diff --git a/lib/sessions/hypercore.js b/lib/sessions/hypercore.js
index 8c7470b..a61da9b 100644
--- a/lib/sessions/hypercore.js
+++ b/lib/sessions/hypercore.js
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ module.exports = class HypercoreSession {
     if (this._sessionState.hasResource('@hypercore/close-' + id)) {
       this._sessionState.deleteResource('@hypercore/close-' + id)
     }
+    if (this._sessionState.hasResource('@hypercore/download-' + id)) {
+      this._sessionState.deleteResource('@hypercore/download-' + id)
+    }
     const downloadSet = this._downloads.get(id)
     if (!downloadSet) return
     for (const resourceId of downloadSet) {
@@ -208,4 +211,27 @@ module.exports = class HypercoreSession {
     core[LOCK] = null
     this._sessionState.deleteResource(LOCK)
   }
+
+  async watchDownloads ({ id }) {
+    if (this._sessionState.hasResource('@hypercore/download-' + id)) {
+      return
+    }
+    const core = this._sessionState.getCore(id)
+    const downloadListener = seq => {
+      this._client.hypercore.onDownloadNoReply({
+        id,
+        seq
+      })
+    }
+    core.on('download', downloadListener)
+    this._sessionState.addResource('@hypercore/download-' + id, null, () => {
+      core.removeListener('download', downloadListener)
+    })
+  }
+
+  async unwatchDownloads ({ id }) {
+    if (this._sessionState.hasResource('@hypercore/download-' + id)) {
+      this._sessionState.deleteResource('@hypercore/download-' + id)
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test/networked.js b/test/networked.js
index 239d1f5..c8b091a 100644
--- a/test/networked.js
+++ b/test/networked.js
@@ -459,6 +459,67 @@ test('can read a live stream', async t => {
   t.end()
 })
 
+test('can watch downloads and appends', async t => {
+  const { clients, cleanup } = await createMany(2)
+
+  const client1 = clients[0]
+  const client2 = clients[1]
+  const corestore1 = client1.corestore()
+  const corestore2 = client2.corestore()
+
+  const core1 = corestore1.get()
+  await core1.ready()
+  await core1.append(Buffer.from('zero', 'utf8'))
+  await core1.append(Buffer.from('one', 'utf8'))
+  await core1.append(Buffer.from('two', 'utf8'))
+  await client1.network.configure(core1.discoveryKey, { announce: true, lookup: true, flush: true })
+
+  const core2 = corestore2.get(core1.key)
+  await core2.ready()
+
+  let downloads = 0
+  let appends = 0
+  core2.on('download', () => (downloads++))
+  core2.on('append', () => (appends++))
+
+  await client2.network.configure(core1.discoveryKey, { announce: false, lookup: true })
+
+  let downloadPromise = watchDownloadPromise(core2, 2)
+  let block = await core2.get(2)
+  t.same(block.toString('utf8'), 'two')
+  await downloadPromise
+
+  downloadPromise = watchDownloadPromise(core2, 0)
+  block = await core2.get(0)
+  t.same(block.toString('utf8'), 'zero')
+  await downloadPromise
+
+  t.equal(downloads, 2, 'download count correct')
+  t.equal(appends, 1, 'append count correct')
+
+  await core1.append(Buffer.from('three', 'utf8'))
+  await core1.append(Buffer.from('four', 'utf8'))
+  await core2.update({})
+  t.equal(appends, 2, 'append counter after update correct')
+
+  downloadPromise = watchDownloadPromise(core2, 4)
+  await core2.download(4)
+  await downloadPromise
+  t.equal(downloads, 3, 'download counter after download correct')
+
+  await cleanup()
+  t.end()
+})
+
+function watchDownloadPromise (core, expectedSeq) {
+  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+    core.once('download', seq => {
+      if (seq === expectedSeq) resolve()
+      else reject(new Error('Expected ' + expectedSeq + ', found ' + seq))
+    })
+  })
+}
+
 function delay (ms) {
   return new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms))
 }