diff --git a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows.cc b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows.cc
index 2629b42f150c0..874b97d537c22 100644
--- a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows.cc
+++ b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows.cc
@@ -72,18 +72,27 @@ static FlutterDesktopTextureRegistrarRef HandleForTextureRegistrar(
   return reinterpret_cast<FlutterDesktopTextureRegistrarRef>(registrar);
 }
 
-FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef FlutterDesktopViewControllerCreate(
+// Creates a view controller that might own the engine.
+//
+// If `owns_engine` is true, then the returned `FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef`
+// owns `engine_ref` and will deallocate `engine_ref` upon its own destruction.
+static FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef CreateViewController(
+    FlutterDesktopEngineRef engine_ref,
     int width,
     int height,
-    FlutterDesktopEngineRef engine_ref) {
+    bool owns_engine) {
   flutter::FlutterWindowsEngine* engine_ptr = EngineFromHandle(engine_ref);
   std::unique_ptr<flutter::WindowBindingHandler> window_wrapper =
       std::make_unique<flutter::FlutterWindow>(
           width, height, engine_ptr->windows_proc_table());
 
-  auto engine = std::unique_ptr<flutter::FlutterWindowsEngine>(engine_ptr);
+  std::unique_ptr<flutter::FlutterWindowsEngine> engine;
+  if (owns_engine) {
+    engine = std::unique_ptr<flutter::FlutterWindowsEngine>(engine_ptr);
+  }
+
   std::unique_ptr<flutter::FlutterWindowsView> view =
-      engine->CreateView(std::move(window_wrapper));
+      engine_ptr->CreateView(std::move(window_wrapper));
   auto controller = std::make_unique<flutter::FlutterWindowsViewController>(
       std::move(engine), std::move(view));
 
@@ -105,6 +114,20 @@ FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef FlutterDesktopViewControllerCreate(
   return HandleForViewController(controller.release());
 }
 
+FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef FlutterDesktopViewControllerCreate(
+    int width,
+    int height,
+    FlutterDesktopEngineRef engine) {
+  return CreateViewController(engine, width, height, /*owns_engine=*/true);
+}
+
+FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef FlutterDesktopEngineCreateViewController(
+    FlutterDesktopEngineRef engine,
+    const FlutterDesktopViewControllerProperties* properties) {
+  return CreateViewController(engine, properties->width, properties->height,
+                              /*owns_engine=*/false);
+}
+
 void FlutterDesktopViewControllerDestroy(FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef ref) {
   auto controller = ViewControllerFromHandle(ref);
   delete controller;
diff --git a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_internal.h b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_internal.h
index 47b98e983a48a..bb1e6f767905f 100644
--- a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_internal.h
+++ b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_internal.h
@@ -14,6 +14,31 @@ extern "C" {
 // Declare functions that are currently in-progress and shall be exposed to the
 // public facing API upon completion.
 
+// Properties for configuring a Flutter view controller.
+typedef struct {
+  // The view's initial width.
+  int width;
+
+  // The view's initial height.
+  int height;
+} FlutterDesktopViewControllerProperties;
+
+// Creates a view for the given engine.
+//
+// The |engine| will be started if it is not already running.
+//
+// The caller owns the returned reference, and is responsible for calling
+// |FlutterDesktopViewControllerDestroy|. Returns a null pointer in the event of
+// an error.
+//
+// Unlike |FlutterDesktopViewControllerCreate|, this does *not* take ownership
+// of |engine| and |FlutterDesktopEngineDestroy| must be called to destroy
+// the engine.
+FLUTTER_EXPORT FlutterDesktopViewControllerRef
+FlutterDesktopEngineCreateViewController(
+    FlutterDesktopEngineRef engine,
+    const FlutterDesktopViewControllerProperties* properties);
+
 typedef int64_t PlatformViewId;
 
 typedef struct {
diff --git a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_unittests.cc b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_unittests.cc
index 58b5b50b1db6e..37fbbcabd5c24 100644
--- a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_unittests.cc
+++ b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_unittests.cc
@@ -120,6 +120,27 @@ TEST_F(WindowsTest, LaunchHeadlessEngine) {
   ASSERT_NE(engine, nullptr);
 }
 
+// Verify that the engine can return to headless mode.
+TEST_F(WindowsTest, EngineCanTransitionToHeadless) {
+  auto& context = GetContext();
+  WindowsConfigBuilder builder(context);
+  EnginePtr engine{builder.RunHeadless()};
+  ASSERT_NE(engine, nullptr);
+
+  // Create and then destroy a view controller that does not own its engine.
+  // This causes the engine to transition back to headless mode.
+  {
+    FlutterDesktopViewControllerProperties properties = {};
+    ViewControllerPtr controller{
+        FlutterDesktopEngineCreateViewController(engine.get(), &properties)};
+
+    ASSERT_NE(controller, nullptr);
+  }
+
+  // The engine is back in headless mode now.
+  ASSERT_NE(engine, nullptr);
+}
+
 // Verify that accessibility features are initialized when a view is created.
 TEST_F(WindowsTest, LaunchRefreshesAccessibility) {
   auto& context = GetContext();
diff --git a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_view_controller.h b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_view_controller.h
index c8b697dcb6a99..10175fc9546ba 100644
--- a/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_view_controller.h
+++ b/shell/platform/windows/flutter_windows_view_controller.h
@@ -19,11 +19,22 @@ class FlutterWindowsViewController {
                                std::unique_ptr<FlutterWindowsView> view)
       : engine_(std::move(engine)), view_(std::move(view)) {}
 
-  FlutterWindowsEngine* engine() { return engine_.get(); }
+  FlutterWindowsEngine* engine() { return view_->GetEngine(); }
   FlutterWindowsView* view() { return view_.get(); }
 
  private:
+  // The engine owned by this view controller, if any.
+  //
+  // This is used only if the view controller was created
+  // using |FlutterDesktopViewControllerCreate| as that takes
+  // ownership of the engine. Destroying this view controller
+  // also destroys the engine.
+  //
+  // View controllers created using |FlutterDesktopEngineCreateViewController|
+  // do not take ownership of the engine and this will be null. Destroying
+  // this view controller does not destroy the engine.
   std::unique_ptr<FlutterWindowsEngine> engine_;
+
   std::unique_ptr<FlutterWindowsView> view_;
 };
 
diff --git a/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.cc b/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.cc
index f39b4db64377d..2395b5ed524a0 100644
--- a/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.cc
+++ b/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.cc
@@ -108,6 +108,8 @@ ViewControllerPtr WindowsConfigBuilder::Run() const {
 
   int width = 600;
   int height = 400;
+
+  // Create a view controller that owns the engine.
   ViewControllerPtr controller{
       FlutterDesktopViewControllerCreate(width, height, engine.release())};
   if (!controller) {
diff --git a/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.h b/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.h
index f634c86f53948..1b54b5e009a40 100644
--- a/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.h
+++ b/shell/platform/windows/testing/windows_test_config_builder.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ class WindowsConfigBuilder {
   EnginePtr RunHeadless() const;
 
   // Returns a configured and initialized view controller that runs the
-  // configured Dart entrypoint.
+  // configured Dart entrypoint and owns its engine.
   //
   // Returns null on failure.
   ViewControllerPtr Run() const;