diff --git a/packages/clients/peerbit/src/peer.ts b/packages/clients/peerbit/src/peer.ts
index 56b486482..2d4e3462d 100644
--- a/packages/clients/peerbit/src/peer.ts
+++ b/packages/clients/peerbit/src/peer.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,18 @@ export type CreateInstanceOptions = (SimpleLibp2pOptions | Libp2pOptions) & {
 	indexer?: (directory?: string) => Promise<Indices> | Indices;
 } & OptionalCreateOptions;
 
+export type DialReadiness =
+	| "connection"
+	| "services"
+	| "services-and-fanout";
+
+export type DialOptions = {
+	dialTimeoutMs?: number;
+	serviceWaitTimeoutMs?: number;
+	readiness?: DialReadiness;
+	signal?: AbortSignal;
+};
+
 const isLibp2pInstance = (libp2p: Libp2pExtended | ClientCreateOptions) =>
 	!!(libp2p as Libp2p).getMultiaddrs;
 
@@ -411,7 +423,7 @@ export class Peerbit implements ProgramClient {
 	 */
 	async dial(
 		address: string | Multiaddr | Multiaddr[] | ProgramClient,
-		options?: { dialTimeoutMs?: number; signal?: AbortSignal },
+		options?: DialOptions,
 	): Promise<boolean> {
 		const maddress =
 			typeof address === "string"
@@ -457,21 +469,42 @@ export class Peerbit implements ProgramClient {
 			const publicKey = Ed25519PublicKey.fromPeerId(connection.remotePeer);
 			const peerHash = publicKey.hashcode();
 
-			// TODO, do this as a promise instead using the onPeerConnected vents in pubsub and blocks
-			try {
-				await this.libp2p.services.pubsub.waitFor(peerHash, {
-					target: "neighbor",
-				});
-			} catch (error) {
-				throw new Error(`Failed to dial peer. Not available on Pubsub`);
+			const resolvedReadiness: DialReadiness =
+				options?.readiness ??
+				(this.libp2p.services.fanout ? "services-and-fanout" : "services");
+			const serviceWaitTimeoutMs =
+				options?.serviceWaitTimeoutMs ?? options?.dialTimeoutMs;
+			if (resolvedReadiness === "connection") {
+				return true;
 			}
 
-			try {
-				await this.libp2p.services.blocks.waitFor(peerHash, {
-					target: "neighbor",
-				});
-			} catch (error) {
-				throw new Error(`Failed to dial peer. Not available on Blocks`);
+			const waitForNeighbor = async (
+				label: "Pubsub" | "Blocks" | "Fanout",
+				service: { waitFor: (peer: string, options?: any) => Promise<any> },
+			) => {
+				try {
+					await service.waitFor(peerHash, {
+						target: "neighbor",
+						timeout: serviceWaitTimeoutMs,
+						signal: dialSignal,
+					});
+				} catch (_error) {
+					throw new Error(`Failed to dial peer. Not available on ${label}`);
+				}
+			};
+
+			// TODO, do this as a promise instead using the onPeerConnected vents in pubsub and blocks
+			await waitForNeighbor("Pubsub", this.libp2p.services.pubsub);
+			await waitForNeighbor("Blocks", this.libp2p.services.blocks);
+
+			if (resolvedReadiness === "services-and-fanout") {
+				const fanoutService = (this.libp2p.services as any).fanout;
+				if (!fanoutService?.waitFor) {
+					throw new Error(
+						"Failed to dial peer. Not available on Fanout (service missing)",
+					);
+				}
+				await waitForNeighbor("Fanout", fanoutService);
 			}
 
 			return true;
diff --git a/packages/clients/peerbit/test/connect.spec.ts b/packages/clients/peerbit/test/connect.spec.ts
index 34dc2e048..db341f93a 100644
--- a/packages/clients/peerbit/test/connect.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/clients/peerbit/test/connect.spec.ts
@@ -83,6 +83,63 @@ describe(`dial`, function () {
 			await waitForResolved(() => expect(received).to.exist);
 			expect([...received!]).to.deep.equal([7, 8, 9]);
 		});
+
+		it("waits for fanout by default when fanout service is present", async () => {
+			const originalWaitFor = clients[0].services.fanout.waitFor.bind(
+				clients[0].services.fanout,
+			);
+			(clients[0].services.fanout as any).waitFor = async () => {
+				throw new Error("fanout-not-ready");
+			};
+
+			try {
+				await expect(
+					clients[0].dial(clients[1].getMultiaddrs()[0], {
+						dialTimeoutMs: 5_000,
+					}),
+				).to.be.rejectedWith("Fanout");
+			} finally {
+				(clients[0].services.fanout as any).waitFor = originalWaitFor;
+			}
+		});
+
+		it("allows skipping fanout readiness checks", async () => {
+			const originalWaitFor = clients[0].services.fanout.waitFor.bind(
+				clients[0].services.fanout,
+			);
+			(clients[0].services.fanout as any).waitFor = async () => {
+				throw new Error("fanout-not-ready");
+			};
+
+			try {
+				const ok = await clients[0].dial(clients[1].getMultiaddrs()[0], {
+					readiness: "services",
+					dialTimeoutMs: 5_000,
+				});
+				expect(ok).to.be.true;
+			} finally {
+				(clients[0].services.fanout as any).waitFor = originalWaitFor;
+			}
+		});
+
+		it("supports connection-only dial readiness", async () => {
+			const originalPubsubWaitFor = clients[0].services.pubsub.waitFor.bind(
+				clients[0].services.pubsub,
+			);
+			(clients[0].services.pubsub as any).waitFor = async () => {
+				throw new Error("pubsub-not-ready");
+			};
+
+			try {
+				const ok = await clients[0].dial(clients[1].getMultiaddrs()[0], {
+					readiness: "connection",
+					dialTimeoutMs: 5_000,
+				});
+				expect(ok).to.be.true;
+			} finally {
+				(clients[0].services.pubsub as any).waitFor = originalPubsubWaitFor;
+			}
+		});
 	}
 	it("dialer settings", async () => {
 		expect(clients[0].services.pubsub.connectionManagerOptions.dialer).to.exist;
diff --git a/packages/programs/program/program/src/client.ts b/packages/programs/program/program/src/client.ts
index debf67c1e..19230ce91 100644
--- a/packages/programs/program/program/src/client.ts
+++ b/packages/programs/program/program/src/client.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,15 @@ export interface Client<T extends Manageable<ExtractArgs<T>>> {
 	peerId: Libp2pPeerId;
 	identity: Identity<Ed25519PublicKey>;
 	getMultiaddrs: () => Multiaddr[];
-	dial(address: string | Multiaddr | Multiaddr[]): Promise<boolean>;
+	dial(
+		address: string | Multiaddr | Multiaddr[],
+		options?: {
+			dialTimeoutMs?: number;
+			serviceWaitTimeoutMs?: number;
+			readiness?: "connection" | "services" | "services-and-fanout";
+			signal?: AbortSignal;
+		},
+	): Promise<boolean>;
 	hangUp(address: PeerId | PublicSignKey | string | Multiaddr): Promise<void>;
 	services: {
 		pubsub: PubSub;