diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone-seed.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone-seed.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..083dea07
--- /dev/null
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone-seed.md
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+Given a private repo `rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu` belonging to Alice,
+Alice allows Bob to fetch it, and Bob, without the updated identity document
+is able to fetch it by specifiying Alice as a seed.
+
+``` ~alice
+$ rad id update --title "Allow Bob" --description "" --allow did:key:z6Mkt67GdsW7715MEfRuP4pSZxJRJh6kj6Y48WRqVv4N1tRk -q
+...
+$ rad inspect --identity
+{
+  "payload": {
+    "xyz.radicle.project": {
+      "defaultBranch": "master",
+      "description": "radicle heartwood protocol & stack",
+      "name": "heartwood"
+    }
+  },
+  "delegates": [
+    "did:key:z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi"
+  ],
+  "threshold": 1,
+  "visibility": {
+    "type": "private",
+    "allow": [
+      "did:key:z6Mkt67GdsW7715MEfRuP4pSZxJRJh6kj6Y48WRqVv4N1tRk"
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+``` ~bob
+$ rad ls --all --private
+$ rad clone rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu --seed z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi --timeout 1
+✓ Seeding policy updated for rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu with scope 'all'
+✓ Fetching rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu from z6MknSL…StBU8Vi..
+✓ Creating checkout in ./heartwood..
+✓ Remote alice@z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi added
+✓ Remote-tracking branch alice@z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi/master created for z6MknSL…StBU8Vi
+✓ Repository successfully cloned under [...]/.radicle/heartwood/
+╭────────────────────────────────────╮
+│ heartwood                          │
+│ radicle heartwood protocol & stack │
+│ 0 issues · 0 patches               │
+╰────────────────────────────────────╯
+Run `cd ./heartwood` to go to the project directory.
+```
diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone.md
index 12eee32f..b2a35737 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone.md
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private-clone.md
@@ -2,14 +2,13 @@ Given a private repo `rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu` belonging to Alice,
 Bob tries to fetch it, and even though he's connected to Alice, it fails.
 
 ``` ~bob
-$ rad seed rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu --scope followed
-✓ Seeding policy updated for rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu with scope 'followed'
 $ rad ls
 ```
 ``` ~bob (fail)
-$ rad sync rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu --fetch --seed z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi --timeout 1
+$ rad clone rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu --seed z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi --timeout 1
+✓ Seeding policy updated for rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu with scope 'all'
 ✗ Fetching rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu from z6MknSL…StBU8Vi.. error: failed to perform fetch handshake
-✗ Error: repository fetch from 1 seed(s) failed
+✗ Error: repository rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu not found
 ```
 
 She allows Bob to view the repository. And when she syncs, one node (Bob) gets
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs
index 592069a2..184d41b7 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/clone.rs
@@ -36,10 +36,18 @@ Usage
 
     rad clone <rid> [<directory>] [--scope <scope>] [<option>...]
 
+    The `clone` command will use your local node's routing table to find seeds from
+    which it can clone the repository.
+
+    For private repositories, the `--seed` option can be passed to clone directly
+    from a known seed in the privacy set.
+
 Options
 
-    --scope <scope>   Follow scope (default: all)
-    --help            Print help
+        --scope <scope>     Follow scope (default: all)
+    -s, --seed <nid>        Clone from this seed (may be specified multiple times)
+        --timeout <secs>    Timeout for fetching repository (default: 9)
+        --help              Print help
 
 "#,
 };
@@ -52,6 +60,10 @@ pub struct Options {
     directory: Option<PathBuf>,
     /// The seeding scope of the repository.
     scope: Scope,
+    /// Sync mode.
+    mode: sync::RepoSync,
+    /// Fetch timeout.
+    timeout: time::Duration,
 }
 
 impl Args for Options {
@@ -61,15 +73,33 @@ impl Args for Options {
         let mut parser = lexopt::Parser::from_args(args);
         let mut id: Option<Id> = None;
         let mut scope = Scope::All;
+        let mut mode = sync::RepoSync::default();
+        let mut timeout = time::Duration::from_secs(9);
         let mut directory = None;
 
         while let Some(arg) = parser.next()? {
             match arg {
+                Long("seed") | Short('s') => {
+                    let value = parser.value()?;
+                    let value = term::args::nid(&value)?;
+
+                    if let sync::RepoSync::Seeds(seeds) = &mut mode {
+                        seeds.push(value);
+                    } else {
+                        mode = sync::RepoSync::Seeds(vec![value]);
+                    }
+                }
                 Long("scope") => {
                     let value = parser.value()?;
 
                     scope = term::args::parse_value("scope", value)?;
                 }
+                Long("timeout") => {
+                    let value = parser.value()?;
+                    let secs = term::args::number(&value)?;
+
+                    timeout = time::Duration::from_secs(secs as u64);
+                }
                 Long("no-confirm") => {
                     // We keep this flag here for consistency though it doesn't have any effect,
                     // since the command is fully non-interactive.
@@ -99,6 +129,8 @@ impl Args for Options {
                 id,
                 directory,
                 scope,
+                mode,
+                timeout,
             },
             vec![],
         ))
@@ -120,6 +152,8 @@ pub fn run(options: Options, ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         options.id,
         options.directory.clone(),
         options.scope,
+        options.mode,
+        options.timeout,
         &mut node,
         &signer,
         &profile.storage,
@@ -204,6 +238,8 @@ pub fn clone<G: Signer>(
     id: Id,
     directory: Option<PathBuf>,
     scope: Scope,
+    mode: sync::RepoSync,
+    timeout: time::Duration,
     node: &mut Node,
     signer: &G,
     storage: &Storage,
@@ -218,7 +254,7 @@ pub fn clone<G: Signer>(
 > {
     let me = *signer.public_key();
 
-    // Track.
+    // Seed repository.
     if node.seed(id, scope)? {
         term::success!(
             "Seeding policy updated for {} with scope '{scope}'",
@@ -226,12 +262,7 @@ pub fn clone<G: Signer>(
         );
     }
 
-    let results = sync::fetch(
-        id,
-        sync::RepoSync::default(),
-        time::Duration::from_secs(9),
-        node,
-    )?;
+    let results = sync::fetch(id, mode, timeout, node)?;
     let Ok(repository) = storage.repository(id) else {
         // If we don't have the project locally, even after attempting to fetch,
         // there's nothing we can do.
diff --git a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
index 4dd764a4..554c4880 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
@@ -1683,6 +1683,47 @@ fn rad_init_private_clone() {
         .unwrap();
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rad_init_private_clone_seed() {
+    let mut environment = Environment::new();
+    let alice = environment.node(Config::test(Alias::new("alice")));
+    let bob = environment.node(Config::test(Alias::new("bob")));
+    let working = environment.tmp().join("working");
+
+    fixtures::repository(working.join("alice"));
+
+    let alice = alice.spawn();
+    let mut bob = bob.spawn();
+
+    test(
+        "examples/rad-init-private.md",
+        working.join("alice"),
+        Some(&alice.home),
+        [],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    bob.connect(&alice).converge([&alice]);
+
+    formula(
+        &environment.tmp(),
+        "examples/rad-init-private-clone-seed.md",
+    )
+    .unwrap()
+    .home(
+        "alice",
+        working.join("alice"),
+        [("RAD_HOME", alice.home.path().display())],
+    )
+    .home(
+        "bob",
+        bob.home.path(),
+        [("RAD_HOME", bob.home.path().display())],
+    )
+    .run()
+    .unwrap();
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn rad_publish() {
     let mut environment = Environment::new();