diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index 40c86805..31a09481 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ const Server = require('./lib/server')
 const connect = require('./lib/connect')
 const { FIREWALL, BOOTSTRAP_NODES, KNOWN_NODES, COMMANDS } = require('./lib/constants')
 const { hash, createKeyPair } = require('./lib/crypto')
-const { decode } = require('hypercore-id-encoding')
 const RawStreamSet = require('./lib/raw-stream-set')
 const ConnectionPool = require('./lib/connection-pool')
 const { STREAM_NOT_CONNECTED } = require('./lib/errors')
@@ -78,7 +77,7 @@ class HyperDHT extends DHT {
   static DEFAULTS = DEFAULTS
 
   connect(remotePublicKey, opts) {
-    return connect(this, decode(remotePublicKey), opts)
+    return connect(this, remotePublicKey, opts)
   }
 
   createServer(opts, onconnection) {
diff --git a/lib/connect.js b/lib/connect.js
index bad3c896..3dc18fdc 100644
--- a/lib/connect.js
+++ b/lib/connect.js
@@ -28,14 +28,22 @@ const {
   RELAY_ABORTED,
   SUSPENDED
 } = require('./errors')
+const { decode } = require('hypercore-id-encoding')
+const HyperDHTAddress = require('hyperdht-address')
 
 module.exports = function connect(dht, publicKey, opts = {}) {
   const pool = opts.pool || null
 
+  const { key, nodes: providedNodes } = HyperDHTAddress.decode(
+    b4a.isBuffer(publicKey) ? publicKey : decode(publicKey)
+  )
+  publicKey = key
+
   if (pool && pool.has(publicKey)) return pool.get(publicKey)
 
   publicKey = unslab(publicKey)
 
+  opts.relayAddresses = opts.relayAddresses || providedNodes || []
   const keyPair = opts.keyPair || dht.defaultKeyPair
   const relayThrough = selectRelay(opts.relayThrough || null)
   const encryptedSocket = (opts.createSecretStream || defaultCreateSecretStream)(true, null, {
@@ -58,7 +66,7 @@ module.exports = function connect(dht, publicKey, opts = {}) {
     id,
     dht,
     session: dht.session(),
-    relayAddresses: opts.relayAddresses || [],
+    relayAddresses: opts.relayAddresses,
     remoteRelayAddresses: [],
     pool,
     round: 0,
@@ -315,36 +323,51 @@ async function holepunch(c, opts) {
   }
 }
 
+async function connectThroughNodes(c, addresses, socket) {
+  for (const address of addresses) {
+    if (isDone(c) || c.connect) return
+
+    c.remoteRelayAddresses.push(address)
+    await connectThroughNode(c, address, socket)
+  }
+}
+
 async function findAndConnect(c, opts) {
   let attempts = 0
-  let closestNodes = opts.relayAddresses && opts.relayAddresses.length ? opts.relayAddresses : null
+  let relayAddresses =
+    opts.relayAddresses && opts.relayAddresses.length ? opts.relayAddresses : null
 
-  if (!closestNodes) {
+  if (!relayAddresses) {
     const cachedRelayAddresses = c.dht._relayAddressesCache.get(c.id)
-    if (cachedRelayAddresses) closestNodes = cachedRelayAddresses
+    if (cachedRelayAddresses) relayAddresses = cachedRelayAddresses
   }
 
   if (c.dht._persistent) {
     // check if we know the route ourself...
     const route = c.dht._router.get(c.target)
     if (route && route.relay !== null) {
-      closestNodes = [{ host: route.relay.host, port: route.relay.port }]
+      relayAddresses = [{ host: route.relay.host, port: route.relay.port }]
     }
   }
 
   // 2 is how many parallel connect attempts we want to do, we can make this configurable
-  const sem = new Semaphore(2)
+  const preConnect = relayAddresses !== null && relayAddresses.length > 0
+  const sem = new Semaphore(preConnect ? 3 : 2)
   const signal = sem.signal.bind(sem)
-  const tries = closestNodes !== null ? 2 : 1
+  const tries = relayAddresses !== null ? 2 : 1
+
+  if (preConnect) {
+    await sem.wait()
+    connectThroughNodes(c, relayAddresses, null).then(signal, signal)
+  }
 
   try {
     for (let i = 0; i < tries && !isDone(c) && !c.connect; i++) {
       c.query = c.dht.findPeer(c.target, {
         hash: false,
         session: c.session,
-        closestNodes,
-        onlyClosestNodes: closestNodes !== null,
-        retries: closestNodes ? 1 : 3
+        nodes: relayAddresses,
+        retries: 3
       })
 
       for await (const data of c.query) {
@@ -356,12 +379,18 @@ async function findAndConnect(c, opts) {
           break
         }
 
+        // Skip node already run via preConnect
+        if (preConnect && relayAddresses && isRelayAddress(relayAddresses, data)) {
+          sem.signal()
+          continue
+        }
+
         c.remoteRelayAddresses.push(data.from)
         attempts++
         connectThroughNode(c, data.from, null).then(signal, signal)
       }
 
-      closestNodes = null
+      relayAddresses = null
 
       if (attempts > 0) await sem.flush()
     }
@@ -847,4 +876,12 @@ function selectRelay(relayThrough) {
   return relayThrough
 }
 
+function isRelayAddress(relayAddresses, data) {
+  for (const node of relayAddresses) {
+    if (node.host === data.from.host && node.port === data.from.port) return true
+  }
+
+  return false
+}
+
 function noop() {}
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 8eb19986..1e5cc477 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
     "dht-rpc": "^6.15.1",
     "hypercore-crypto": "^3.3.0",
     "hypercore-id-encoding": "^1.2.0",
+    "hyperdht-address": "^1.0.1",
     "noise-curve-ed": "^2.0.0",
     "noise-handshake": "^4.0.0",
     "record-cache": "^1.1.1",
diff --git a/test/all.js b/test/all.js
index 6c5c24f7..a74f2446 100644
--- a/test/all.js
+++ b/test/all.js
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ async function runTests() {
   test.pause()
 
   await import('./announces.js')
+  await import('./cache.js')
   await import('./connections.js')
   await import('./holepuncher.js')
   await import('./lifecycle.js')
diff --git a/test/cache.js b/test/cache.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6909dfbb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/cache.js
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+const test = require('brittle')
+const { swarm } = require('./helpers')
+const HyperDHTAddress = require('hyperdht-address')
+
+test('cache - key with nodes', async function (t) {
+  t.plan(3)
+
+  const [a, b] = await swarm(t)
+  const ts = t.test('server')
+
+  ts.plan(2)
+
+  const server = a.createServer(function (socket) {
+    ts.pass('server side opened')
+
+    socket.once('end', function () {
+      ts.pass('server side ended')
+      socket.end()
+    })
+  })
+
+  await server.listen()
+
+  {
+    const tn = t.test('client w/nodes')
+    tn.plan(2)
+
+    const target = HyperDHTAddress.encode(server.publicKey, server.relayAddresses)
+
+    const socket = b.connect(target)
+
+    socket.once('open', function () {
+      tn.pass('client side opened')
+    })
+
+    socket.once('end', function () {
+      tn.pass('client side ended')
+    })
+
+    socket.end()
+
+    await tn
+  }
+
+  server.on('close', function () {
+    t.pass('server closed')
+  })
+
+  await server.close()
+})
diff --git a/test/pool.js b/test/pool.js
index bcc8b1c2..6712e1ea 100644
--- a/test/pool.js
+++ b/test/pool.js
@@ -46,12 +46,16 @@ test('connection pool, server side', async function (t) {
 
   const open = t.test('open')
   open.plan(2)
+  let atLeastOneOpen = false
 
   {
     const socket = b.connect(server.publicKey)
     socket
       .on('open', () => {
+        if (atLeastOneOpen) return
+
         open.pass('1st stream opened')
+        atLeastOneOpen = true
       })
       .on('error', () => {
         open.pass('1st stream errored')
@@ -62,7 +66,10 @@ test('connection pool, server side', async function (t) {
     const socket = b.connect(server.publicKey)
     socket
       .on('open', () => {
+        if (atLeastOneOpen) return
+
         open.pass('2nd stream opened')
+        atLeastOneOpen = true
       })
       .on('error', () => {
         open.pass('2nd stream errored')
@@ -71,6 +78,7 @@ test('connection pool, server side', async function (t) {
   }
 
   await open
+  t.ok(atLeastOneOpen, 'verify one client opened')
 
   await server.close()
 })