
+        (await client.list({ prefix: base })).blobs.map((item) =>
+          client.delete(item.key)
+        )
+      ).then(() => {});
+    },
+  };
+});
diff --git a/src/drivers/planetscale.ts b/src/drivers/planetscale.ts
index 76d6fb18e..7f145db3c 100644
--- a/src/drivers/planetscale.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/planetscale.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: PlanetscaleDriverOptions = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getConnection,
     hasItem: async (key) => {
       const res = await getConnection().execute(
         `SELECT EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM ${opts.table} WHERE id = :key) as value;`,
diff --git a/src/drivers/redis.ts b/src/drivers/redis.ts
index 0694ba880..aee7444ac 100644
--- a/src/drivers/redis.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/redis.ts
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ export interface RedisOptions extends _RedisOptions {
 
 const DRIVER_NAME = "redis";
 
-export default defineDriver((opts: RedisOptions = {}) => {
+export default defineDriver((opts: RedisOptions) => {
   let redisClient: Redis | Cluster;
   const getRedisClient = () => {
     if (redisClient) {
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: RedisOptions = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: getRedisClient,
     async hasItem(key) {
       return Boolean(await getRedisClient().exists(p(key)));
     },
diff --git a/src/drivers/session-storage.ts b/src/drivers/session-storage.ts
index 46e7eb1a2..b5adfd15f 100644
--- a/src/drivers/session-storage.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/session-storage.ts
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ export default defineDriver((opts: SessionStorageOptions = {}) => {
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
     options: opts,
+    getInstance: () => opts.sessionStorage!,
     hasItem(key) {
       return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(opts.sessionStorage, r(key));
     },
diff --git a/src/drivers/utils/index.ts b/src/drivers/utils/index.ts
index 86e507f02..0aa3a1389 100644
--- a/src/drivers/utils/index.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/utils/index.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 import type { Driver } from "../..";
 
-type DriverFactory<T> = (opts: T) => Driver;
+type DriverFactory<OptionsT, InstanceT> = (
+  opts: OptionsT
+) => Driver<OptionsT, InstanceT>;
 interface ErrorOptions {}
 
-export function defineDriver<T = any>(
-  factory: DriverFactory<T>
-): DriverFactory<T> {
+export function defineDriver<OptionsT = any, InstanceT = never>(
+  factory: DriverFactory<OptionsT, InstanceT>
+): DriverFactory<OptionsT, InstanceT> {
   return factory;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/drivers/vercel-kv.ts b/src/drivers/vercel-kv.ts
index e18a9bd02..c151e5b7c 100644
--- a/src/drivers/vercel-kv.ts
+++ b/src/drivers/vercel-kv.ts
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export interface VercelKVOptions extends Partial<RedisConfigNodejs> {
 
 const DRIVER_NAME = "vercel-kv";
 
-export default defineDriver<VercelKVOptions>((opts) => {
+export default defineDriver<VercelKVOptions, VercelKV>((opts) => {
   const base = normalizeKey(opts?.base);
   const r = (...keys: string[]) => joinKeys(base, ...keys);
 
@@ -56,13 +56,16 @@ export default defineDriver<VercelKVOptions>((opts) => {
           );
         }
       }
-      _client = createClient(opts as RedisConfigNodejs);
+      _client = createClient(
+        opts as VercelKVOptions & { url: string; token: string }
+      );
     }
     return _client;
   };
 
   return {
     name: DRIVER_NAME,
+    getInstance: getClient,
     hasItem(key) {
       return getClient().exists(r(key)).then(Boolean);
     },
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 6a57293de..b408bbd70 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -16,9 +16,10 @@ export interface StorageMeta {
 
 export type TransactionOptions = Record<string, any>;
 
-export interface Driver {
+export interface Driver<OptionsT = any, InstanceT = any> {
   name?: string;
-  options?: any;
+  options?: OptionsT;
+  getInstance?: () => InstanceT;
   hasItem: (key: string, opts: TransactionOptions) => MaybePromise<boolean>;
   getItem: (
     key: string,
diff --git a/test/drivers/redis.test.ts b/test/drivers/redis.test.ts
index b8e08f0f4..6b5637166 100644
--- a/test/drivers/redis.test.ts
+++ b/test/drivers/redis.test.ts
@@ -1,17 +1,19 @@
 import { describe, vi, it, expect } from "vitest";
 import * as ioredis from "ioredis-mock";
-import driver from "../../src/drivers/redis";
+import redisDriver from "../../src/drivers/redis";
 import { testDriver } from "./utils";
 
 vi.mock("ioredis", () => ioredis);
 
 describe("drivers: redis", () => {
+  const driver = redisDriver({
+    base: "test:",
+    url: "ioredis://localhost:6379/0",
+    lazyConnect: false,
+  });
+
   testDriver({
-    driver: driver({
-      base: "test:",
-      url: "ioredis://localhost:6379/0",
-      lazyConnect: false,
-    }),
+    driver,
     additionalTests() {
       it("verify stored keys", async () => {
         const client = new ioredis.default("ioredis://localhost:6379/0");
@@ -38,6 +40,10 @@ describe("drivers: redis", () => {
         `);
         await client.disconnect();
       });
+
+      it("exposes instance", () => {
+        expect(driver.getInstance()).toBeInstanceOf(ioredis.default);
+      });
     },
   });
 });
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index e9588d9f9..50585e0e0 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
     "module": "ESNext",
     "moduleResolution": "Node",
     "esModuleInterop": true,
-    "strict": true
+    "strict": true,
+    "skipLibCheck": true
   },
   "include": ["src"]
 }