diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md
index a47bcc91..b8be0a27 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ To create your first radicle project, navigate to a git repository, and run
 the `init` command:
 
 ```
-$ rad init --name heartwood --description "Radicle Heartwood Protocol & Stack" --no-confirm --no-sync
+$ rad init --name heartwood --description "Radicle Heartwood Protocol & Stack" --no-confirm --no-sync --no-track
 
 Initializing local 🌱 project in .
 
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs
index 87206495..bb11cc92 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/init.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ pub struct Options {
     pub setup_signing: bool,
     pub set_upstream: bool,
     pub sync: bool,
+    pub track: bool,
 }
 
 impl Args for Options {
@@ -65,6 +66,7 @@ impl Args for Options {
         let mut set_upstream = false;
         let mut setup_signing = false;
         let mut sync = true;
+        let mut track = true;
 
         while let Some(arg) = parser.next()? {
             match arg {
@@ -115,6 +117,9 @@ impl Args for Options {
                 Long("no-sync") => {
                     sync = false;
                 }
+                Long("no-track") => {
+                    track = false;
+                }
                 Long("help") => {
                     return Err(Error::Help.into());
                 }
@@ -135,6 +140,7 @@ impl Args for Options {
                 set_upstream,
                 setup_signing,
                 sync,
+                track,
             },
             vec![],
         ))
@@ -193,6 +199,7 @@ pub fn init(options: Options, profile: &profile::Profile) -> anyhow::Result<()>
     let branch = RefString::try_from(branch.clone())
         .map_err(|e| anyhow!("invalid branch name {:?}: {}", branch, e))?;
 
+    let mut node = radicle::Node::new(profile.socket());
     let mut spinner = term::spinner("Initializing...");
 
     match radicle::rad::init(
@@ -206,6 +213,12 @@ pub fn init(options: Options, profile: &profile::Profile) -> anyhow::Result<()>
         Ok((id, doc, _)) => {
             let proj = doc.project()?;
 
+            if options.track {
+                // It's important to track our own repositories to make sure that our node signals
+                // interest for them. This ensures that messages relating to them are relayed to us.
+                node.track_repo(id)?;
+            }
+
             spinner.message(format!(
                 "Project {} created",
                 term::format::highlight(proj.name())
@@ -230,7 +243,7 @@ pub fn init(options: Options, profile: &profile::Profile) -> anyhow::Result<()>
             }
             if options.sync {
                 let spinner = term::spinner("Announcing refs..");
-                if let Err(e) = radicle::Node::new(profile.socket()).announce_refs(id) {
+                if let Err(e) = node.announce_refs(id) {
                     spinner.error(e);
                 } else {
                     spinner.finish();
diff --git a/radicle-httpd/src/api/test.rs b/radicle-httpd/src/api/test.rs
index 83e6c963..39eb7d61 100644
--- a/radicle-httpd/src/api/test.rs
+++ b/radicle-httpd/src/api/test.rs
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ pub fn seed(dir: &Path) -> Context {
             setup_signing: false,
             set_upstream: false,
             sync: false,
+            track: false,
         },
         &profile,
     )