The animal gut microbiome strongly influences host health and ecology. Blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) are ecologically significant filter-feeding bivalves whose gut microbiome can support nutrient uptake, immunity, and stress resilience. While disturbances like changes in temperature or diet can directly disrupt the bivalve gut microbiome, it remains unclear whether mechanical disturbances that stress the bivalve host have the potential of indirectly affecting the gut microbiome. We measured the effects of two such disturbances to M. edulis from natural populations in Long Island Sound. We aimed to 1) assess the degree of host stress by measuring how mechanical disturbances affect filter feeding, and 2) determine if these disturbances could lead to shifts in gut microbial community composition. Mussels were disturbed via clipping of the mantle organ (simulated crab assault) or shaking (simulated storm event). Disturbed and control mussels were transferred to individual microcosms and rates of clearance of Tetraselmis algae were calculated as a measure of host stress. Mantle-clipped mussels remained closed for longer periods and had significantly lower clearance rates compared to controls (Fig. 1A), indicating compromised metabolic state and food capture efficiency. We also analyzed effects of shaking and mantle-clipping on the M. edulis resident gut microbiome. Following control or disturbance regimes, mussels were allowed to void gut contents in individual, sterilized microcosms for up to 24 hours, then dissected aseptically to isolate gut tissue. Total gut DNA was extracted, the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene amplified using Earth Microbiome primers, and libraries sequenced using 300bp paired-end sequencing. The resident gut microbiome of mantle-clipped mussels was significantly different from experimental controls, changing the proportions of several key bacterial taxa (Fig. 1B). These results demonstrate that a mechanical disturbance can result in both host stress and gut microbiome disruption in bivalves, potentially exacerbating the effects of downstream anthropogenic stressors.