diff --git a/net/conn/dial.go b/net/conn/dial.go
index 8bab13d86..af5d9228f 100644
--- a/net/conn/dial.go
+++ b/net/conn/dial.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	context "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/code.google.com/p/go.net/context"
 
+	ma "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multiaddr"
 	manet "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/Godeps/_workspace/src/github.com/jbenet/go-multiaddr-net"
 
 	peer "github.com/jbenet/go-ipfs/peer"
@@ -14,22 +15,44 @@ import (
 // Dial connects to a particular peer, over a given network
 // Example: d.Dial(ctx, "udp", peer)
 func (d *Dialer) Dial(ctx context.Context, network string, remote peer.Peer) (Conn, error) {
-	laddr := d.LocalPeer.NetAddress(network)
-	if laddr == nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("No local address for network %s", network)
-	}
-
 	raddr := remote.NetAddress(network)
 	if raddr == nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("No remote address for network %s", network)
 	}
+	return d.DialAddr(ctx, raddr, remote)
+}
+
+// DialAddr connects to a peer over a particular address
+// Ensures raddr is part of peer.Addresses()
+// Example: d.DialAddr(ctx, peer.Addresses()[0], peer)
+func (d *Dialer) DialAddr(ctx context.Context, raddr ma.Multiaddr, remote peer.Peer) (Conn, error) {
+
+	found := false
+	for _, addr := range remote.Addresses() {
+		if addr.Equal(raddr) {
+			found = true
+		}
+	}
+	if !found {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("address %s is not in peer %s", raddr, remote)
+	}
+
+	network, _, err := manet.DialArgs(raddr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	laddr := d.LocalPeer.NetAddress(network)
+	if laddr == nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("No local address for network %s", network)
+	}
 
 	if strings.HasPrefix(raddr.String(), "/ip4/0.0.0.0") {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("Attempted to connect to zero address: %s", raddr)
 	}
 
 	remote.SetType(peer.Remote)
-	remote, err := d.Peerstore.Add(remote)
+	remote, err = d.Peerstore.Add(remote)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Errorf("Error putting peer into peerstore: %s", remote)
 	}
diff --git a/net/conn/dial_test.go b/net/conn/dial_test.go
index 50ef51e77..f3d3808d0 100644
--- a/net/conn/dial_test.go
+++ b/net/conn/dial_test.go
@@ -157,3 +157,73 @@ func TestDialer(t *testing.T) {
 	l.Close()
 	cancel()
 }
+
+func TestDialAddr(t *testing.T) {
+	// t.Skip("Skipping in favor of another test")
+
+	p1, err := setupPeer("/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/4334")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("error setting up peer", err)
+	}
+
+	p2, err := setupPeer("/ip4/127.0.0.1/tcp/4335")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("error setting up peer", err)
+	}
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+
+	laddr := p1.NetAddress("tcp")
+	if laddr == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Listen address is nil.")
+	}
+
+	ps1 := peer.NewPeerstore()
+	ps2 := peer.NewPeerstore()
+	ps1.Add(p1)
+	ps2.Add(p2)
+
+	l, err := Listen(ctx, laddr, p1, ps1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	go echoListen(ctx, l)
+
+	d := &Dialer{
+		Peerstore: ps2,
+		LocalPeer: p2,
+	}
+
+	raddr := p1.NetAddress("tcp")
+	if raddr == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Dial address is nil.")
+	}
+
+	c, err := d.DialAddr(ctx, raddr, p1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal("error dialing peer", err)
+	}
+
+	// fmt.Println("sending")
+	c.Out() <- []byte("beep")
+	c.Out() <- []byte("boop")
+
+	out := <-c.In()
+	// fmt.Println("recving", string(out))
+	data := string(out)
+	if data != "beep" {
+		t.Error("unexpected conn output", data)
+	}
+
+	out = <-c.In()
+	data = string(out)
+	if string(out) != "boop" {
+		t.Error("unexpected conn output", data)
+	}
+
+	// fmt.Println("closing")
+	c.Close()
+	l.Close()
+	cancel()
+}