diff --git a/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/cosmwasmclient.ts b/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/cosmwasmclient.ts
index aebe895c..c3c73c6a 100644
--- a/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/cosmwasmclient.ts
+++ b/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/cosmwasmclient.ts
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import {
 import {
   HttpEndpoint,
   Tendermint34Client,
+  Tendermint37Client,
   TendermintClient,
   toRfc3339WithNanoseconds,
 } from "@cosmjs/tendermint-rpc";
@@ -95,11 +96,22 @@ export class CosmWasmClient {
   /**
    * Creates an instance by connecting to the given Tendermint RPC endpoint.
    *
-   * For now this uses the Tendermint 0.34 client. If you need Tendermint 0.37
-   * support, see `create`.
+   * This uses auto-detection to decide between a Tendermint 0.37 and 0.34 client.
+   * To set the Tendermint client explicitly, use `create`.
    */
   public static async connect(endpoint: string | HttpEndpoint): Promise<CosmWasmClient> {
-    const tmClient = await Tendermint34Client.connect(endpoint);
+    // Tendermint/CometBFT 0.34/0.37 auto-detection. Starting with 0.37 we seem to get reliable versions again 🎉
+    // Using 0.34 as the fallback.
+    let tmClient: TendermintClient;
+    const tm37Client = await Tendermint37Client.connect(endpoint);
+    const version = (await tm37Client.status()).nodeInfo.version;
+    if (version.startsWith("0.37.")) {
+      tmClient = tm37Client;
+    } else {
+      tm37Client.disconnect();
+      tmClient = await Tendermint34Client.connect(endpoint);
+    }
+
     return CosmWasmClient.create(tmClient);
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/signingcosmwasmclient.ts b/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/signingcosmwasmclient.ts
index 03f6fe2f..031107e2 100644
--- a/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/signingcosmwasmclient.ts
+++ b/packages/cosmwasm-stargate/src/signingcosmwasmclient.ts
@@ -31,7 +31,12 @@ import {
   SignerData,
   StdFee,
 } from "@cosmjs/stargate";
-import { HttpEndpoint, Tendermint34Client, TendermintClient } from "@cosmjs/tendermint-rpc";
+import {
+  HttpEndpoint,
+  Tendermint34Client,
+  Tendermint37Client,
+  TendermintClient,
+} from "@cosmjs/tendermint-rpc";
 import { assert, assertDefined } from "@cosmjs/utils";
 import { MsgWithdrawDelegatorReward } from "cosmjs-types/cosmos/distribution/v1beta1/tx";
 import { MsgDelegate, MsgUndelegate } from "cosmjs-types/cosmos/staking/v1beta1/tx";
@@ -182,15 +187,26 @@ export class SigningCosmWasmClient extends CosmWasmClient {
   /**
    * Creates an instance by connecting to the given Tendermint RPC endpoint.
    *
-   * For now this uses the Tendermint 0.34 client. If you need Tendermint 0.37
-   * support, see `createWithSigner`.
+   * This uses auto-detection to decide between a Tendermint 0.37 and 0.34 client.
+   * To set the Tendermint client explicitly, use `createWithSigner`.
    */
   public static async connectWithSigner(
     endpoint: string | HttpEndpoint,
     signer: OfflineSigner,
     options: SigningCosmWasmClientOptions = {},
   ): Promise<SigningCosmWasmClient> {
-    const tmClient = await Tendermint34Client.connect(endpoint);
+    // Tendermint/CometBFT 0.34/0.37 auto-detection. Starting with 0.37 we seem to get reliable versions again 🎉
+    // Using 0.34 as the fallback.
+    let tmClient: TendermintClient;
+    const tm37Client = await Tendermint37Client.connect(endpoint);
+    const version = (await tm37Client.status()).nodeInfo.version;
+    if (version.startsWith("0.37.")) {
+      tmClient = tm37Client;
+    } else {
+      tm37Client.disconnect();
+      tmClient = await Tendermint34Client.connect(endpoint);
+    }
+
     return SigningCosmWasmClient.createWithSigner(tmClient, signer, options);
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/stargate/src/signingstargateclient.ts b/packages/stargate/src/signingstargateclient.ts
index ee4c2715..1216e0eb 100644
--- a/packages/stargate/src/signingstargateclient.ts
+++ b/packages/stargate/src/signingstargateclient.ts
@@ -118,8 +118,8 @@ export class SigningStargateClient extends StargateClient {
   /**
    * Creates an instance by connecting to the given Tendermint RPC endpoint.
    *
-   * For now this uses the Tendermint 0.34 client. If you need Tendermint 0.37
-   * support, see `createWithSigner`.
+   * This uses auto-detection to decide between a Tendermint 0.37 and 0.34 client.
+   * To set the Tendermint client explicitly, use `createWithSigner`.
    */
   public static async connectWithSigner(
     endpoint: string | HttpEndpoint,
diff --git a/packages/stargate/src/stargateclient.ts b/packages/stargate/src/stargateclient.ts
index 43d92a25..7f437573 100644
--- a/packages/stargate/src/stargateclient.ts
+++ b/packages/stargate/src/stargateclient.ts
@@ -193,8 +193,8 @@ export class StargateClient {
   /**
    * Creates an instance by connecting to the given Tendermint RPC endpoint.
    *
-   * For now this uses the Tendermint 0.34 client. If you need Tendermint 0.37
-   * support, see `create`.
+   * This uses auto-detection to decide between a Tendermint 0.37 and 0.34 client.
+   * To set the Tendermint client explicitly, use `create`.
    */
   public static async connect(
     endpoint: string | HttpEndpoint,