diff --git a/libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-core/microsoft_agents/hosting/core/app/agent_application.py b/libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-core/microsoft_agents/hosting/core/app/agent_application.py
index 9f8bf220..1368f624 100644
--- a/libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-core/microsoft_agents/hosting/core/app/agent_application.py
+++ b/libraries/microsoft-agents-hosting-core/microsoft_agents/hosting/core/app/agent_application.py
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ class AgentApplication(Agent, Generic[StateT]):
     _route_list: _RouteList[StateT]
     _error: Optional[Callable[[TurnContext, Exception], Awaitable[None]]] = None
     _turn_state_factory: Optional[Callable[[TurnContext], StateT]] = None
+    _connection_manager: Connections
 
     def __init__(
         self,
@@ -159,7 +160,15 @@ def __init__(
 
         # TODO: decide how to initialize the Authorization (params vs options vs kwargs)
         if authorization:
+            if connection_manager:
+                logger.error(
+                    "AgentApplication: connection_manager is not needed when authorization is provided."
+                )
+                raise ApplicationError(
+                    "The `AgentApplication` does not take a `connection_manager` when `authorization` is provided."
+                )
             self._auth = authorization
+            self._connection_manager = self._auth.connection_manager
         else:
             if not connection_manager:
                 logger.error(
@@ -178,9 +187,20 @@ def __init__(
             self._auth = Authorization(
                 storage=self._options.storage,
                 connection_manager=connection_manager,
-                handlers=options.authorization_handlers,
+                auth_handlers=options.authorization_handlers,
                 **auth_options,
             )
+            self._connection_manager = connection_manager
+
+    @property
+    def connection_manager(self) -> Connections:
+        """
+        The application's connection manager.
+
+        :return: The connection manager for the application.
+        :rtype: :class:`microsoft_agents.hosting.core.authorization.Connections`
+        """
+        return self._connection_manager
 
     @property
     def adapter(self) -> ChannelServiceAdapter:
diff --git a/tests/hosting_core/app/test_agent_application.py b/tests/hosting_core/app/test_agent_application.py
index 54871803..30c56f73 100644
--- a/tests/hosting_core/app/test_agent_application.py
+++ b/tests/hosting_core/app/test_agent_application.py
@@ -433,3 +433,50 @@ async def on_event(ctx, state):
     await app.on_turn(StubTurnContext(_make_event_activity()))
 
     assert calls == ["event", "after"]
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# connection_manager property and constructor guard
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+
+def test_init_raises_when_both_authorization_and_connection_manager_provided():
+    """Providing both authorization and connection_manager is ambiguous and should raise."""
+    with pytest.raises(ApplicationError):
+        AgentApplication[TurnState](
+            options=ApplicationOptions(storage=MemoryStorage()),
+            authorization=make_auth(),
+            connection_manager=_ConnectionManager(),
+        )
+
+
+def test_connection_manager_property_returns_manager_from_authorization():
+    """When authorization is provided, connection_manager property reflects auth's manager."""
+    cm = _ConnectionManager()
+    auth = Authorization(storage=MemoryStorage(), connection_manager=cm)
+    app = AgentApplication[TurnState](
+        options=ApplicationOptions(storage=MemoryStorage()),
+        authorization=auth,
+    )
+    assert app.connection_manager is cm
+
+
+def test_connection_manager_property_returns_directly_passed_manager():
+    """When connection_manager kwarg is used (no authorization), the property returns it."""
+    cm = _ConnectionManager()
+    app = AgentApplication[TurnState](
+        options=ApplicationOptions(storage=MemoryStorage()),
+        connection_manager=cm,
+    )
+    assert app.connection_manager is cm
+
+
+def test_init_with_connection_manager_only_creates_auth():
+    """Passing only connection_manager should auto-create an Authorization instance."""
+    cm = _ConnectionManager()
+    app = AgentApplication[TurnState](
+        options=ApplicationOptions(storage=MemoryStorage()),
+        connection_manager=cm,
+    )
+    assert app.auth is not None
+    assert app.connection_manager is cm