diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index b6996db..cb85fd4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -108,13 +108,7 @@ let event = {
 event.id = getEventHash(event)
 event.sig = getSignature(event, sk)
 
-let pub = relay.publish(event)
-pub.on('ok', () => {
-  console.log(`${relay.url} has accepted our event`)
-})
-pub.on('failed', reason => {
-  console.log(`failed to publish to ${relay.url}: ${reason}`)
-})
+await relay.publish(event)
 
 let events = await relay.list([{kinds: [0, 1]}])
 let event = await relay.get({
diff --git a/nip42.ts b/nip42.ts
index 93c7cdc..369545b 100644
--- a/nip42.ts
+++ b/nip42.ts
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ export const authenticate = async ({
 }: {
   challenge: string
   relay: Relay
-  sign: <K extends number = number>(e: EventTemplate<K>) => Promise<Event<K>> | Event<K>
+  sign: <K extends number = number>(
+    e: EventTemplate<K>
+  ) => Promise<Event<K>> | Event<K>
 }): Promise<void> => {
   const e: EventTemplate = {
     kind: Kind.ClientAuth,
@@ -28,15 +30,5 @@ export const authenticate = async ({
     ],
     content: ''
   }
-  const pub = relay.auth(await sign(e))
-  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    pub.on('ok', function ok() {
-      pub.off('ok', ok)
-      resolve()
-    })
-    pub.on('failed', function fail(reason: string) {
-      pub.off('failed', fail)
-      reject(reason)
-    })
-  })
+  return relay.auth(await sign(e))
 }
diff --git a/pool.ts b/pool.ts
index f13d1ac..b881c36 100644
--- a/pool.ts
+++ b/pool.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
 import {
   relayInit,
-  type Pub,
   type Relay,
   type Sub,
-  type SubscriptionOptions,
+  type SubscriptionOptions
 } from './relay.ts'
 import {normalizeURL} from './utils.ts'
 
@@ -17,7 +16,13 @@ export class SimplePool {
   private getTimeout: number
   private seenOnEnabled: boolean = true
 
-  constructor(options: {eoseSubTimeout?: number; getTimeout?: number; seenOnEnabled?: boolean} = {}) {
+  constructor(
+    options: {
+      eoseSubTimeout?: number
+      getTimeout?: number
+      seenOnEnabled?: boolean
+    } = {}
+  ) {
     this._conn = {}
     this.eoseSubTimeout = options.eoseSubTimeout || 3400
     this.getTimeout = options.getTimeout || 3400
@@ -46,7 +51,11 @@ export class SimplePool {
     return relay
   }
 
-  sub<K extends number = number>(relays: string[], filters: Filter<K>[], opts?: SubscriptionOptions): Sub<K> {
+  sub<K extends number = number>(
+    relays: string[],
+    filters: Filter<K>[],
+    opts?: SubscriptionOptions
+  ): Sub<K> {
     let _knownIds: Set<string> = new Set()
     let modifiedOpts = {...(opts || {})}
     modifiedOpts.alreadyHaveEvent = (id, url) => {
@@ -82,7 +91,7 @@ export class SimplePool {
       }
       if (!r) return
       let s = r.sub(filters, modifiedOpts)
-      s.on('event', (event) => {
+      s.on('event', event => {
         _knownIds.add(event.id as string)
         for (let cb of eventListeners.values()) cb(event)
       })
@@ -138,7 +147,7 @@ export class SimplePool {
         sub.unsub()
         resolve(null)
       }, this.getTimeout)
-      sub.on('event', (event) => {
+      sub.on('event', event => {
         resolve(event)
         clearTimeout(timeout)
         sub.unsub()
@@ -155,7 +164,7 @@ export class SimplePool {
       let events: Event<K>[] = []
       let sub = this.sub(relays, filters, opts)
 
-      sub.on('event', (event) => {
+      sub.on('event', event => {
         events.push(event)
       })
 
@@ -167,39 +176,11 @@ export class SimplePool {
     })
   }
 
-  publish(relays: string[], event: Event<number>): Pub {
-    const pubPromises: Promise<Pub>[] = relays.map(async relay => {
-      let r
-      try {
-        r = await this.ensureRelay(relay)
-        return r.publish(event)
-      } catch (_) {
-        return {on() {}, off() {}}
-      }
+  publish(relays: string[], event: Event<number>): Promise<void>[] {
+    return relays.map(async relay => {
+      let r = await this.ensureRelay(relay)
+      return r.publish(event)
     })
-
-    const callbackMap = new Map()
-
-    return {
-      on(type, cb) {
-        relays.forEach(async (relay, i) => {
-          let pub = await pubPromises[i]
-          let callback = () => cb(relay)
-          callbackMap.set(cb, callback)
-          pub.on(type, callback)
-        })
-      },
-
-      off(type, cb) {
-        relays.forEach(async (_, i) => {
-          let callback = callbackMap.get(cb)
-          if (callback) {
-            let pub = await pubPromises[i]
-            pub.off(type, callback)
-          }
-        })
-      }
-    }
   }
 
   seenOn(id: string): string[] {
diff --git a/relay.ts b/relay.ts
index cd7b39e..63e7e59 100644
--- a/relay.ts
+++ b/relay.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 import {verifySignature, validateEvent, type Event} from './event.ts'
 import {matchFilters, type Filter} from './filter.ts'
 import {getHex64, getSubscriptionId} from './fakejson.ts'
-import { MessageQueue } from './utils.ts'
+import {MessageQueue} from './utils.ts'
 
 type RelayEvent = {
   connect: () => void | Promise<void>
@@ -25,15 +25,24 @@ export type Relay = {
   status: number
   connect: () => Promise<void>
   close: () => void
-  sub: <K extends number = number>(filters: Filter<K>[], opts?: SubscriptionOptions) => Sub<K>
-  list: <K extends number = number>(filters: Filter<K>[], opts?: SubscriptionOptions) => Promise<Event<K>[]>
-  get: <K extends number = number>(filter: Filter<K>, opts?: SubscriptionOptions) => Promise<Event<K> | null>
+  sub: <K extends number = number>(
+    filters: Filter<K>[],
+    opts?: SubscriptionOptions
+  ) => Sub<K>
+  list: <K extends number = number>(
+    filters: Filter<K>[],
+    opts?: SubscriptionOptions
+  ) => Promise<Event<K>[]>
+  get: <K extends number = number>(
+    filter: Filter<K>,
+    opts?: SubscriptionOptions
+  ) => Promise<Event<K> | null>
   count: (
     filters: Filter[],
     opts?: SubscriptionOptions
   ) => Promise<CountPayload | null>
-  publish: (event: Event<number>) => Pub
-  auth: (event: Event<number>) => Pub
+  publish: (event: Event<number>) => Promise<void>
+  auth: (event: Event<number>) => Promise<void>
   off: <T extends keyof RelayEvent, U extends RelayEvent[T]>(
     event: T,
     listener: U
@@ -43,12 +52,11 @@ export type Relay = {
     listener: U
   ) => void
 }
-export type Pub = {
-  on: (type: 'ok' | 'failed', cb: any) => void
-  off: (type: 'ok' | 'failed', cb: any) => void
-}
 export type Sub<K extends number = number> = {
-  sub: <K extends number = number>(filters: Filter<K>[], opts: SubscriptionOptions) => Sub<K>
+  sub: <K extends number = number>(
+    filters: Filter<K>[],
+    opts: SubscriptionOptions
+  ) => Sub<K>
   unsub: () => void
   on: <T extends keyof SubEvent<K>, U extends SubEvent<K>[T]>(
     event: T,
@@ -93,9 +101,8 @@ export function relayInit(
   } = {}
   var pubListeners: {
     [eventid: string]: {
-      ok: Array<() => void>
-      seen: Array<() => void>
-      failed: Array<(reason: string) => void>
+      resolve: (_: unknown) => void
+      reject: (err: Error) => void
     }
   } = {}
 
@@ -196,10 +203,9 @@ export function relayInit(
               let ok: boolean = data[2]
               let reason: string = data[3] || ''
               if (id in pubListeners) {
-                if (ok) pubListeners[id].ok.forEach(cb => cb())
-                else pubListeners[id].failed.forEach(cb => cb(reason))
-                pubListeners[id].ok = [] // 'ok' only happens once per pub, so stop listeners here
-                pubListeners[id].failed = []
+                let {resolve, reject} = pubListeners[id]
+                if (ok) resolve(null)
+                else reject(new Error(reason))
               }
               return
             }
@@ -294,26 +300,16 @@ export function relayInit(
   }
 
   function _publishEvent(event: Event<number>, type: string) {
-    if (!event.id) throw new Error(`event ${event} has no id`)
-    let id = event.id
-
-    trySend([type, event])
-
-    return {
-      on: (type: 'ok' | 'failed', cb: any) => {
-        pubListeners[id] = pubListeners[id] || {
-          ok: [],
-          failed: []
-        }
-        pubListeners[id][type].push(cb)
-      },
-      off: (type: 'ok' | 'failed', cb: any) => {
-        let listeners = pubListeners[id]
-        if (!listeners) return
-        let idx = listeners[type].indexOf(cb)
-        if (idx >= 0) listeners[type].splice(idx, 1)
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      if (!event.id) {
+        reject(new Error(`event ${event} has no id`))
+        return
       }
-    }
+
+      let id = event.id
+      trySend([type, event])
+      pubListeners[id] = {resolve, reject}
+    })
   }
 
   return {
@@ -349,7 +345,7 @@ export function relayInit(
           clearTimeout(timeout)
           resolve(events)
         })
-        s.on('event', (event) => {
+        s.on('event', event => {
           events.push(event)
         })
       }),
@@ -360,7 +356,7 @@ export function relayInit(
           s.unsub()
           resolve(null)
         }, getTimeout)
-        s.on('event', (event) => {
+        s.on('event', event => {
           s.unsub()
           clearTimeout(timeout)
           resolve(event)
@@ -379,11 +375,11 @@ export function relayInit(
           resolve(event)
         })
       }),
-    publish(event): Pub {
-      return _publishEvent(event, 'EVENT')
+    async publish(event): Promise<void> {
+      await _publishEvent(event, 'EVENT')
     },
-    auth(event): Pub {
-      return _publishEvent(event, 'AUTH')
+    async auth(event): Promise<void> {
+      await _publishEvent(event, 'AUTH')
     },
     connect,
     close(): void {