diff --git a/docs/docs/multi-tab-worker.md b/docs/docs/multi-tab-worker.md
index f64a9b9ea..ac0ff14e8 100644
--- a/docs/docs/multi-tab-worker.md
+++ b/docs/docs/multi-tab-worker.md
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ In addition to having all the standard methods of the [`PGlite` interface](./api
 - `id: string`<br>
   This is an optional `id` to group your PGlite workers. The leader election is run between all `PGliteWorker`s with the same `id`.<br>
   If not provided, the url to the worker is concatenated with the `dataDir` option to create an id.
+- `singleTab: boolean`<br>
+  Set to `true` if using `PGliteWorker` in an environment without `navigator.locks` support, such as a Capacitor app. These webviews have no tabs so there is no need to run a leader election. Defaults to `false`.
 - `meta: any`<br>
   Any additional metadata you would like to pass to the worker process `init` function.
 
diff --git a/packages/pglite/src/worker/index.ts b/packages/pglite/src/worker/index.ts
index 93a552173..80142e0aa 100644
--- a/packages/pglite/src/worker/index.ts
+++ b/packages/pglite/src/worker/index.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export type PGliteWorkerOptions<E extends Extensions = Extensions> =
   PGliteOptions<E> & {
     meta?: any
     id?: string
+    singleTab?: boolean
   }
 
 export class PGliteWorker
@@ -45,6 +46,8 @@ export class PGliteWorker
   #tabChannel?: BroadcastChannel
   #releaseTabCloseLock?: () => void
 
+  #singleTab: boolean
+
   #notifyListeners = new Map<string, Set<(payload: string) => void>>()
   #globalNotifyListeners = new Set<(channel: string, payload: string) => void>()
 
@@ -56,6 +59,7 @@ export class PGliteWorker
     this.#workerProcess = worker
     this.#tabId = uuid()
     this.#extensions = options?.extensions ?? {}
+    this.#singleTab = options?.singleTab ?? false
 
     this.#workerHerePromise = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
       this.#workerProcess.addEventListener(
@@ -148,46 +152,61 @@ export class PGliteWorker
     // Wait for the worker let us know it's ready
     await this.#workerReadyPromise
 
-    // Acquire the tab close lock, this is released then the tab, or this
-    // PGliteWorker instance, is closed
-    const tabCloseLockId = `pglite-tab-close:${this.#tabId}`
-    this.#releaseTabCloseLock = await acquireLock(tabCloseLockId)
-
-    // Start the broadcast channel used to communicate with tabs and leader election
-    const broadcastChannelId = `pglite-broadcast:${this.#workerID}`
-    this.#broadcastChannel = new BroadcastChannel(broadcastChannelId)
-
-    // Start the tab channel used to communicate with the leader directly
-    const tabChannelId = `pglite-tab:${this.#tabId}`
-    this.#tabChannel = new BroadcastChannel(tabChannelId)
-
-    this.#broadcastChannel.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
-      if (event.data.type === 'leader-here') {
-        this.#connected = false
-        this.#eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event('leader-change'))
-        this.#leaderNotifyLoop()
-      } else if (event.data.type === 'notify') {
-        this.#receiveNotification(event.data.channel, event.data.payload)
-      }
-    })
+    if (this.#singleTab) {
+      // In single-tab mode, skip multi-tab coordination
+      this.#connected = true
+      this.#isLeader = true
+      this.#debug = await this.#rpc('getDebugLevel')
+      this.#ready = true
+
+      // Listen for notifications directly from the worker
+      this.#workerProcess.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
+        if (event.data.type === 'notify') {
+          this.#receiveNotification(event.data.channel, event.data.payload)
+        }
+      })
+    } else {
+      // Acquire the tab close lock, this is released then the tab, or this
+      // PGliteWorker instance, is closed
+      const tabCloseLockId = `pglite-tab-close:${this.#tabId}`
+      this.#releaseTabCloseLock = await acquireLock(tabCloseLockId)
+
+      // Start the broadcast channel used to communicate with tabs and leader election
+      const broadcastChannelId = `pglite-broadcast:${this.#workerID}`
+      this.#broadcastChannel = new BroadcastChannel(broadcastChannelId)
+
+      // Start the tab channel used to communicate with the leader directly
+      const tabChannelId = `pglite-tab:${this.#tabId}`
+      this.#tabChannel = new BroadcastChannel(tabChannelId)
+
+      this.#broadcastChannel.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
+        if (event.data.type === 'leader-here') {
+          this.#connected = false
+          this.#eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event('leader-change'))
+          this.#leaderNotifyLoop()
+        } else if (event.data.type === 'notify') {
+          this.#receiveNotification(event.data.channel, event.data.payload)
+        }
+      })
 
-    this.#tabChannel.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
-      if (event.data.type === 'connected') {
-        this.#connected = true
-        this.#eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event('connected'))
-        this.#debug = await this.#rpc('getDebugLevel')
-        this.#ready = true
-      }
-    })
+      this.#tabChannel.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
+        if (event.data.type === 'connected') {
+          this.#connected = true
+          this.#eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event('connected'))
+          this.#debug = await this.#rpc('getDebugLevel')
+          this.#ready = true
+        }
+      })
 
-    this.#workerProcess.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
-      if (event.data.type === 'leader-now') {
-        this.#isLeader = true
-        this.#eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event('leader-change'))
-      }
-    })
+      this.#workerProcess.addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
+        if (event.data.type === 'leader-now') {
+          this.#isLeader = true
+          this.#eventTarget.dispatchEvent(new Event('leader-change'))
+        }
+      })
 
-    this.#leaderNotifyLoop()
+      this.#leaderNotifyLoop()
+    }
 
     // Init array types
     // We don't await this as it will result in a deadlock
@@ -209,6 +228,37 @@ export class PGliteWorker
     method: Method,
     ...args: Parameters<WorkerApi[Method]>
   ): Promise<ReturnType<WorkerApi[Method]>> {
+    if (this.#singleTab) {
+      // In single-tab mode, communicate directly with the worker
+      const callId = uuid()
+      const message: WorkerRpcCall<Method> = {
+        type: 'rpc-call',
+        callId,
+        method,
+        args,
+      }
+      this.#workerProcess.postMessage(message)
+      return await new Promise<ReturnType<WorkerApi[Method]>>(
+        (resolve, reject) => {
+          const listener = (event: MessageEvent) => {
+            if (event.data.callId !== callId) return
+            this.#workerProcess.removeEventListener('message', listener)
+            const message: WorkerRpcResponse<Method> = event.data
+            if (message.type === 'rpc-return') {
+              resolve(message.result)
+            } else if (message.type === 'rpc-error') {
+              const error = new Error(message.error.message)
+              Object.assign(error, message.error)
+              reject(error)
+            } else {
+              reject(new Error('Invalid message'))
+            }
+          }
+          this.#workerProcess.addEventListener('message', listener)
+        },
+      )
+    }
+
     const callId = uuid()
     const message: WorkerRpcCall<Method> = {
       type: 'rpc-call',
@@ -522,6 +572,50 @@ export async function worker({ init }: WorkerOptions) {
   // Let the main thread know we are ready
   postMessage({ type: 'ready', id })
 
+  const singleTab = options.singleTab ?? false
+
+  if (singleTab) {
+    // Single-tab mode: skip multi-tab coordination and start directly
+    const db = await init(options)
+
+    // Listen for notifications and send them to the main thread
+    db.onNotification((channel, payload) => {
+      postMessage({ type: 'notify', channel, payload })
+    })
+
+    const api = makeWorkerApi('single-tab', db)
+
+    // Handle RPC calls directly from the main thread
+    addEventListener('message', async (event) => {
+      const msg = event.data
+      if (msg.type === 'rpc-call') {
+        await db.waitReady
+        const { callId, method, args } = msg as WorkerRpcCall<WorkerRpcMethod>
+        try {
+          // @ts-ignore no apparent reason why it fails
+          const result = (await api[method](...args)) as WorkerRpcResult<
+            typeof method
+          >['result']
+          postMessage({
+            type: 'rpc-return',
+            callId,
+            result,
+          } satisfies WorkerRpcResult<typeof method>)
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error(error)
+          postMessage({
+            type: 'rpc-error',
+            callId,
+            error: { message: (error as Error).message },
+          } satisfies WorkerRpcError)
+        }
+      }
+    })
+
+    return
+  }
+
+  // Multi-tab mode: use locks and broadcast channels for coordination
   const electionLockId = `pglite-election-lock:${id}`
   const broadcastChannelId = `pglite-broadcast:${id}`
   const broadcastChannel = new BroadcastChannel(broadcastChannelId)
@@ -620,15 +714,18 @@ function makeWorkerApi(tabId: string, db: PGlite) {
 
   // If the tab is closed and it is holding a lock, release the the locks
   // and rollback any pending transactions
-  const tabCloseLockId = `pglite-tab-close:${tabId}`
-  acquireLock(tabCloseLockId).then(() => {
-    if (transactionLockRelease) {
-      // rollback any pending transactions
-      db.exec('ROLLBACK')
-    }
-    queryLockRelease?.()
-    transactionLockRelease?.()
-  })
+  // Skip this in single-tab mode (tabId === 'single-tab')
+  if (tabId !== 'single-tab') {
+    const tabCloseLockId = `pglite-tab-close:${tabId}`
+    acquireLock(tabCloseLockId).then(() => {
+      if (transactionLockRelease) {
+        // rollback any pending transactions
+        db.exec('ROLLBACK')
+      }
+      queryLockRelease?.()
+      transactionLockRelease?.()
+    })
+  }
 
   return {
     async getDebugLevel() {