diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 62d2139..a038590 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ AdvancedSelect is a small Rails engine for rendering an advanced select input wi
 - [Custom Option Content](#custom-option-content)
 - [Option Contract](#option-contract)
 - [Events](#events)
+- [Reading And Writing The Value](#reading-and-writing-the-value)
 - [Disabled State](#disabled-state)
 - [API Reference](#api-reference)
 - [Local Development](#local-development)
@@ -784,14 +785,38 @@ Prefer it over `change` on multiple selects. `change` is dispatched from the fir
 it does not fire at all once the last value is cleared from a field rendered with
 `include_hidden: false` — at that point the field has no inputs left.
 
-The current value is also readable from the controller:
+The current value is also readable from the controller — see [Reading And Writing The Value](#reading-and-writing-the-value).
+
+### Reading And Writing The Value
+
+The controller exposes the selection as a small programmatic API, so host code can drive a field
+without reaching into its markup:
 
 ```js
 const select = application.getControllerForElementAndIdentifier(element, "advanced-select")
 
-select.currentValue // => ["3", "7"]
+select.getValue()                              // => "7", or ["3", "7"] on a multiple select
+select.setValue("7")
+select.setValue(["3", "7"])                    // multiple selects also accept a single value
+select.setValue("7", { silent: true })         // assign without broadcasting a change
+select.refresh()                               // re-render from the current selection
 ```
 
+`getValue` returns the submit value — the option's `value` when it defines one, otherwise its `id`.
+It is a string for single selects, an array for multiple selects, and empty when nothing is
+selected.
+
+`setValue` resolves each value against the options currently in the list, matching either the
+option's id or its submit value, so `setValue("identity-7")` and `setValue("submit-7")` select the
+same row. A value that matches no option is still assigned and submitted, using the value itself as
+the label — this keeps a server-assigned value from being silently dropped. Passing `""`, `null`, or
+`[]` clears the field. On a single select only the first value of an array is kept.
+
+`silent: true` suppresses the `change` and `advanced-select:change` events for that one assignment.
+Use it when the value is being restored rather than chosen — replacing options after a Turbo Stream
+update, for example — so dependent fields do not cascade off a change the user did not make. The
+suppression lasts for a single render; the next assignment broadcasts normally.
+
 ### Disabled State
 
 Pass `disabled: true` to lock a field. It still renders its current selection —
diff --git a/app/javascript/advanced_select/advanced_select_controller.js b/app/javascript/advanced_select/advanced_select_controller.js
index 2646ff5..2e8a94c 100644
--- a/app/javascript/advanced_select/advanced_select_controller.js
+++ b/app/javascript/advanced_select/advanced_select_controller.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export default class extends Controller {
     this.timer = null
     this.requestSequence = 0
     this.activeIndex = -1
+    this.suppressChange = false
     this.placeholderClass = this.element.dataset.advancedSelectPlaceholderClass || "ui-advanced-select-placeholder"
     this.valueClass = this.element.dataset.advancedSelectValueClass || "ui-advanced-select-value"
     this.tokenClass = this.element.dataset.advancedSelectTokenClass || "ui-advanced-select-token"
@@ -164,6 +165,31 @@ export default class extends Controller {
     this.close()
   }
 
+  getValue() {
+    return this.currentValue
+  }
+
+  setValue(value, { silent = false } = {}) {
+    const requested = (Array.isArray(value) ? value : [value])
+      .filter((item) => item !== "" && item != null)
+      .map(String)
+    const values = this.multipleValue ? requested : requested.slice(0, 1)
+    const options = this.optionElements.map((element) => this.optionData(element))
+
+    this.selectedValue = values.map((item) => {
+      const option = options.find((candidate) => candidate.id === item || candidate.value === item)
+
+      return this.normalizeSelectedOption(option || { id: item, value: item, label: item })
+    })
+
+    this.suppressChange = silent
+    this.renderSelection()
+  }
+
+  refresh() {
+    this.renderSelection()
+  }
+
   keydown(event) {
     if (event.key === "ArrowDown") {
       event.preventDefault()
@@ -402,7 +428,12 @@ export default class extends Controller {
     this.renderOptionsState()
     this.caretTarget.classList.toggle("hidden", this.selectedValue.length > 0)
     this.clearTarget.classList.toggle("hidden", this.disabledValue || this.selectedValue.length === 0)
-    this.dispatchValueChange()
+
+    if (this.suppressChange) {
+      this.suppressChange = false
+    } else {
+      this.dispatchValueChange()
+    }
   }
 
   dispatchValueChange() {
diff --git a/lib/generators/advanced_select/install/templates/advanced_select_controller.js b/lib/generators/advanced_select/install/templates/advanced_select_controller.js
index 2646ff5..2e8a94c 100644
--- a/lib/generators/advanced_select/install/templates/advanced_select_controller.js
+++ b/lib/generators/advanced_select/install/templates/advanced_select_controller.js
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export default class extends Controller {
     this.timer = null
     this.requestSequence = 0
     this.activeIndex = -1
+    this.suppressChange = false
     this.placeholderClass = this.element.dataset.advancedSelectPlaceholderClass || "ui-advanced-select-placeholder"
     this.valueClass = this.element.dataset.advancedSelectValueClass || "ui-advanced-select-value"
     this.tokenClass = this.element.dataset.advancedSelectTokenClass || "ui-advanced-select-token"
@@ -164,6 +165,31 @@ export default class extends Controller {
     this.close()
   }
 
+  getValue() {
+    return this.currentValue
+  }
+
+  setValue(value, { silent = false } = {}) {
+    const requested = (Array.isArray(value) ? value : [value])
+      .filter((item) => item !== "" && item != null)
+      .map(String)
+    const values = this.multipleValue ? requested : requested.slice(0, 1)
+    const options = this.optionElements.map((element) => this.optionData(element))
+
+    this.selectedValue = values.map((item) => {
+      const option = options.find((candidate) => candidate.id === item || candidate.value === item)
+
+      return this.normalizeSelectedOption(option || { id: item, value: item, label: item })
+    })
+
+    this.suppressChange = silent
+    this.renderSelection()
+  }
+
+  refresh() {
+    this.renderSelection()
+  }
+
   keydown(event) {
     if (event.key === "ArrowDown") {
       event.preventDefault()
@@ -402,7 +428,12 @@ export default class extends Controller {
     this.renderOptionsState()
     this.caretTarget.classList.toggle("hidden", this.selectedValue.length > 0)
     this.clearTarget.classList.toggle("hidden", this.disabledValue || this.selectedValue.length === 0)
-    this.dispatchValueChange()
+
+    if (this.suppressChange) {
+      this.suppressChange = false
+    } else {
+      this.dispatchValueChange()
+    }
   }
 
   dispatchValueChange() {
diff --git a/test/system/advanced_select_interaction_test.rb b/test/system/advanced_select_interaction_test.rb
index 9301eac..85fb2ef 100644
--- a/test/system/advanced_select_interaction_test.rb
+++ b/test/system/advanced_select_interaction_test.rb
@@ -395,6 +395,131 @@ class AdvancedSelectInteractionTest < ApplicationSystemTestCase
     assert_equal [[]], advanced_select_events.map { |event| event["value"] }
   end
 
+  test "reads the submit value through getValue" do
+    visit root_path
+
+    assert_equal "", select_call("example_submit_id", "getValue()")
+
+    find("#example_submit_id_trigger").click
+    find("#example_submit_id_options button", text: "Submit Item").click
+
+    assert_selector "#example_submit_id_summary", text: "Submit Item"
+    assert_equal "submit-7", select_call("example_submit_id", "getValue()")
+  end
+
+  test "reads an array through getValue on a multiple select" do
+    visit root_path
+
+    assert_equal [], select_call("example_multiple_ids", "getValue()")
+
+    find("#example_multiple_ids_trigger").click
+    find("#example_multiple_ids_options button", text: "Multi One").click
+    find("#example_multiple_ids_options button", text: "Multi Two").click
+
+    assert_equal %w[multi-2 multi-1], select_call("example_multiple_ids", "getValue()")
+  end
+
+  test "selects a known option through setValue" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-2')")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local Two"
+    assert_selector "input[name='example[item_id]'][value='local-2']", visible: false
+
+    find("#example_item_id_trigger").click
+
+    assert_selected_option_check "example_item_id", "Local Two"
+  end
+
+  test "resolves setValue against the option id as well as its submit value" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_submit_id", "setValue('identity-7')")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_submit_id_summary", text: "Submit Item"
+    assert_selector "input[name='example[submit_id]'][value='submit-7']", visible: false
+  end
+
+  test "keeps an unknown setValue as a raw value" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('not-in-the-list')")
+
+    assert_selector "input[name='example[item_id]'][value='not-in-the-list']", visible: false
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "not-in-the-list"
+  end
+
+  test "assigns every value of an array through setValue on a multiple select" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_multiple_ids", "setValue(['multi-1', 'multi-2'])")
+
+    assert_selector "input[name='example[multiple_ids][]'][value='multi-1']", visible: false
+    assert_selector "input[name='example[multiple_ids][]'][value='multi-2']", visible: false
+    assert_equal %w[multi-1 multi-2], select_call("example_multiple_ids", "getValue()")
+  end
+
+  test "keeps only the first value of an array on a single select" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue(['local-2', 'local-1'])")
+
+    assert_equal "local-2", select_call("example_item_id", "getValue()")
+    assert_no_selector "input[name='example[item_id]'][value='local-1']", visible: false
+  end
+
+  test "clears the selection when setValue receives a blank value" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-2')")
+
+    assert_selector "input[name='example[item_id]'][value='local-2']", visible: false
+
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('')")
+
+    assert_no_selector "input[name='example[item_id]'][value='local-2']", visible: false
+    assert_equal "", select_call("example_item_id", "getValue()")
+  end
+
+  test "broadcasts a change from setValue unless it is silent" do
+    visit root_path
+    record_advanced_select_events("example[item_id]")
+
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-1')")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local One"
+    assert_equal ["local-1"], advanced_select_events.map { |event| event["value"] }
+
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-2', { silent: true })")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local Two"
+    assert_equal ["local-1"], advanced_select_events.map { |event| event["value"] }
+  end
+
+  test "broadcasts again after a silent setValue" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-1', { silent: true })")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local One"
+
+    record_advanced_select_events("example[item_id]")
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-2')")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local Two"
+    assert_equal ["local-2"], advanced_select_events.map { |event| event["value"] }
+  end
+
+  test "re-renders the current selection through refresh" do
+    visit root_path
+    select_call("example_item_id", "setValue('local-1', { silent: true })")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local One"
+
+    page.execute_script("document.getElementById('example_item_id_summary').replaceChildren()")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: ""
+
+    select_call("example_item_id", "refresh()")
+
+    assert_selector "#example_item_id_summary", text: "Local One"
+    assert_equal "local-1", select_call("example_item_id", "getValue()")
+  end
+
   test "renders its selection but cannot be opened while disabled" do
     visit root_path
 
@@ -482,6 +607,15 @@ def advanced_select_events
     page.evaluate_script("window.__advancedSelectEvents")
   end
 
+  def select_call(select_id, expression)
+    page.evaluate_script(<<~JS)
+      (() => {
+        const root = document.getElementById("#{select_id}_trigger").closest("[data-controller~='advanced-select']")
+        return window.Stimulus.getControllerForElementAndIdentifier(root, "advanced-select").#{expression}
+      })()
+    JS
+  end
+
   def dropdown_display(select_id)
     page.evaluate_script("getComputedStyle(document.getElementById('#{select_id}_dropdown')).display")
   end