diff --git a/android/manifest.gradle b/android/manifest.gradle
index 1632052..e942b18 100644
--- a/android/manifest.gradle
+++ b/android/manifest.gradle
@@ -7,5 +7,5 @@ ext {
     mavenGradleVersion = '2.1'
 
     // Textile
-    textileVersion = '2.0.8'
+    textileVersion = '2.0.9'
 }
diff --git a/android/src/main/java/io/textile/rnmobile/IpfsBridge.java b/android/src/main/java/io/textile/rnmobile/IpfsBridge.java
index 8783bc9..3729115 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/io/textile/rnmobile/IpfsBridge.java
+++ b/android/src/main/java/io/textile/rnmobile/IpfsBridge.java
@@ -39,6 +39,25 @@ public void run() {
         });
     }
 
+    @ReactMethod
+    public void connect(final String multiaddr, final Promise promise) {
+        executor.execute(new Runnable() {
+            @Override
+            public void run() {
+                try {
+                    if (Textile.instance().ipfs.swarmConnect(multiaddr)) {
+                        promise.resolve(true);
+                    } else {
+                        promise.reject(new Exception("connect"));
+                    }
+                }
+                catch (final Exception e) {
+                    promise.reject("connect", e);
+                }
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
     @ReactMethod
     public void dataAtPath(final String path, final Promise promise) {
         executor.execute(new Runnable() {
diff --git a/src/ipfs.ts b/src/ipfs.ts
index 30211ba..d471963 100644
--- a/src/ipfs.ts
+++ b/src/ipfs.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,19 @@ export async function peerId(): Promise<string> {
   return result as string
 }
 
+/**
+ * Open a new direct connection to a peer using an IPFS multiaddr
+ * ```typescript
+ * Textile.ipfs.connect(multiaddr);
+ * ```
+ */
+export async function connect(
+    multiaddr: string
+): Promise<boolean> {
+  const result = await IpfsBridge.connect(multiaddr)
+  return result
+}
+
 /**
  * Get raw file data by IPFS path. See `cat` method in IPFS.
  * ```typescript