diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index 2f8f652..067d0cd 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (r *Relay) ConnectContext(ctx context.Context) error {
 				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &eventId)
 				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &ok)
 
-				if statusChan, ok := r.statusChans.Load(eventId); ok {
+				if statusChan, exist := r.statusChans.Load(eventId); exist {
 					if ok {
 						statusChan <- PublishStatusSucceeded
 					} else {
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ func (r *Relay) ConnectContext(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (r Relay) Publish(event Event) chan Status {
+func (r *Relay) Publish(event Event) chan Status {
 	statusChan := make(chan Status, 4)
 
 	go func() {
@@ -206,6 +206,9 @@ func (r Relay) Publish(event Event) chan Status {
 		}
 		statusChan <- PublishStatusSent
 
+		// TODO: there's no reason to sub if the relay supports nip-20 (command results).
+		// in fact, subscribing here with nip20-enabled relays makes it send PublishStatusSucceded
+		// twice: once here, and the other on "OK" command result.
 		sub := r.Subscribe(Filters{Filter{IDs: []string{event.ID}}})
 		for {
 			select {
diff --git a/relay_test.go b/relay_test.go
index f827216..4f377a1 100644
--- a/relay_test.go
+++ b/relay_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package nostr
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
@@ -13,6 +15,83 @@ import (
 	"golang.org/x/net/websocket"
 )
 
+func TestPublish(t *testing.T) {
+	// test note to be sent over websocket
+	priv, pub := makeKeyPair(t)
+	textNote := Event{
+		Kind:      1,
+		Content:   "hello",
+		CreatedAt: time.Unix(1672068534, 0), // random fixed timestamp
+		Tags:      Tags{[]string{"foo", "bar"}},
+		PubKey:    pub,
+	}
+	if err := textNote.Sign(priv); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("textNote.Sign: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// fake relay server
+	var mu sync.Mutex // guards published to satisfy go test -race
+	var published bool
+	ws := newWebsocketServer(func(conn *websocket.Conn) {
+		mu.Lock()
+		published = true
+		mu.Unlock()
+		// verify the client sent exactly the textNote
+		var raw []json.RawMessage
+		if err := websocket.JSON.Receive(conn, &raw); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("websocket.JSON.Receive: %v", err)
+		}
+		event := parseEventMessage(t, raw)
+		if !bytes.Equal(event.Serialize(), textNote.Serialize()) {
+			t.Errorf("received event:\n%+v\nwant:\n%+v", event, textNote)
+		}
+		// send back an ok nip-20 command result
+		res := []any{"OK", textNote.ID, true, ""}
+		if err := websocket.JSON.Send(conn, res); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("websocket.JSON.Send: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+	defer ws.Close()
+
+	// connect a client and send the text note
+	rl := mustRelayConnect(ws.URL)
+	want := map[Status]bool{
+		PublishStatusSent:      true,
+		PublishStatusSucceeded: true,
+	}
+	testPublishStatus(t, rl.Publish(textNote), want)
+	if !published {
+		t.Errorf("fake relay server saw no event")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPublishBlocked(t *testing.T) {
+	// test note to be sent over websocket
+	textNote := Event{Kind: 1, Content: "hello"}
+	textNote.ID = textNote.GetID()
+
+	// fake relay server
+	ws := newWebsocketServer(func(conn *websocket.Conn) {
+		// discard received message; not interested
+		var raw []json.RawMessage
+		if err := websocket.JSON.Receive(conn, &raw); err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("websocket.JSON.Receive: %v", err)
+		}
+		// send back a not ok nip-20 command result
+		res := []any{"OK", textNote.ID, false, "blocked"}
+		websocket.JSON.Send(conn, res)
+	})
+	defer ws.Close()
+
+	// connect a client and send a text note
+	rl := mustRelayConnect(ws.URL)
+	want := map[Status]bool{
+		PublishStatusSent:   true,
+		PublishStatusFailed: true,
+	}
+	testPublishStatus(t, rl.Publish(textNote), want)
+}
+
 func TestConnectContext(t *testing.T) {
 	// fake relay server
 	var mu sync.Mutex // guards connected to satisfy go test -race
@@ -70,3 +149,58 @@ func newWebsocketServer(handler func(*websocket.Conn)) *httptest.Server {
 var anyOriginHandshake = func(conf *websocket.Config, r *http.Request) error {
 	return nil
 }
+
+func makeKeyPair(t *testing.T) (priv, pub string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	privkey := GeneratePrivateKey()
+	pubkey, err := GetPublicKey(privkey)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("GetPublicKey(%q): %v", privkey, err)
+	}
+	return privkey, pubkey
+}
+
+func mustRelayConnect(url string) *Relay {
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	rl, err := RelayConnectContext(ctx, url)
+	if err != nil {
+		panic(err.Error())
+	}
+	return rl
+}
+
+func parseEventMessage(t *testing.T, raw []json.RawMessage) Event {
+	t.Helper()
+	if len(raw) < 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("len(raw) = %d; want at least 2", len(raw))
+	}
+	var typ string
+	json.Unmarshal(raw[0], &typ)
+	if typ != "EVENT" {
+		t.Errorf("typ = %q; want EVENT", typ)
+	}
+	var event Event
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(raw[1], &event); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("json.Unmarshal: %v", err)
+	}
+	return event
+}
+
+func testPublishStatus(t *testing.T, ch <-chan Status, want map[Status]bool) {
+	for stat := range ch {
+		if !want[stat] {
+			t.Errorf("client reported %q status", stat)
+		}
+		delete(want, stat)
+		// stop early to speed up tests
+		if len(want) == 0 {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	for stat, missed := range want {
+		if missed {
+			t.Errorf("client didn't report %q", stat)
+		}
+	}
+}