diff --git a/count_test.go b/count_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97bc418
--- /dev/null
+++ b/count_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package nostr
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestCount(t *testing.T) {
+	const RELAY = "wss://relay.nostr.band"
+
+	rl := mustRelayConnect(RELAY)
+	defer rl.Close()
+
+	count, err := rl.Count(context.Background(), Filters{
+		{Kinds: []int{3}, Tags: TagMap{"p": []string{"3bf0c63fcb93463407af97a5e5ee64fa883d107ef9e558472c4eb9aaaefa459d"}}},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("count request failed: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+
+	if count <= 0 {
+		t.Errorf("count result wrong: %v", count)
+		return
+	}
+}
diff --git a/envelopes.go b/envelopes.go
index 5c78fdd..aa7675a 100644
--- a/envelopes.go
+++ b/envelopes.go
@@ -137,6 +137,7 @@ func (v ReqEnvelope) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 type CountEnvelope struct {
 	SubscriptionID string
 	Filters
+	Count *int64
 }
 
 func (_ CountEnvelope) Label() string { return "COUNT" }
@@ -148,12 +149,28 @@ func (v *CountEnvelope) UnmarshalJSON(data []byte) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode COUNT envelope: missing filters")
 	}
 	v.SubscriptionID = arr[1].Str
+
+	if len(arr) < 3 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("COUNT array must have at least 3 items")
+	}
+
+	var countResult struct {
+		Count *int64 `json:"count"`
+	}
+	if err := json.Unmarshal([]byte(arr[2].Raw), &countResult); err == nil && countResult.Count != nil {
+		v.Count = countResult.Count
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	v.Filters = make(Filters, len(arr)-2)
 	f := 0
 	for i := 2; i < len(arr); i++ {
-		if err := easyjson.Unmarshal([]byte(arr[i].Raw), &v.Filters[f]); err != nil {
+		item := []byte(arr[i].Raw)
+
+		if err := easyjson.Unmarshal(item, &v.Filters[f]); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("%w -- on filter %d", err, f)
 		}
+
 		f++
 	}
 
@@ -164,9 +181,13 @@ func (v CountEnvelope) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
 	w := jwriter.Writer{}
 	w.RawString(`["COUNT",`)
 	w.RawString(`"` + v.SubscriptionID + `"`)
-	for _, filter := range v.Filters {
-		w.RawString(`,`)
-		filter.MarshalEasyJSON(&w)
+	if v.Count != nil {
+		w.RawString(fmt.Sprintf(`{"count":%d}`, *v.Count))
+	} else {
+		for _, filter := range v.Filters {
+			w.RawString(`,`)
+			filter.MarshalEasyJSON(&w)
+		}
 	}
 	w.RawString(`]`)
 	return w.BuildBytes()
diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
index ac7941f..68c18ac 100644
--- a/relay.go
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -306,6 +306,10 @@ func (r *Relay) Connect(ctx context.Context) error {
 						}()
 					}
 				}
+			case *CountEnvelope:
+				if subscription, ok := r.Subscriptions.Load(string(env.SubscriptionID)); ok && env.Count != nil && subscription.countResult != nil {
+					subscription.countResult <- *env.Count
+				}
 			case *OKEnvelope:
 				if okCallback, exist := r.okCallbacks.Load(env.EventID); exist {
 					okCallback(env.OK, env.Reason)
@@ -512,7 +516,7 @@ func (r *Relay) QuerySync(ctx context.Context, filter Filter, opts ...Subscripti
 	defer sub.Unsub()
 
 	if _, ok := ctx.Deadline(); !ok {
-		// if no timeout is set, force it to 3 seconds
+		// if no timeout is set, force it to 7 seconds
 		var cancel context.CancelFunc
 		ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 7*time.Second)
 		defer cancel()
@@ -535,6 +539,33 @@ func (r *Relay) QuerySync(ctx context.Context, filter Filter, opts ...Subscripti
 	}
 }
 
+func (r *Relay) Count(ctx context.Context, filters Filters, opts ...SubscriptionOption) (int64, error) {
+	sub := r.PrepareSubscription(ctx, filters, opts...)
+	sub.countResult = make(chan int64)
+
+	if err := sub.Fire(); err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+
+	defer sub.Unsub()
+
+	if _, ok := ctx.Deadline(); !ok {
+		// if no timeout is set, force it to 7 seconds
+		var cancel context.CancelFunc
+		ctx, cancel = context.WithTimeout(ctx, 7*time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+	}
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case count := <-sub.countResult:
+			return count, nil
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return 0, ctx.Err()
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func (r *Relay) Close() error {
 	if r.connectionContextCancel == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("relay not connected")
diff --git a/subscription.go b/subscription.go
index 49a8008..9a3f413 100644
--- a/subscription.go
+++ b/subscription.go
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ type Subscription struct {
 	Relay   *Relay
 	Filters Filters
 
+	// for this to be treated as a COUNT and not a REQ this must be set
+	countResult chan int64
+
 	// the Events channel emits all EVENTs that come in a Subscription
 	// will be closed when the subscription ends
 	Events chan *Event
@@ -123,7 +126,12 @@ func (sub *Subscription) Sub(ctx context.Context, filters Filters) {
 func (sub *Subscription) Fire() error {
 	id := sub.GetID()
 
-	reqb, _ := ReqEnvelope{id, sub.Filters}.MarshalJSON()
+	var reqb []byte
+	if sub.countResult == nil {
+		reqb, _ = ReqEnvelope{id, sub.Filters}.MarshalJSON()
+	} else {
+		reqb, _ = CountEnvelope{id, sub.Filters, nil}.MarshalJSON()
+	}
 	debugLogf("{%s} sending %v", sub.Relay.URL, reqb)
 
 	sub.live.Store(true)