diff --git a/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private.md b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b98593c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/radicle-cli/examples/rad-init-private.md
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+Alice initializes a *private* repo.
+
+``` ~alice
+$ rad init --name heartwood --description "radicle heartwood protocol & stack" --no-confirm --announce --private
+
+Initializing private radicle 👾 project in .
+
+✓ Project heartwood created
+✓ Syncing inventory..
+✓ Announcing inventory..
+
+Your project's Repository ID (RID) is rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu.
+You can show it any time by running `rad .`
+```
+
+Bob tries to clone it, and even though he's connected to Alice, it fails.
+
+``` ~bob
+$ rad track rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu
+✓ Tracking policy updated for rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu with scope 'trusted'
+```
+``` ~bob (fail)
+$ rad sync rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu --fetch --seed z6MknSLrJoTcukLrE435hVNQT4JUhbvWLX4kUzqkEStBU8Vi --timeout 3
+✗ Fetching rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu from z6MknSL…StBU8Vi.. <canceled>
+✗ Sync failed: failed to call node: i/o: timed out reading from control socket
+```
+
+She allows Bob to view the repository. And when she syncs, one node (Bob) gets
+the refs.
+
+``` ~alice
+$ rad id edit --allow did:key:z6Mkt67GdsW7715MEfRuP4pSZxJRJh6kj6Y48WRqVv4N1tRk -q
+e98cd6a0a3e94837b382e59e02b3ea83991a8244
+$ rad id accept e98cd6a0a3e94837b382e59e02b3ea83991a8244 -q
+$ rad id commit e98cd6a0a3e94837b382e59e02b3ea83991a8244 -q
+c568f8aac97db40a5e63e1261872bfbd9a3a61e4
+$ rad sync --announce --timeout 1
+✓ Synced with 1 node(s)
+```
+
+Bob can now fetch the private repo:
+
+``` ~bob
+$ rad sync rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu --fetch
+✓ Fetching rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu from z6MknSL…StBU8Vi..
+✓ Fetched repository from 1 seed(s)
+$ rad ls --private
+heartwood rad:z2ug5mwNKZB8KGpBDRTrWHAMbvHCu f2de534 radicle heartwood protocol & stack
+```
diff --git a/radicle-cli/src/commands/sync.rs b/radicle-cli/src/commands/sync.rs
index 01e1856c..f11c81a4 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/src/commands/sync.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/src/commands/sync.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ use anyhow::{anyhow, Context as _};
 
 use radicle::node;
 use radicle::node::{FetchResult, FetchResults, Handle as _, Node};
-use radicle::prelude::{Id, NodeId};
+use radicle::prelude::{Id, NodeId, Profile};
+use radicle::storage::{ReadRepository, ReadStorage};
 
 use crate::terminal as term;
 use crate::terminal::args::{Args, Error, Help};
@@ -192,13 +193,13 @@ pub fn run(options: Options, ctx: impl term::Context) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         let failed = results.failed().count();
 
         if success == 0 {
-            term::error(format!("Failed to fetch repository from {failed} seed(s)"));
+            anyhow::bail!("repository fetch from {failed} seed(s) failed");
         } else {
             term::success!("Fetched repository from {success} seed(s)");
         }
     }
     if [SyncDirection::Announce, SyncDirection::Both].contains(&options.sync.direction) {
-        announce(rid, mode, options.timeout, node)?;
+        announce(rid, mode, options.timeout, node, &profile)?;
     }
     Ok(())
 }
@@ -208,9 +209,21 @@ fn announce(
     _mode: SyncMode,
     timeout: time::Duration,
     mut node: Node,
+    profile: &Profile,
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let seeds = node.seeds(rid)?;
-    let connected = seeds.connected().map(|s| s.nid).collect::<Vec<_>>();
+    let repo = profile.storage.repository(rid)?;
+    let (_, doc) = repo.identity_doc()?;
+    let connected: Vec<_> = if doc.visibility.is_public() {
+        let seeds = node.seeds(rid)?;
+        seeds.connected().map(|s| s.nid).collect()
+    } else {
+        node.sessions()?
+            .into_iter()
+            .filter(|s| s.state.is_connected() && doc.is_visible_to(&s.nid))
+            .map(|s| s.nid)
+            .collect()
+    };
+
     if connected.is_empty() {
         term::info!("Not connected to any seeds.");
         return Ok(());
diff --git a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
index deb71a36..a5f5b14b 100644
--- a/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
+++ b/radicle-cli/tests/commands.rs
@@ -1159,6 +1159,38 @@ fn rad_patch_pull_update() {
         .unwrap();
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn rad_init_private() {
+    logger::init(log::Level::Debug);
+
+    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();
+
+    bob.connect(&alice).converge([&alice]);
+
+    formula(&environment.tmp(), "examples/rad-init-private.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 framework_home() {
     logger::init(log::Level::Debug);
diff --git a/radicle-node/src/service.rs b/radicle-node/src/service.rs
index 68ff2ee3..412c2339 100644
--- a/radicle-node/src/service.rs
+++ b/radicle-node/src/service.rs
@@ -722,21 +722,6 @@ where
         }
     }
 
-    /// Called when a remote requests a repository be uploaded to it.
-    /// The upload is authorized if this function returns `true`.
-    pub fn upload(&mut self, rid: Id, remote: &NodeId) -> bool {
-        let Ok(repo) = self.storage.repository(rid) else {
-            return false;
-        };
-        let Ok((_, doc)) = repo.identity_doc() else {
-            return false;
-        };
-        if !doc.is_visible_to(remote) {
-            return false;
-        }
-        true
-    }
-
     /// Inbound connection attempt.
     pub fn accepted(&mut self, addr: Address) -> bool {
         // Always accept trusted connections.