diff --git a/count.go b/count.go
index d4c0993..482a9e9 100644
--- a/count.go
+++ b/count.go
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
-	"time"
 
 	"fiatjaf.com/nostr"
 	"fiatjaf.com/nostr/nip45"
@@ -67,7 +66,7 @@ var count = &cli.Command{
 					nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(relayUrl)
 					relay, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 					if !ok || relay == nil || !relay.IsConnected() {
-						ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+						ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 						var err error
 						relay, err = nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relayUrl, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 						cancel()
diff --git a/event.go b/event.go
index b62137d..63ecc21 100644
--- a/event.go
+++ b/event.go
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ func publishFlow(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command, kr nostr.Signer, evt nostr
 						relays[i] = r
 						relay = r
 					} else {
-						ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+						ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 						new_, err := nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relay.URL, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 						cancel()
 						if err == nil {
diff --git a/group.go b/group.go
index d5918ac..55c3366 100644
--- a/group.go
+++ b/group.go
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ var group = &cli.Command{
 				nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(relay)
 				r, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 				if !ok || r == nil || !r.IsConnected() {
-					ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+					ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 					var err error
 					r, err = nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relay, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 					cancel()
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ var group = &cli.Command{
 						nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(relay)
 						r, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 						if !ok || r == nil || !r.IsConnected() {
-							ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+							ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 							var err error
 							r, err = nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relay, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 							cancel()
@@ -493,7 +493,7 @@ write your forum post
 						nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(relay)
 						r, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 						if !ok || r == nil || !r.IsConnected() {
-							ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+							ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 							var err error
 							r, err = nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relay, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 							cancel()
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ write your forum post
 						nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(relay)
 						r, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 						if !ok || r == nil || !r.IsConnected() {
-							ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+							ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 							var err error
 							r, err = nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relay, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 							cancel()
@@ -941,7 +941,7 @@ func publishModerationEvent(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command, kind nostr.Kind
 	nm := nostr.NormalizeURL(relay)
 	r, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 	if !ok || r == nil || !r.IsConnected() {
-		ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+		ct, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 		var err error
 		r, err = nostr.RelayConnect(ct, relay, sys.Pool.RelayOptions)
 		cancel()
diff --git a/helpers.go b/helpers.go
index 5adbffc..7dcb120 100644
--- a/helpers.go
+++ b/helpers.go
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ var (
 	stdout     = func(args ...any) { fmt.Fprintln(color.Output, args...) }
 )
 
+var connectTimeout = 2 * time.Second
+
 func isPiped() bool {
 	stat, err := os.Stdin.Stat()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -272,7 +274,7 @@ func connectToSingleRelay(
 
 	relay, ok := sys.Pool.Relays.Load(nm)
 	if !ok || relay == nil || !relay.IsConnected() {
-		connectCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 2*time.Second)
+		connectCtx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), connectTimeout)
 		defer cancel()
 
 		var err error
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 623afd8..a6ce429 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 
 	"fiatjaf.com/nostr"
 	"fiatjaf.com/nostr/nip42"
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ var defaultKeyFlags = []cli.Flag{
 		Name:     "prompt-sec",
 		Usage:    "prompt the user to paste a hex or nsec with which to sign the event",
 		Category: CATEGORY_SIGNER,
+		Hidden:   true,
 	},
 	&SecretKeyFlag{
 		Name:        "connect-as",
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ var defaultKeyFlags = []cli.Flag{
 		Sources:     cli.EnvVars("NOSTR_CLIENT_KEY"),
 		Value:       defaultKey(),
 		DefaultText: "the default key (see `nak key default`)",
+		Hidden:      true,
 	},
 }
 
@@ -128,6 +131,7 @@ var app = &cli.Command{
 					}
 					return nil
 				},
+				Hidden: true,
 			},
 			&cli.BoolFlag{
 				Name:    "verbose",
@@ -141,6 +145,17 @@ var app = &cli.Command{
 					}
 					return nil
 				},
+				Hidden: true,
+			},
+			&cli.DurationFlag{
+				Name:  "connect-timeout",
+				Usage: "timeout for connecting to relays",
+				Value: connectTimeout,
+				Action: func(ctx context.Context, c *cli.Command, d time.Duration) error {
+					connectTimeout = d
+					return nil
+				},
+				Hidden: true,
 			},
 		},
 		defaultKeyFlags,