diff --git a/gossipsub.go b/gossipsub.go
index 088ab95..16c0774 100644
--- a/gossipsub.go
+++ b/gossipsub.go
@@ -146,6 +146,30 @@ func WithPeerExchange(doPX bool) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// WithDirectPeers is a gossipsub router option that specifies peers with direct
+// peering agreements. These peers are connected outside of the mesh, with all (valid)
+// message unconditionally forwarded to them. The router will maintain open connections
+// to these peers. Note that the peering agreement should be reciprocal with direct peers
+// symmetrically configured at both ends.
+func WithDirectPeers(pis []peer.AddrInfo) Option {
+	return func(ps *PubSub) error {
+		gs, ok := ps.rt.(*GossipSubRouter)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("pubsub router is not gossipsub")
+		}
+
+		direct := make(map[peer.ID]struct{})
+		for _, pi := range pis {
+			direct[pi.ID] = struct{}{}
+			ps.host.Peerstore().AddAddrs(pi.ID, pi.Addrs, peerstore.PermanentAddrTTL)
+		}
+
+		gs.direct = direct
+
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // GossipSubRouter is a router that implements the gossipsub protocol.
 // For each topic we have joined, we maintain an overlay through which
 // messages flow; this is the mesh map.
@@ -156,6 +180,7 @@ func WithPeerExchange(doPX bool) Option {
 type GossipSubRouter struct {
 	p       *PubSub
 	peers   map[peer.ID]protocol.ID          // peer protocols
+	direct  map[peer.ID]struct{}             // direct peers
 	mesh    map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}  // topic meshes
 	fanout  map[string]map[peer.ID]struct{}  // topic fanout
 	lastpub map[string]int64                 // last publish time for fanout topics
@@ -221,12 +246,27 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) Attach(p *PubSub) {
 	for i := 0; i < GossipSubConnectors; i++ {
 		go gs.connector()
 	}
+
+	// connect to direct peers
+	if len(gs.direct) > 0 {
+		go func() {
+			for p := range gs.direct {
+				gs.connect <- connectInfo{p: p}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
 }
 
 func (gs *GossipSubRouter) AddPeer(p peer.ID, proto protocol.ID) {
 	log.Debugf("PEERUP: Add new peer %s using %s", p, proto)
 	gs.tracer.AddPeer(p, proto)
 	gs.peers[p] = proto
+
+	// tag peer if it is a direct peer
+	_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+	if direct {
+		gs.p.host.ConnManager().TagPeer(p, "pubsub:direct", 1000)
+	}
 }
 
 func (gs *GossipSubRouter) RemovePeer(p peer.ID) {
@@ -273,7 +313,8 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) EnoughPeers(topic string, suggested int) bool {
 }
 
 func (gs *GossipSubRouter) AcceptFrom(p peer.ID) bool {
-	return gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.graylistThreshold
+	_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+	return direct || gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.graylistThreshold
 }
 
 func (gs *GossipSubRouter) HandleRPC(rpc *RPC) {
@@ -392,6 +433,17 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) handleGraft(p peer.ID, ctl *pb.ControlMessage) []*pb.
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// we don't GRAFT to/from direct peers; complain loudly if this happens
+		_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+		if direct {
+			log.Warningf("GRAFT: ignoring request from direct peer %s", p)
+			// this is possibly a bug from non-reciprocal configuration; send a PRUNE
+			prune = append(prune, topic)
+			// but don't PX
+			doPX = false
+			continue
+		}
+
 		// check the score
 		if score < 0 {
 			// we don't GRAFT peers with negative score
@@ -569,13 +621,22 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) Publish(msg *Message) {
 
 		if gs.floodPublish && from == gs.p.host.ID() {
 			for p := range tmap {
-				if gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.publishThreshold {
+				_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+				if direct || gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.publishThreshold {
 					tosend[p] = struct{}{}
 				}
 			}
 			continue
 		}
 
+		// direct peers
+		for p := range gs.direct {
+			_, inTopic := tmap[p]
+			if inTopic {
+				tosend[p] = struct{}{}
+			}
+		}
+
 		// floodsub peers
 		for p := range tmap {
 			if gs.peers[p] == FloodSubID && gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.publishThreshold {
@@ -639,9 +700,10 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) Join(topic string) {
 		if len(gmap) < GossipSubD {
 			// we need more peers; eager, as this would get fixed in the next heartbeat
 			more := gs.getPeers(topic, GossipSubD-len(gmap), func(p peer.ID) bool {
-				// filter our current peers and peers with negative scores
-				_, ok := gmap[p]
-				return !ok && gs.score.Score(p) >= 0
+				// filter our current peers, direct peers, and peers with negative scores
+				_, inMesh := gmap[p]
+				_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+				return !inMesh && !direct && gs.score.Score(p) >= 0
 			})
 			for _, p := range more {
 				gmap[p] = struct{}{}
@@ -652,8 +714,9 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) Join(topic string) {
 		delete(gs.lastpub, topic)
 	} else {
 		peers := gs.getPeers(topic, GossipSubD, func(p peer.ID) bool {
-			// filter peers with negative score
-			return gs.score.Score(p) >= 0
+			// filter direct peers and peers with negative score
+			_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+			return !direct && gs.score.Score(p) >= 0
 		})
 		gmap = peerListToMap(peers)
 		gs.mesh[topic] = gmap
@@ -782,6 +845,9 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) heartbeat() {
 	// clean up expired backoffs
 	gs.clearBackoff()
 
+	// ensure direct peers are connected
+	gs.directConnect()
+
 	// maintain the mesh for topics we have joined
 	for topic, peers := range gs.mesh {
 		prunePeer := func(p peer.ID) {
@@ -813,10 +879,11 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) heartbeat() {
 			backoff := gs.backoff[topic]
 			ineed := GossipSubD - len(peers)
 			plst := gs.getPeers(topic, ineed, func(p peer.ID) bool {
-				// filter our current peers, peers we are backing off, and peers with negative score
+				// filter our current and direct peers, peers we are backing off, and peers with negative score
 				_, inMesh := peers[p]
 				_, doBackoff := backoff[p]
-				return !inMesh && !doBackoff && gs.score.Score(p) >= 0
+				_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+				return !inMesh && !doBackoff && !direct && gs.score.Score(p) >= 0
 			})
 
 			for _, p := range plst {
@@ -875,9 +942,10 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) heartbeat() {
 		if len(peers) < GossipSubD {
 			ineed := GossipSubD - len(peers)
 			plst := gs.getPeers(topic, ineed, func(p peer.ID) bool {
-				// filter our current peers and peers with score above the publish threshold
-				_, ok := peers[p]
-				return !ok && gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.publishThreshold
+				// filter our current and direct peers and peers with score above the publish threshold
+				_, inFanout := peers[p]
+				_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+				return !inFanout && !direct && gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.publishThreshold
 			})
 
 			for _, p := range plst {
@@ -916,6 +984,30 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) clearBackoff() {
 	}
 }
 
+func (gs *GossipSubRouter) directConnect() {
+	// we donly do this every 150 ticks to allow pending connections to complete and account
+	// for restarts/downtime
+	if gs.heartbeatTicks%150 != 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	var toconnect []peer.ID
+	for p := range gs.direct {
+		_, connected := gs.peers[p]
+		if !connected {
+			toconnect = append(toconnect, p)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if len(toconnect) > 0 {
+		go func() {
+			for _, p := range toconnect {
+				gs.connect <- connectInfo{p: p}
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+}
+
 func (gs *GossipSubRouter) sendGraftPrune(tograft, toprune map[peer.ID][]string, noPX map[peer.ID]bool) {
 	for p, topics := range tograft {
 		graft := make([]*pb.ControlGraft, 0, len(topics))
@@ -960,10 +1052,12 @@ func (gs *GossipSubRouter) emitGossip(topic string, exclude map[peer.ID]struct{}
 	// Send gossip to GossipFactor peers above threshold, with a minimum of D_lazy.
 	// First we collect the peers above gossipThreshold that are not in the exclude set
 	// and then randomly select from that set.
+	// We also exclude direct peers, as there is no reason to emit gossip to them.
 	peers := make([]peer.ID, 0, len(gs.p.topics[topic]))
 	for p := range gs.p.topics[topic] {
 		_, inExclude := exclude[p]
-		if !inExclude && (gs.peers[p] == GossipSubID_v10 || gs.peers[p] == GossipSubID_v11) && gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.gossipThreshold {
+		_, direct := gs.direct[p]
+		if !inExclude && !direct && (gs.peers[p] == GossipSubID_v10 || gs.peers[p] == GossipSubID_v11) && gs.score.Score(p) >= gs.gossipThreshold {
 			peers = append(peers, p)
 		}
 	}