diff --git a/p2p/host/eventbus/basic.go b/p2p/host/eventbus/basic.go
index 8cb030d4f2..ca102b5637 100644
--- a/p2p/host/eventbus/basic.go
+++ b/p2p/host/eventbus/basic.go
@@ -21,21 +21,21 @@ type basicBus struct {
 
 var _ event.Bus = (*basicBus)(nil)
 
-type Emitter struct {
+type emitter struct {
 	n       *node
 	typ     reflect.Type
 	closed  int32
 	dropper func(reflect.Type)
 }
 
-func (e *Emitter) Emit(evt interface{}) {
+func (e *emitter) Emit(evt interface{}) {
 	if atomic.LoadInt32(&e.closed) != 0 {
 		panic("emitter is closed")
 	}
 	e.n.emit(evt)
 }
 
-func (e *Emitter) Close() error {
+func (e *emitter) Close() error {
 	if !atomic.CompareAndSwapInt32(&e.closed, 0, 1) {
 		panic("closed an emitter more than once")
 	}
@@ -93,16 +93,42 @@ func (b *basicBus) tryDropNode(typ reflect.Type) {
 	b.lk.Unlock()
 }
 
+type sub struct {
+	ch      chan interface{}
+	nodes   []*node
+	dropper func(reflect.Type)
+}
+
+func (s *sub) Out() <-chan interface{} {
+	return s.ch
+}
+
+func (s *sub) Close() error {
+	close(s.ch)
+	for _, n := range s.nodes {
+		n.lk.Lock()
+		for i := 0; i < len(n.sinks); i++ {
+			if n.sinks[i] == s.ch {
+				n.sinks[i], n.sinks[len(n.sinks)-1] = n.sinks[len(n.sinks)-1], nil
+				n.sinks = n.sinks[:len(n.sinks)-1]
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		tryDrop := len(n.sinks) == 0 && atomic.LoadInt32(&n.nEmitters) == 0
+		n.lk.Unlock()
+		if tryDrop {
+			s.dropper(n.typ)
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+var _ event.Subscription = (*sub)(nil)
+
 // Subscribe creates new subscription. Failing to drain the channel will cause
 // publishers to get blocked. CancelFunc is guaranteed to return after last send
 // to the channel
-//
-// Example:
-// ch := make(chan EventT, 10)
-// defer close(ch)
-// cancel, err := eventbus.Subscribe(ch)
-// defer cancel()
-func (b *basicBus) Subscribe(typedChan interface{}, opts ...event.SubscriptionOpt) (c event.CancelFunc, err error) {
+func (b *basicBus) Subscribe(evtTypes interface{}, opts ...event.SubscriptionOpt) (_ event.Subscription, err error) {
 	var settings subSettings
 	for _, opt := range opts {
 		if err := opt(&settings); err != nil {
@@ -110,50 +136,40 @@ func (b *basicBus) Subscribe(typedChan interface{}, opts ...event.SubscriptionOp
 		}
 	}
 
-	refCh := reflect.ValueOf(typedChan)
-	typ := refCh.Type()
-	if typ.Kind() != reflect.Chan {
-		return nil, errors.New("expected a channel")
+	types, ok := evtTypes.([]interface{})
+	if !ok {
+		types = []interface{}{evtTypes}
 	}
-	if typ.ChanDir()&reflect.SendDir == 0 {
-		return nil, errors.New("channel doesn't allow send")
+
+	out := &sub{
+		ch:    make(chan interface{}, settings.buffer),
+		nodes: make([]*node, len(types)),
+
+		dropper: b.tryDropNode,
 	}
 
-	if settings.forcedType != nil {
-		if settings.forcedType.Elem().AssignableTo(typ) {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("forced type %s cannot be sent to chan %s", settings.forcedType, typ)
+	for i, etyp := range types {
+		typ := reflect.TypeOf(etyp)
+
+		if typ.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
+			return nil, errors.New("subscribe called with non-pointer type")
 		}
-		typ = settings.forcedType
-	}
-
-	err = b.withNode(typ.Elem(), func(n *node) {
-		n.sinks = append(n.sinks, refCh)
-		c = func() {
-			n.lk.Lock()
-			for i := 0; i < len(n.sinks); i++ {
-				if n.sinks[i] == refCh {
-					n.sinks[i], n.sinks[len(n.sinks)-1] = n.sinks[len(n.sinks)-1], reflect.Value{}
-					n.sinks = n.sinks[:len(n.sinks)-1]
-					break
+
+		err = b.withNode(typ.Elem(), func(n *node) {
+			n.sinks = append(n.sinks, out.ch)
+			out.nodes[i] = n
+		}, func(n *node) {
+			if n.keepLast {
+				l := n.last.Load()
+				if l == nil {
+					return
 				}
+				out.ch <- l
 			}
-			tryDrop := len(n.sinks) == 0 && atomic.LoadInt32(&n.nEmitters) == 0
-			n.lk.Unlock()
-			if tryDrop {
-				b.tryDropNode(typ.Elem())
-			}
-		}
-	}, func(n *node) {
-		if n.keepLast {
-			lastVal, ok := n.last.Load().(reflect.Value)
-			if !ok {
-				return
-			}
+		})
+	}
 
-			refCh.Send(lastVal)
-		}
-	})
-	return
+	return out, nil
 }
 
 // Emitter creates new emitter
@@ -183,7 +199,7 @@ func (b *basicBus) Emitter(evtType interface{}, opts ...event.EmitterOpt) (e eve
 	err = b.withNode(typ, func(n *node) {
 		atomic.AddInt32(&n.nEmitters, 1)
 		n.keepLast = n.keepLast || settings.makeStateful
-		e = &Emitter{n: n, typ: typ, dropper: b.tryDropNode}
+		e = &emitter{n: n, typ: typ, dropper: b.tryDropNode}
 	}, func(_ *node) {})
 	return
 }
@@ -203,7 +219,7 @@ type node struct {
 	keepLast bool
 	last     atomic.Value
 
-	sinks []reflect.Value
+	sinks []chan interface{}
 }
 
 func newNode(typ reflect.Type) *node {
@@ -220,11 +236,11 @@ func (n *node) emit(event interface{}) {
 
 	n.lk.RLock()
 	if n.keepLast {
-		n.last.Store(eval)
+		n.last.Store(event)
 	}
 
 	for _, ch := range n.sinks {
-		ch.Send(eval)
+		ch <- event
 	}
 	n.lk.RUnlock()
 }
diff --git a/p2p/host/eventbus/basic_test.go b/p2p/host/eventbus/basic_test.go
index 8d2bfae820..fc23e61290 100644
--- a/p2p/host/eventbus/basic_test.go
+++ b/p2p/host/eventbus/basic_test.go
@@ -27,15 +27,14 @@ func (EventA) String() string {
 
 func TestEmit(t *testing.T) {
 	bus := NewBus()
-	events := make(chan EventA)
-	cancel, err := bus.Subscribe(events)
+	sub, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventA))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
 
 	go func() {
-		defer cancel()
-		<-events
+		defer sub.Close()
+		<-sub.Out()
 	}()
 
 	em, err := bus.Emitter(new(EventA))
@@ -49,8 +48,7 @@ func TestEmit(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestSub(t *testing.T) {
 	bus := NewBus()
-	events := make(chan EventB)
-	cancel, err := bus.Subscribe(events)
+	sub, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventB))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -61,8 +59,8 @@ func TestSub(t *testing.T) {
 	wait.Add(1)
 
 	go func() {
-		defer cancel()
-		event = <-events
+		defer sub.Close()
+		event = (<-sub.Out()).(EventB)
 		wait.Done()
 	}()
 
@@ -131,9 +129,9 @@ func TestClosingRaces(t *testing.T) {
 			lk.RLock()
 			defer lk.RUnlock()
 
-			cancel, _ := b.Subscribe(make(chan EventA))
+			sub, _ := b.Subscribe(new(EventA))
 			time.Sleep(10 * time.Millisecond)
-			cancel()
+			sub.Close()
 
 			wg.Done()
 		}()
@@ -174,15 +172,14 @@ func TestSubMany(t *testing.T) {
 
 	for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
 		go func() {
-			events := make(chan EventB)
-			cancel, err := bus.Subscribe(events)
+			sub, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventB))
 			if err != nil {
 				panic(err)
 			}
-			defer cancel()
+			defer sub.Close()
 
 			ready.Done()
-			atomic.AddInt32(&r, int32(<-events))
+			atomic.AddInt32(&r, int32((<-sub.Out()).(EventB)))
 			wait.Done()
 		}()
 	}
@@ -205,8 +202,7 @@ func TestSubMany(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestSubType(t *testing.T) {
 	bus := NewBus()
-	events := make(chan fmt.Stringer)
-	cancel, err := bus.Subscribe(events, ForceSubType(new(EventA)))
+	sub, err := bus.Subscribe([]interface{}{new(EventA), new(EventB)})
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -217,8 +213,8 @@ func TestSubType(t *testing.T) {
 	wait.Add(1)
 
 	go func() {
-		defer cancel()
-		event = <-events
+		defer sub.Close()
+		event = (<-sub.Out()).(EventA)
 		wait.Done()
 	}()
 
@@ -244,15 +240,14 @@ func TestNonStateful(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	defer em.Close()
 
-	eventsA := make(chan EventB, 1)
-	cancelS, err := bus.Subscribe(eventsA)
+	sub1, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventB), BufSize(1))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	defer cancelS()
+	defer sub1.Close()
 
 	select {
-	case <-eventsA:
+	case <-sub1.Out():
 		t.Fatal("didn't expect to get an event")
 	default:
 	}
@@ -260,23 +255,22 @@ func TestNonStateful(t *testing.T) {
 	em.Emit(EventB(1))
 
 	select {
-	case e := <-eventsA:
-		if e != 1 {
+	case e := <-sub1.Out():
+		if e.(EventB) != 1 {
 			t.Fatal("got wrong event")
 		}
 	default:
 		t.Fatal("expected to get an event")
 	}
 
-	eventsB := make(chan EventB, 1)
-	cancelS2, err := bus.Subscribe(eventsB)
+	sub2, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventB), BufSize(1))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	defer cancelS2()
+	defer sub2.Close()
 
 	select {
-	case <-eventsA:
+	case <-sub2.Out():
 		t.Fatal("didn't expect to get an event")
 	default:
 	}
@@ -292,14 +286,13 @@ func TestStateful(t *testing.T) {
 
 	em.Emit(EventB(2))
 
-	eventsA := make(chan EventB, 1)
-	cancelS, err := bus.Subscribe(eventsA)
+	sub, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventB), BufSize(1))
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	defer cancelS()
+	defer sub.Close()
 
-	if <-eventsA != 2 {
+	if (<-sub.Out()).(EventB) != 2 {
 		t.Fatal("got wrong event")
 	}
 }
@@ -320,16 +313,19 @@ func testMany(t testing.TB, subs, emits, msgs int, stateful bool) {
 
 	for i := 0; i < subs; i++ {
 		go func() {
-			events := make(chan EventB)
-			cancel, err := bus.Subscribe(events)
+			sub, err := bus.Subscribe(new(EventB))
 			if err != nil {
 				panic(err)
 			}
-			defer cancel()
+			defer sub.Close()
 
 			ready.Done()
 			for i := 0; i < emits*msgs; i++ {
-				atomic.AddInt64(&r, int64(<-events))
+				e, ok := <-sub.Out()
+				if !ok {
+					panic("wat")
+				}
+				atomic.AddInt64(&r, int64(e.(EventB)))
 			}
 			wait.Done()
 		}()
diff --git a/p2p/host/eventbus/opts.go b/p2p/host/eventbus/opts.go
index 38265557b3..50c673685b 100644
--- a/p2p/host/eventbus/opts.go
+++ b/p2p/host/eventbus/opts.go
@@ -1,40 +1,12 @@
 package eventbus
 
-import (
-	"errors"
-	"reflect"
-
-	"github.com/libp2p/go-libp2p-core/event"
-)
-
 type subSettings struct {
-	forcedType reflect.Type
+	buffer int
 }
 
-// ForceSubType is a Subscribe option which overrides the type to which
-// the subscription will be done. Note that the evtType must be assignable
-// to channel type.
-//
-// This also allows for subscribing to multiple eventbus channels with one
-// Go channel to get better ordering guarantees.
-//
-// Example:
-// type Event struct{}
-// func (Event) String() string {
-//    return "event"
-// }
-//
-// eventCh := make(chan fmt.Stringer) // interface { String() string }
-// cancel, err := eventbus.Subscribe(eventCh, event.ForceSubType(new(Event)))
-// [...]
-func ForceSubType(evtType interface{}) event.SubscriptionOpt {
-	return func(settings interface{}) error {
-		s := settings.(*subSettings)
-		typ := reflect.TypeOf(evtType)
-		if typ.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
-			return errors.New("ForceSubType called with non-pointer type")
-		}
-		s.forcedType = typ
+func BufSize(n int) func(interface{}) error {
+	return func(s interface{}) error {
+		s.(*subSettings).buffer = n
 		return nil
 	}
 }