diff --git a/.changes/stronghold-constructor.md b/.changes/stronghold-constructor.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..99966095
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/stronghold-constructor.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"stronghold-js": minor
+---
+
+Added `Stronghold.load` and removed its constructor.
diff --git a/plugins/stronghold/guest-js/index.ts b/plugins/stronghold/guest-js/index.ts
index 3339f87f..071eabf1 100644
--- a/plugins/stronghold/guest-js/index.ts
+++ b/plugins/stronghold/guest-js/index.ts
@@ -395,21 +395,20 @@ export class Stronghold {
    * @param path
    * @param password
    */
-  constructor(path: string, password: string) {
+  private constructor(path: string) {
     this.path = path;
-    void this.reload(password);
   }
 
   /**
-   * Force a reload of the snapshot. The password must match.
+   * Load the snapshot if it exists (password must match), or start a fresh stronghold instance otherwise.
    * @param password
    * @returns
    */
-  private async reload(password: string): Promise<void> {
+  static async load(path: string, password: string): Promise<Stronghold> {
     return await invoke("plugin:stronghold|initialize", {
-      snapshotPath: this.path,
+      snapshotPath: path,
       password,
-    });
+    }).then(() => new Stronghold(path));
   }
 
   /**