diff --git a/.changeset/empty-experts-unite.md b/.changeset/empty-experts-unite.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..78d0f2e86377
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/empty-experts-unite.md
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+---
+'astro': minor
+---
+
+Persistent DOM and Islands in Experimental View Transitions
+
+With `viewTransitions: true` enabled in your Astro config's experimental section, pages using the `<ViewTransition />` routing component can now access a new `transition:persist` directive. 
+
+With this directive, you can keep the state of DOM elements and islands on the old page when transitioning to the new page.
+
+For example, to keep a video playing across page navigation, add `transition:persist` to the element:
+
+```astro
+<video controls="" autoplay="" transition:persist>
+  <source src="https://ia804502.us.archive.org/33/items/GoldenGa1939_3/GoldenGa1939_3_512kb.mp4" type="video/mp4">
+</video>
+```
+
+This `<video>` element, with its current state, will be moved over to the next page (if the video also exists on that page).
+
+Likewise, this feature works with any client-side framework component island. In this example, a counter's state is preserved and moved to the new page:
+
+```astro
+<Counter count={5} client:load transition:persist />
+```
+
+See our [View Transitions Guide](https://docs.astro.build/en/guides/view-transitions/#maintaining-state) to learn more on usage.
diff --git a/packages/astro/components/ViewTransitions.astro b/packages/astro/components/ViewTransitions.astro
index 7197674db419..d08cf3466d2b 100644
--- a/packages/astro/components/ViewTransitions.astro
+++ b/packages/astro/components/ViewTransitions.astro
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const { fallback = 'animate' } = Astro.props as Props;
 		!!document.querySelector('[name="astro-view-transitions-enabled"]');
 	const triggerEvent = (name: Events) => document.dispatchEvent(new Event(name));
 	const onload = () => triggerEvent('astro:load');
+	const PERSIST_ATTR = 'data-astro-transition-persist';
 
 	const throttle = (cb: (...args: any[]) => any, delay: number) => {
 		let wait = false;
@@ -86,9 +87,51 @@ const { fallback = 'animate' } = Astro.props as Props;
 	async function updateDOM(dir: Direction, html: string, state?: State, fallback?: Fallback) {
 		const doc = parser.parseFromString(html, 'text/html');
 		doc.documentElement.dataset.astroTransition = dir;
+
+		// Check for a head element that should persist, either because it has the data
+		// attribute or is a link el.
+		const persistedHeadElement = (el: Element): Element | null => {
+			const id = el.getAttribute(PERSIST_ATTR);
+			const newEl = id && doc.head.querySelector(`[${PERSIST_ATTR}="${id}"]`);
+			if(newEl) {
+				return newEl;
+			}
+			if(el.matches('link[rel=stylesheet]')) {
+				const href = el.getAttribute('href');
+				return doc.head.querySelector(`link[rel=stylesheet][href="${href}"]`);
+			}
+			return null;
+		};
+
 		const swap = () => {
-			document.documentElement.replaceWith(doc.documentElement);
+			// Swap head
+			for(const el of Array.from(document.head.children)) {
+				const newEl = persistedHeadElement(el);
+				// If the element exists in the document already, remove it
+				// from the new document and leave the current node alone
+				if(newEl) {
+					newEl.remove();
+				} else {
+					// Otherwise remove the element in the head. It doesn't exist in the new page.
+					el.remove();
+				}
+			}
+			// Everything left in the new head is new, append it all.
+			document.head.append(...doc.head.children);
 
+			// Move over persist stuff in the body
+			const oldBody = document.body;
+			document.body.replaceWith(doc.body);
+			for(const el of oldBody.querySelectorAll(`[${PERSIST_ATTR}]`)) {
+				const id = el.getAttribute(PERSIST_ATTR);
+				const newEl = document.querySelector(`[${PERSIST_ATTR}="${id}"]`);
+				if(newEl) {
+					// The element exists in the new page, replace it with the element
+					// from the old page so that state is preserved.
+					newEl.replaceWith(el);
+				}
+			}
+			
 			if (state?.scrollY != null) {
 				scrollTo(0, state.scrollY);
 			}
@@ -97,17 +140,21 @@ const { fallback = 'animate' } = Astro.props as Props;
 		};
 
 		// Wait on links to finish, to prevent FOUC
-		const links = Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll('head link[rel=stylesheet]')).map(
-			(link) =>
-				new Promise((resolve) => {
-					const c = link.cloneNode();
+		const links: Promise<any>[] = [];
+		for(const el of doc.querySelectorAll('head link[rel=stylesheet]')) {
+			// Do not preload links that are already on the page.
+			if(!document.querySelector(`[${PERSIST_ATTR}="${el.getAttribute(PERSIST_ATTR)}"], link[rel=stylesheet]`)) {
+				const c = document.createElement('link');
+				c.setAttribute('rel', 'preload');
+				c.setAttribute('as', 'style');
+				c.setAttribute('href', el.getAttribute('href')!);
+				links.push(new Promise<any>(resolve => {
 					['load', 'error'].forEach((evName) => c.addEventListener(evName, resolve));
 					document.head.append(c);
-				})
-		);
-		if (links.length) {
-			await Promise.all(links);
+				}));
+			}
 		}
+		links.length && await Promise.all(links);
 
 		if (fallback === 'animate') {
 			let isAnimating = false;
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/astro.config.mjs b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/astro.config.mjs
index 9e89fa72e62a..c0df0074c658 100644
--- a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/astro.config.mjs
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/astro.config.mjs
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
 import { defineConfig } from 'astro/config';
+import react from '@astrojs/react';
 
 // https://astro.build/config
 export default defineConfig({
+	integrations: [react()],
 	experimental: {
 		viewTransitions: true,
 		assets: true,
 	},
+	vite: {
+		build: {
+			assetsInlineLimit: 0,
+		},
+	},
 });
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/package.json b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/package.json
index 50258fd1a16b..90a07f839755 100644
--- a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/package.json
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/package.json
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
   "version": "0.0.0",
   "private": true,
   "dependencies": {
-    "astro": "workspace:*"
+    "astro": "workspace:*",
+    "@astrojs/react": "workspace:*",
+    "react": "^18.1.0",
+    "react-dom": "^18.1.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Island.css b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Island.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fb21044d78cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Island.css
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+.counter {
+	display: grid;
+	font-size: 2em;
+	grid-template-columns: repeat(3, minmax(0, 1fr));
+	margin-top: 2em;
+	place-items: center;
+}
+
+.counter-message {
+	text-align: center;
+}
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Island.jsx b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Island.jsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cde38498028b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Island.jsx
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+import React, { useState } from 'react';
+import './Island.css';
+
+export default function Counter({ children, count: initialCount, id }) {
+	const [count, setCount] = useState(initialCount);
+	const add = () => setCount((i) => i + 1);
+	const subtract = () => setCount((i) => i - 1);
+
+	return (
+		<>
+			<div id={id} className="counter">
+				<button className="decrement" onClick={subtract}>-</button>
+				<pre>{count}</pre>
+				<button className="increment" onClick={add}>+</button>
+			</div>
+			<div className="counter-message">{children}</div>
+		</>
+	);
+}
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Video.astro b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Video.astro
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7235266bc67b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/components/Video.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+<video controls="" autoplay="" name="media" transition:persist transition:name="video">
+	<source src="https://ia804502.us.archive.org/33/items/GoldenGa1939_3/GoldenGa1939_3_512kb.mp4" type="video/mp4">
+</video>
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/island-one.astro b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/island-one.astro
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..89822a01be93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/island-one.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+import Layout from '../components/Layout.astro';
+import Island from '../components/Island.jsx';
+---
+<Layout>
+	<p id="island-one">Page 1</p>
+	<a id="click-two" href="/island-two">go to 2</a>
+	<Island count={5} client:load transition:persist transition:name="counter" />
+</Layout>
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/island-two.astro b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/island-two.astro
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3841ca8970c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/island-two.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+---
+import Layout from '../components/Layout.astro';
+import Island from '../components/Island.jsx';
+---
+<Layout>
+	<p id="island-two">Page 2</p>
+	<a id="click-one" href="/island-one">go to 1</a>
+	<Island count={2} client:load transition:persist transition:name="counter" />
+</Layout>
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/video-one.astro b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/video-one.astro
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..76f221c630b4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/video-one.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+import Layout from '../components/Layout.astro';
+import Video from '../components/Video.astro';
+---
+<Layout>
+	<p id="video-one">Page 1</p>
+	<a id="click-two" href="/video-two">go to 2</a>
+	<Video />
+	<script>
+		const vid = document.querySelector('video');
+		vid.addEventListener('canplay', () => {
+			// Jump to the 1 minute mark
+			vid.currentTime = 60;
+			vid.dataset.ready = '';
+		}, { once: true });
+	</script>
+</Layout>
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/video-two.astro b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/video-two.astro
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..7a947a85d78a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions/src/pages/video-two.astro
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+---
+import Layout from '../components/Layout.astro';
+import Video from '../components/Video.astro';
+---
+<style>
+	#video-two {
+		color: blue;
+	}
+</style>
+<Layout>
+	<p id="video-two">Page 2</p>
+	<a id="click-one" href="/video-one">go to 1</a>
+	<Video />
+</Layout>
diff --git a/packages/astro/e2e/view-transitions.test.js b/packages/astro/e2e/view-transitions.test.js
index e71b892ba8ad..2498a5a8a49c 100644
--- a/packages/astro/e2e/view-transitions.test.js
+++ b/packages/astro/e2e/view-transitions.test.js
@@ -243,4 +243,40 @@ test.describe('View Transitions', () => {
 		const img = page.locator('img[data-astro-transition-scope]');
 		await expect(img).toBeVisible('The image tag should have the transition scope attribute.');
 	});
+
+	test('<video> can persist using transition:persist', async ({ page, astro }) => {
+		const getTime = () => document.querySelector('video').currentTime;
+
+		// Go to page 1
+		await page.goto(astro.resolveUrl('/video-one'));
+		const vid = page.locator('video[data-ready]');
+		await expect(vid).toBeVisible();
+		const firstTime = await page.evaluate(getTime);
+		
+		// Navigate to page 2
+		await page.click('#click-two');
+		const p = page.locator('#video-two');
+		await expect(p).toBeVisible();
+		const secondTime = await page.evaluate(getTime);
+
+		expect(secondTime).toBeGreaterThanOrEqual(firstTime);
+	});
+
+	test('Islands can persist using transition:persist', async ({ page, astro }) => {
+		// Go to page 1
+		await page.goto(astro.resolveUrl('/island-one'));
+		let cnt = page.locator('.counter pre');
+		await expect(cnt).toHaveText('5');
+
+		await page.click('.increment');
+		await expect(cnt).toHaveText('6');
+		
+		// Navigate to page 2
+		await page.click('#click-two');
+		const p = page.locator('#island-two');
+		await expect(p).toBeVisible();
+		cnt = page.locator('.counter pre');
+		// Count should remain
+		await expect(cnt).toHaveText('6');
+	});
 });
diff --git a/packages/astro/package.json b/packages/astro/package.json
index e093a4f1d0e8..dfd5badf4ae8 100644
--- a/packages/astro/package.json
+++ b/packages/astro/package.json
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@
     "test:e2e:match": "playwright test -g"
   },
   "dependencies": {
-    "@astrojs/compiler": "^1.6.3",
+    "@astrojs/compiler": "^1.8.0",
     "@astrojs/internal-helpers": "^0.1.1",
     "@astrojs/language-server": "^1.0.0",
     "@astrojs/markdown-remark": "^2.2.1",
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/@types/astro.ts b/packages/astro/src/@types/astro.ts
index 59e295ebac66..1c7152fec261 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/@types/astro.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/@types/astro.ts
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ export interface AstroBuiltinAttributes {
 	'is:raw'?: boolean;
 	'transition:animate'?: 'morph' | 'slide' | 'fade' | TransitionDirectionalAnimations;
 	'transition:name'?: string;
+	'transition:persist'?: boolean | string;
 }
 
 export interface AstroDefineVarsAttribute {
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/core/compile/compile.ts b/packages/astro/src/core/compile/compile.ts
index c1df9e5f3e62..33dcec0ccfda 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/core/compile/compile.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/core/compile/compile.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ export async function compile({
 			scopedStyleStrategy: astroConfig.scopedStyleStrategy,
 			resultScopedSlot: true,
 			experimentalTransitions: astroConfig.experimental.viewTransitions,
+			experimentalPersistence: astroConfig.experimental.viewTransitions,
 			transitionsAnimationURL: 'astro/components/viewtransitions.css',
 			preprocessStyle: createStylePreprocessor({
 				filename,
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/hydration.ts b/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/hydration.ts
index bb8d64912979..598d0a9cf7b7 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/hydration.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/hydration.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ interface ExtractedProps {
 	props: Record<string | number | symbol, any>;
 }
 
+const transitionDirectivesToCopyOnIsland = Object.freeze(['data-astro-transition-scope', 'data-astro-transition-persist']);
+
 // Used to extract the directives, aka `client:load` information about a component.
 // Finds these special props and removes them from what gets passed into the component.
 export function extractDirectives(
@@ -166,5 +168,11 @@ export async function generateHydrateScript(
 		})
 	);
 
+	transitionDirectivesToCopyOnIsland.forEach(name => {
+		if(props[name]) {
+			island.props[name] = props[name];
+		}
+	});
+
 	return island;
 }
diff --git a/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/transition.ts b/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/transition.ts
index 253a861f9f42..c348d292daf3 100644
--- a/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/transition.ts
+++ b/packages/astro/src/runtime/server/transition.ts
@@ -17,10 +17,11 @@ function incrementTransitionNumber(result: SSRResult) {
 	return num;
 }
 
-function createTransitionScope(result: SSRResult, hash: string) {
+export function createTransitionScope(result: SSRResult, hash: string) {
 	const num = incrementTransitionNumber(result);
 	return `astro-${hash}-${num}`;
 }
+
 export function renderTransition(
 	result: SSRResult,
 	hash: string,
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 1372602ecf39..6c2305f6ebc2 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -486,8 +486,8 @@ importers:
   packages/astro:
     dependencies:
       '@astrojs/compiler':
-        specifier: ^1.6.3
-        version: 1.6.3
+        specifier: ^1.8.0
+        version: 1.8.0
       '@astrojs/internal-helpers':
         specifier: ^0.1.1
         version: link:../internal-helpers
@@ -1487,9 +1487,18 @@ importers:
 
   packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/view-transitions:
     dependencies:
+      '@astrojs/react':
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../../../../integrations/react
       astro:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../../..
+      react:
+        specifier: ^18.1.0
+        version: 18.2.0
+      react-dom:
+        specifier: ^18.1.0
+        version: 18.2.0(react@18.2.0)
 
   packages/astro/e2e/fixtures/vue-component:
     dependencies:
@@ -5602,8 +5611,8 @@ packages:
       sisteransi: 1.0.5
     dev: false
 
-  /@astrojs/compiler@1.6.3:
-    resolution: {integrity: sha512-n0xTuBznKspc0plk6RHBOlSv/EwQGyMNSxEOPj7HMeiRNnXX4woeSopN9hQsLkqraDds1eRvB4u99buWgVNJig==}
+  /@astrojs/compiler@1.8.0:
+    resolution: {integrity: sha512-E0TI/uyO8n+IPSZ4Fvl9Lne8JKEasR6ZMGvE2G096oTWOXSsPAhRs2LomV3z+/VRepo2h+t/SdVo54wox4eJwA==}
 
   /@astrojs/internal-helpers@0.1.1:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-+LySbvFbjv2nO2m/e78suleQOGEru4Cnx73VsZbrQgB2u7A4ddsQg3P2T0zC0e10jgcT+c6nNlKeLpa6nRhQIg==}
@@ -5613,7 +5622,7 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-oEw7AwJmzjgy6HC9f5IdrphZ1GVgfV/+7xQuyf52cpTiRWd/tJISK3MsKP0cDkVlfodmNABNFnAaAWuLZEiiiA==}
     hasBin: true
     dependencies:
-      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.6.3
+      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.8.0
       '@jridgewell/trace-mapping': 0.3.18
       '@vscode/emmet-helper': 2.8.8
       events: 3.3.0
@@ -15692,7 +15701,7 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-dPzop0gKZyVGpTDQmfy+e7FKXC9JT3mlpfYA2diOVz+Ui+QR1U4G/s+OesKl2Hib2JJOtAYJs/l+ovgT0ljlFA==}
     engines: {node: ^14.15.0 || >=16.0.0, pnpm: '>=7.14.0'}
     dependencies:
-      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.6.3
+      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.8.0
       prettier: 2.8.8
       sass-formatter: 0.7.6
     dev: true
@@ -15701,7 +15710,7 @@ packages:
     resolution: {integrity: sha512-lJ/mG/Lz/ccSwNtwqpFS126mtMVzFVyYv0ddTF9wqwrEG4seECjKDAyw/oGv915rAcJi8jr89990nqfpmG+qdg==}
     engines: {node: ^14.15.0 || >=16.0.0, pnpm: '>=7.14.0'}
     dependencies:
-      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.6.3
+      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.8.0
       prettier: 2.8.8
       sass-formatter: 0.7.6
       synckit: 0.8.5
@@ -18709,7 +18718,7 @@ packages:
       sharp:
         optional: true
     dependencies:
-      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.6.3
+      '@astrojs/compiler': 1.8.0
       '@astrojs/internal-helpers': 0.1.1
       '@astrojs/language-server': 1.0.0
       '@astrojs/markdown-remark': 2.2.1(astro@2.9.7)