diff --git a/relay.go b/relay.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..361950d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/relay.go
@@ -0,0 +1,184 @@
+package nostr
+
+import (
+	"encoding/hex"
+	"encoding/json"
+	"fmt"
+	"log"
+	"math/rand"
+	"time"
+
+	s "github.com/SaveTheRbtz/generic-sync-map-go"
+	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
+)
+
+type Status int
+
+const (
+	PublishStatusSent      Status = 0
+	PublishStatusFailed    Status = -1
+	PublishStatusSucceeded Status = 1
+)
+
+func (s Status) String() string {
+	switch s {
+	case PublishStatusSent:
+		return "sent"
+	case PublishStatusFailed:
+		return "failed"
+	case PublishStatusSucceeded:
+		return "success"
+	}
+
+	return "unknown"
+}
+
+type Relay struct {
+	URL string
+
+	Connection    *Connection
+	subscriptions s.MapOf[string, *Subscription]
+
+	Notices chan string
+}
+
+func NewRelay(url string) *Relay {
+	return &Relay{
+		URL:           NormalizeURL(url),
+		subscriptions: s.MapOf[string, *Subscription]{},
+	}
+}
+
+func (r *Relay) Connect() error {
+	if r.URL == "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("invalid relay URL '%s'", r.URL)
+	}
+
+	socket, _, err := websocket.DefaultDialer.Dial(r.URL, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error opening websocket to '%s': %w", r.URL, err)
+	}
+
+	conn := NewConnection(socket)
+
+	for {
+		typ, message, err := conn.socket.ReadMessage()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("read error: %w", err)
+		}
+		if typ == websocket.PingMessage {
+			conn.WriteMessage(websocket.PongMessage, nil)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if typ != websocket.TextMessage || len(message) == 0 || message[0] != '[' {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		var jsonMessage []json.RawMessage
+		err = json.Unmarshal(message, &jsonMessage)
+		if err != nil {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if len(jsonMessage) < 2 {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		var label string
+		json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[0], &label)
+
+		switch label {
+		case "NOTICE":
+			var content string
+			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &content)
+			r.Notices <- content
+		case "EVENT":
+			if len(jsonMessage) < 3 {
+				continue
+			}
+
+			var channel string
+			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &channel)
+			if subscription, ok := r.subscriptions.Load(channel); ok {
+				var event Event
+				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &event)
+
+				// check signature of all received events, ignore invalid
+				ok, err := event.CheckSignature()
+				if !ok {
+					errmsg := ""
+					if err != nil {
+						errmsg = err.Error()
+					}
+					log.Printf("bad signature: %s", errmsg)
+					continue
+				}
+
+				// check if the event matches the desired filter, ignore otherwise
+				if !subscription.filters.Match(&event) {
+					continue
+				}
+
+				if !subscription.stopped {
+					subscription.Events <- event
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (r Relay) Publish(event Event) chan Status {
+	statusChan := make(chan Status)
+
+	go func() {
+		err := r.Connection.WriteJSON([]interface{}{"EVENT", event})
+		if err != nil {
+			statusChan <- PublishStatusFailed
+			close(statusChan)
+		}
+		statusChan <- PublishStatusSent
+
+		sub := r.Subscribe(Filters{Filter{IDs: []string{event.ID}}})
+		for {
+			select {
+			case receivedEvent := <-sub.Events:
+				if receivedEvent.ID == event.ID {
+					statusChan <- PublishStatusSucceeded
+					close(statusChan)
+					break
+				} else {
+					continue
+				}
+			case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+				close(statusChan)
+				break
+			}
+			break
+		}
+	}()
+
+	return statusChan
+}
+
+func (r *Relay) Subscribe(filters Filters) *Subscription {
+	random := make([]byte, 7)
+	rand.Read(random)
+	id := hex.EncodeToString(random)
+	return r.subscribe(id, filters)
+}
+
+func (r *Relay) subscribe(id string, filters Filters) *Subscription {
+	sub := Subscription{}
+	sub.id = id
+
+	sub.Events = make(chan Event)
+	r.subscriptions.Store(sub.id, &sub)
+
+	sub.Sub(filters)
+	return &sub
+}
+
+func (r *Relay) Close() error {
+	return r.Connection.Close()
+}
diff --git a/relaypool.go b/relaypool.go
index d248bac..99c3ec9 100644
--- a/relaypool.go
+++ b/relaypool.go
@@ -3,37 +3,12 @@ package nostr
 import (
 	"crypto/rand"
 	"encoding/hex"
-	"encoding/json"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"log"
-	"time"
 
 	s "github.com/SaveTheRbtz/generic-sync-map-go"
-	"github.com/gorilla/websocket"
 )
 
-type Status int
-
-const (
-	PublishStatusSent      Status = 0
-	PublishStatusFailed    Status = -1
-	PublishStatusSucceeded Status = 1
-)
-
-func (s Status) String() string {
-	switch s {
-	case PublishStatusSent:
-		return "sent"
-	case PublishStatusFailed:
-		return "failed"
-	case PublishStatusSucceeded:
-		return "success"
-	}
-
-	return "unknown"
-}
-
 type PublishStatus struct {
 	Relay  string
 	Status Status
@@ -42,9 +17,10 @@ type PublishStatus struct {
 type RelayPool struct {
 	SecretKey *string
 
-	Relays        s.MapOf[string, RelayPoolPolicy]
-	websockets    s.MapOf[string, *Connection]
-	subscriptions s.MapOf[string, *Subscription]
+	Policies      s.MapOf[string, RelayPoolPolicy]
+	Relays        s.MapOf[string, *Relay]
+	subscriptions s.MapOf[string, Filters]
+	eventStreams  s.MapOf[string, chan EventMessage]
 
 	Notices chan *NoticeMessage
 }
@@ -75,9 +51,8 @@ type NoticeMessage struct {
 // New creates a new RelayPool with no relays in it
 func NewRelayPool() *RelayPool {
 	return &RelayPool{
-		Relays:        s.MapOf[string, RelayPoolPolicy]{},
-		websockets:    s.MapOf[string, *Connection]{},
-		subscriptions: s.MapOf[string, *Subscription]{},
+		Policies: s.MapOf[string, RelayPoolPolicy]{},
+		Relays:   s.MapOf[string, *Relay]{},
 
 		Notices: make(chan *NoticeMessage),
 	}
@@ -90,101 +65,23 @@ func (r *RelayPool) Add(url string, policy RelayPoolPolicy) error {
 		policy = SimplePolicy{Read: true, Write: true}
 	}
 
-	nm := NormalizeURL(url)
-	if nm == "" {
-		return fmt.Errorf("invalid relay URL '%s'", url)
-	}
+	relay := NewRelay(url)
+	r.Policies.Store(relay.URL, policy)
+	r.Relays.Store(relay.URL, relay)
 
-	socket, _, err := websocket.DefaultDialer.Dial(NormalizeURL(url), nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("error opening websocket to '%s': %w", nm, err)
-	}
+	r.subscriptions.Range(func(id string, filters Filters) bool {
+		sub := relay.subscribe(id, filters)
+		eventStream, _ := r.eventStreams.Load(id)
 
-	conn := NewConnection(socket)
+		go func(sub *Subscription) {
+			for evt := range sub.Events {
+				eventStream <- EventMessage{Relay: relay.URL, Event: evt}
+			}
+		}(sub)
 
-	r.Relays.Store(nm, policy)
-	r.websockets.Store(nm, conn)
-
-	r.subscriptions.Range(func(_ string, sub *Subscription) bool {
-		sub.addRelay(nm, conn)
 		return true
 	})
 
-	go func() {
-		for {
-			typ, message, err := conn.socket.ReadMessage()
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Println("read error: ", err)
-				return
-			}
-			if typ == websocket.PingMessage {
-				conn.WriteMessage(websocket.PongMessage, nil)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			if typ != websocket.TextMessage || len(message) == 0 || message[0] != '[' {
-				continue
-			}
-
-			var jsonMessage []json.RawMessage
-			err = json.Unmarshal(message, &jsonMessage)
-			if err != nil {
-				continue
-			}
-
-			if len(jsonMessage) < 2 {
-				continue
-			}
-
-			var label string
-			json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[0], &label)
-
-			switch label {
-			case "NOTICE":
-				var content string
-				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &content)
-				r.Notices <- &NoticeMessage{
-					Relay:   nm,
-					Message: content,
-				}
-			case "EVENT":
-				if len(jsonMessage) < 3 {
-					continue
-				}
-
-				var channel string
-				json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[1], &channel)
-				if subscription, ok := r.subscriptions.Load(channel); ok {
-					var event Event
-					json.Unmarshal(jsonMessage[2], &event)
-
-					// check signature of all received events, ignore invalid
-					ok, err := event.CheckSignature()
-					if !ok {
-						errmsg := ""
-						if err != nil {
-							errmsg = err.Error()
-						}
-						log.Printf("bad signature: %s", errmsg)
-						continue
-					}
-
-					// check if the event matches the desired filter, ignore otherwise
-					if !subscription.filters.Match(&event) {
-						continue
-					}
-
-					if !subscription.stopped {
-						subscription.Events <- EventMessage{
-							Relay: nm,
-							Event: event,
-						}
-					}
-				}
-			}
-		}
-	}()
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -192,41 +89,36 @@ func (r *RelayPool) Add(url string, policy RelayPoolPolicy) error {
 func (r *RelayPool) Remove(url string) {
 	nm := NormalizeURL(url)
 
-	r.subscriptions.Range(func(_ string, sub *Subscription) bool {
-		sub.removeRelay(nm)
-		return true
-	})
-
-	if conn, ok := r.websockets.Load(nm); ok {
-		conn.Close()
-	}
-
 	r.Relays.Delete(nm)
-	r.websockets.Delete(nm)
+	r.Policies.Delete(nm)
+
+	if relay, ok := r.Relays.Load(nm); ok {
+		relay.Close()
+	}
 }
 
-func (r *RelayPool) Sub(filters Filters) *Subscription {
+func (r *RelayPool) Sub(filters Filters) (string, chan EventMessage) {
 	random := make([]byte, 7)
 	rand.Read(random)
+	id := hex.EncodeToString(random)
 
-	subscription := Subscription{}
-	subscription.channel = hex.EncodeToString(random)
-	subscription.relays = s.MapOf[string, *Connection]{}
+	r.subscriptions.Store(id, filters)
+	eventStream := make(chan EventMessage)
+	r.eventStreams.Store(id, eventStream)
 
-	r.Relays.Range(func(relay string, policy RelayPoolPolicy) bool {
-		if policy.ShouldRead(filters) {
-			if ws, ok := r.websockets.Load(relay); ok {
-				subscription.relays.Store(relay, ws)
+	r.Relays.Range(func(_ string, relay *Relay) bool {
+		sub := relay.subscribe(id, filters)
+
+		go func(sub *Subscription) {
+			for evt := range sub.Events {
+				eventStream <- EventMessage{Relay: relay.URL, Event: evt}
 			}
-		}
+		}(sub)
+
 		return true
 	})
-	subscription.Events = make(chan EventMessage)
-	subscription.UniqueEvents = make(chan Event)
-	r.subscriptions.Store(subscription.channel, &subscription)
 
-	subscription.Sub(filters)
-	return &subscription
+	return id, eventStream
 }
 
 func (r *RelayPool) PublishEvent(evt *Event) (*Event, chan PublishStatus, error) {
@@ -251,35 +143,16 @@ func (r *RelayPool) PublishEvent(evt *Event) (*Event, chan PublishStatus, error)
 		}
 	}
 
-	r.websockets.Range(func(relay string, conn *Connection) bool {
-		if r, ok := r.Relays.Load(relay); !ok || !r.ShouldWrite(evt) {
+	r.Relays.Range(func(url string, relay *Relay) bool {
+		if r, ok := r.Policies.Load(url); !ok || !r.ShouldWrite(evt) {
 			return true
 		}
 
-		go func(relay string, conn *Connection) {
-			err := conn.WriteJSON([]interface{}{"EVENT", evt})
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Printf("error sending event to '%s': %s", relay, err.Error())
-				status <- PublishStatus{relay, PublishStatusFailed}
+		go func(relay *Relay) {
+			for resultStatus := range relay.Publish(*evt) {
+				status <- PublishStatus{relay.URL, resultStatus}
 			}
-			status <- PublishStatus{relay, PublishStatusSent}
-
-			subscription := r.Sub(Filters{Filter{IDs: []string{evt.ID}}})
-			for {
-				select {
-				case event := <-subscription.UniqueEvents:
-					if event.ID == evt.ID {
-						status <- PublishStatus{relay, PublishStatusSucceeded}
-						break
-					} else {
-						continue
-					}
-				case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
-					break
-				}
-				break
-			}
-		}(relay, conn)
+		}(relay)
 
 		return true
 	})
diff --git a/subscription.go b/subscription.go
index 07000c8..bd0eee5 100644
--- a/subscription.go
+++ b/subscription.go
@@ -1,18 +1,11 @@
 package nostr
 
-import (
-	s "github.com/SaveTheRbtz/generic-sync-map-go"
-)
-
 type Subscription struct {
-	channel string
-	relays  s.MapOf[string, *Connection]
+	id   string
+	conn *Connection
 
 	filters Filters
-	Events  chan EventMessage
-
-	started      bool
-	UniqueEvents chan Event
+	Events  chan Event
 
 	stopped bool
 }
@@ -22,78 +15,22 @@ type EventMessage struct {
 	Relay string
 }
 
-func (subscription Subscription) Unsub() {
-	subscription.relays.Range(func(_ string, conn *Connection) bool {
-		conn.WriteJSON([]interface{}{
-			"CLOSE",
-			subscription.channel,
-		})
-		return true
-	})
+func (sub Subscription) Unsub() {
+	sub.conn.WriteJSON([]interface{}{"CLOSE", sub.id})
 
-	subscription.stopped = true
-	if subscription.Events != nil {
-		close(subscription.Events)
-	}
-	if subscription.UniqueEvents != nil {
-		close(subscription.UniqueEvents)
+	sub.stopped = true
+	if sub.Events != nil {
+		close(sub.Events)
 	}
 }
 
-func (subscription *Subscription) Sub(filters Filters) {
-	subscription.filters = filters
+func (sub *Subscription) Sub(filters Filters) {
+	sub.filters = filters
 
-	subscription.relays.Range(func(_ string, conn *Connection) bool {
-		message := []interface{}{
-			"REQ",
-			subscription.channel,
-		}
-		for _, filter := range subscription.filters {
-			message = append(message, filter)
-		}
-
-		conn.WriteJSON(message)
-		return true
-	})
-
-	if !subscription.started {
-		go subscription.startHandlingUnique()
-	}
-}
-
-func (subscription Subscription) startHandlingUnique() {
-	seen := make(map[string]struct{})
-	for em := range subscription.Events {
-		if _, ok := seen[em.Event.ID]; ok {
-			continue
-		}
-		seen[em.Event.ID] = struct{}{}
-		if !subscription.stopped {
-			subscription.UniqueEvents <- em.Event
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (subscription Subscription) removeRelay(relay string) {
-	if conn, ok := subscription.relays.Load(relay); ok {
-		subscription.relays.Delete(relay)
-		conn.WriteJSON([]interface{}{
-			"CLOSE",
-			subscription.channel,
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-func (subscription Subscription) addRelay(relay string, conn *Connection) {
-	subscription.relays.Store(relay, conn)
-
-	message := []interface{}{
-		"REQ",
-		subscription.channel,
-	}
-	for _, filter := range subscription.filters {
+	message := []interface{}{"REQ", sub.id}
+	for _, filter := range sub.filters {
 		message = append(message, filter)
 	}
 
-	conn.WriteJSON(message)
+	sub.conn.WriteJSON(message)
 }