diff --git a/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/startWebDriver.ts b/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/startWebDriver.ts
index 00450abd9..795faf44f 100644
--- a/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/startWebDriver.ts
+++ b/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/startWebDriver.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ import type { InstallOptions } from '@puppeteer/browsers'
 
 import type { Capabilities } from '@wdio/types'
 
-import { parseParams, setupPuppeteerBrowser, setupChromedriver, getCacheDir } from './utils.js'
+import { parseParams, setupPuppeteerBrowser, setupChromedriver, getCacheDir, generateDefaultPrefs } from './utils.js'
 import { isChrome, isFirefox, isEdge, isSafari, isAppiumCapability } from '../utils.js'
 import { SUPPORTED_BROWSERNAMES } from '../constants.js'
 
@@ -84,8 +84,10 @@ export async function startWebDriver (options: Capabilities.RemoteConfig) {
             ? { executablePath: chromedriverBinary }
             : await setupChromedriver(cacheDir, browserVersion)
 
+        const prefs = generateDefaultPrefs(caps)
         caps['goog:chromeOptions'] = deepmerge(
-            { binary: chromeExecuteablePath, prefs: { 'profile.password_manager_leak_detection': false } },
+            { binary: chromeExecuteablePath },
+            prefs,
             caps['goog:chromeOptions'] || {}
         )
         chromedriverOptions.allowedOrigins = chromedriverOptions.allowedOrigins || ['*']
diff --git a/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/utils.ts b/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/utils.ts
index 47a005f77..60e92ef76 100644
--- a/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/utils.ts
+++ b/packages/wdio-utils/src/node/utils.ts
@@ -323,3 +323,9 @@ export function setupGeckodriver (cacheDir: string, driverVersion?: string) {
 export function setupEdgedriver (cacheDir: string, driverVersion?: string) {
     return downloadEdgedriver(driverVersion, cacheDir)
 }
+
+export function generateDefaultPrefs(caps: WebdriverIO.Capabilities) {
+    return caps['goog:chromeOptions']?.debuggerAddress
+        ? {}
+        : { prefs: { 'profile.password_manager_leak_detection': false } }
+}
diff --git a/packages/wdio-utils/tests/node/index.test.ts b/packages/wdio-utils/tests/node/index.test.ts
index ea73c5341..c444c9540 100644
--- a/packages/wdio-utils/tests/node/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/wdio-utils/tests/node/index.test.ts
@@ -226,6 +226,29 @@ describe('startWebDriver', () => {
         )
     })
 
+    it('should start driver with no prefs if debuggerAddress is set', async () => {
+        const options = {
+            capabilities: {
+                browserName: 'chrome',
+                'goog:chromeOptions': { debuggerAddress: 'localhost:9222' }
+            } as any
+        }
+        const res = await startWebDriver(options)
+        expect(Boolean(res?.stdout)).toBe(true)
+        expect(options).toEqual({
+            hostname: 'localhost',
+            port: 1234,
+            capabilities: {
+                browserName: 'chrome',
+                'goog:chromeOptions': {
+                    // no prefs should be set in this case
+                    binary: expect.any(String),
+                    debuggerAddress: 'localhost:9222'
+                }
+            }
+        })
+    })
+
     it('should start no driver or download chrome if binaries are defined', async () => {
         const options = {
             capabilities: {