diff --git a/http/src/v0/swarm.rs b/http/src/v0/swarm.rs
index 6d245c51..c0a3774a 100644
--- a/http/src/v0/swarm.rs
+++ b/http/src/v0/swarm.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use super::support::{with_ipfs, StringError};
-use ipfs::{Ipfs, IpfsTypes, Multiaddr};
+use ipfs::{p2p::ConnectionTarget, Ipfs, IpfsTypes, Multiaddr};
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
@@ -7,14 +7,18 @@ use warp::{query, Filter};
 
 #[derive(Debug, Deserialize)]
 struct ConnectQuery {
-    arg: Multiaddr,
+    arg: String,
 }
 
 async fn connect_query<T: IpfsTypes>(
     ipfs: Ipfs<T>,
     query: ConnectQuery,
 ) -> Result<impl warp::Reply, warp::Rejection> {
-    ipfs.connect(query.arg)
+    let target = query
+        .arg
+        .parse::<ConnectionTarget>()
+        .map_err(|e| warp::reject::custom(StringError::from(e)))?;
+    ipfs.connect(target)
         .await
         .map_err(|e| warp::reject::custom(StringError::from(e)))?;
     let response: &[&str] = &[];
diff --git a/src/p2p/swarm.rs b/src/p2p/swarm.rs
index 4d8b4fa2..907ecd45 100644
--- a/src/p2p/swarm.rs
+++ b/src/p2p/swarm.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 use crate::subscription::{SubscriptionFuture, SubscriptionRegistry};
+use anyhow::anyhow;
 use core::task::{Context, Poll};
 use libp2p::core::{connection::ConnectionId, ConnectedPoint, Multiaddr, PeerId};
 use libp2p::swarm::protocols_handler::{
@@ -6,6 +7,7 @@ use libp2p::swarm::protocols_handler::{
 };
 use libp2p::swarm::{self, DialPeerCondition, NetworkBehaviour, PollParameters, Swarm};
 use std::collections::{HashMap, HashSet, VecDeque};
+use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 /// A description of currently active connection.
@@ -23,6 +25,7 @@ pub struct Connection {
 pub enum ConnectionTarget {
     Addr(Multiaddr),
     PeerId(PeerId),
+    PeerIdWithAddr(PeerId, Multiaddr),
 }
 
 impl From<Multiaddr> for ConnectionTarget {
@@ -37,6 +40,33 @@ impl From<PeerId> for ConnectionTarget {
     }
 }
 
+impl FromStr for ConnectionTarget {
+    type Err = anyhow::Error;
+
+    fn from_str(s: &str) -> Result<Self, Self::Err> {
+        if s.contains("/p2p/") {
+            let mut iter = s.split("/p2p/");
+
+            let addr = iter
+                .next()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing Multiaddr part of the address"))?
+                .parse::<Multiaddr>()?;
+            let peer_id = iter
+                .next()
+                .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing PeerId part of the address"))?
+                .parse::<PeerId>()?;
+
+            Ok(ConnectionTarget::PeerIdWithAddr(peer_id, addr))
+        } else if s.contains('/') {
+            let addr = s.parse::<Multiaddr>()?;
+            Ok(ConnectionTarget::Addr(addr))
+        } else {
+            let peer_id = s.parse::<PeerId>()?;
+            Ok(ConnectionTarget::PeerId(peer_id))
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Disconnected will use banning to disconnect a node. Disconnecting a single peer connection is
 /// not supported at the moment.
 pub struct Disconnector {
@@ -105,6 +135,9 @@ impl SwarmApi {
         let will_attempt_connection = match target {
             ConnectionTarget::PeerId(ref id) => self.connected_peers.get(id).is_none(),
             ConnectionTarget::Addr(ref addr) => !self.connections.contains_key(addr),
+            ConnectionTarget::PeerIdWithAddr(ref id, ref addr) => {
+                self.connected_peers.get(id).is_none() || !self.connections.contains_key(addr)
+            }
         };
 
         if !will_attempt_connection {
@@ -113,6 +146,14 @@ impl SwarmApi {
 
         trace!("Connecting to {:?}", target);
 
+        // convert the ConnectionTarget to the actual dial method so that it's easier
+        // to handle the subscription we'll be creating.
+        let target = if let ConnectionTarget::PeerIdWithAddr(_id, addr) = target {
+            ConnectionTarget::Addr(addr)
+        } else {
+            target
+        };
+
         let subscription = self
             .connect_registry
             .create_subscription(target.clone().into(), None);
@@ -123,6 +164,7 @@ impl SwarmApi {
                 peer_id,
                 condition: DialPeerCondition::Disconnected,
             },
+            _ => unreachable!(),
         });
 
         Some(subscription)
@@ -277,6 +319,26 @@ mod tests {
     use libp2p::identity::Keypair;
     use libp2p::swarm::Swarm;
 
+    #[test]
+    fn connection_targets() {
+        let peer_id = "QmaCpDMGvV2BGHeYERUEnRQAwe3N8SzbUtfsmvsqQLuvuJ";
+        let multiaddr = "/ip4/104.131.131.82/tcp/4001";
+        let both = format!("{}/p2p/{}", multiaddr, peer_id);
+
+        assert!(matches!(
+            peer_id.parse().unwrap(),
+            ConnectionTarget::PeerId(_)
+        ));
+        assert!(matches!(
+            multiaddr.parse().unwrap(),
+            ConnectionTarget::Addr(_)
+        ));
+        assert!(matches!(
+            both.parse().unwrap(),
+            ConnectionTarget::PeerIdWithAddr(..)
+        ));
+    }
+
     #[async_std::test]
     async fn swarm_api() {
         let (peer1_id, trans) = mk_transport();