diff --git a/pubsub.go b/pubsub.go
index 8efa9dc..6f63b87 100644
--- a/pubsub.go
+++ b/pubsub.go
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ type PubSub struct {
 	// addSub is a control channel for us to add and remove subscriptions
 	addSub chan *addSubReq
 
+	// addRelay is a control channel for us to add and remove relays
+	addRelay chan *addRelayReq
+
 	// get list of topics we are subscribed to
 	getTopics chan *topicReq
 
@@ -97,6 +100,9 @@ type PubSub struct {
 	// The set of topics we are subscribed to
 	mySubs map[string]map[*Subscription]struct{}
 
+	// The set of topics we are relaying for
+	myRelays map[string]int
+
 	// The set of topics we are interested in
 	myTopics map[string]*Topic
 
@@ -210,6 +216,7 @@ func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, rt PubSubRouter, opts ...Option
 		cancelCh:              make(chan *Subscription),
 		getPeers:              make(chan *listPeerReq),
 		addSub:                make(chan *addSubReq),
+		addRelay:              make(chan *addRelayReq),
 		addTopic:              make(chan *addTopicReq),
 		rmTopic:               make(chan *rmTopicReq),
 		getTopics:             make(chan *topicReq),
@@ -219,6 +226,7 @@ func NewPubSub(ctx context.Context, h host.Host, rt PubSubRouter, opts ...Option
 		eval:                  make(chan func()),
 		myTopics:              make(map[string]*Topic),
 		mySubs:                make(map[string]map[*Subscription]struct{}),
+		myRelays:              make(map[string]int),
 		topics:                make(map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}),
 		peers:                 make(map[peer.ID]chan *RPC),
 		blacklist:             NewMapBlacklist(),
@@ -493,6 +501,8 @@ func (p *PubSub) processLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 			p.handleRemoveSubscription(sub)
 		case sub := <-p.addSub:
 			p.handleAddSubscription(sub)
+		case relay := <-p.addRelay:
+			p.handleAddRelay(relay)
 		case preq := <-p.getPeers:
 			tmap, ok := p.topics[preq.topic]
 			if preq.topic != "" && !ok {
@@ -638,6 +648,25 @@ func (p *PubSub) handleAddSubscription(req *addSubReq) {
 	req.resp <- sub
 }
 
+// handleAddRelay adds a relay for a particular topic. If it is
+// the first relay for the topic, it will announce that this node
+// relays for the topic.
+// Only called from processLoop.
+func (p *PubSub) handleAddRelay(req *addRelayReq) {
+	relays := p.myRelays[req.topic]
+
+	// announce we want this topic
+	if relays == 0 {
+		p.disc.Advertise(req.topic)
+		p.announce(req.topic, true)
+		p.rt.Join(req.topic)
+	}
+
+	p.myRelays[req.topic]++
+
+	req.resp <- nil
+}
+
 // announce announces whether or not this node is interested in a given topic
 // Only called from processLoop.
 func (p *PubSub) announce(topic string, sub bool) {
@@ -1070,3 +1099,8 @@ func (p *PubSub) UnregisterTopicValidator(topic string) error {
 	}
 	return <-rmVal.resp
 }
+
+type addRelayReq struct {
+	topic string
+	resp  chan error
+}
diff --git a/topic.go b/topic.go
index 1b57c86..e684340 100644
--- a/topic.go
+++ b/topic.go
@@ -121,6 +121,32 @@ func (t *Topic) Subscribe(opts ...SubOpt) (*Subscription, error) {
 	return <-out, nil
 }
 
+// Relay enables message relaying for the topic. Subsequent calls increase
+// the reference counter. To completely disable the relay, all references
+// must be revoked.
+func (t *Topic) Relay() error {
+	t.mux.RLock()
+	defer t.mux.RUnlock()
+	if t.closed {
+		return ErrTopicClosed
+	}
+
+	out := make(chan error, 1)
+
+	t.p.disc.Discover(t.topic)
+
+	select {
+	case t.p.addRelay <- &addRelayReq{
+		topic: t.topic,
+		resp:  out,
+	}:
+	case <-t.p.ctx.Done():
+		return t.p.ctx.Err()
+	}
+
+	return <-out
+}
+
 // RouterReady is a function that decides if a router is ready to publish
 type RouterReady func(rt PubSubRouter, topic string) (bool, error)