diff --git a/src/core/instance/mod.rs b/src/core/instance/mod.rs
index f68df8e..06fd2ef 100644
--- a/src/core/instance/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/instance/mod.rs
@@ -229,9 +229,17 @@ impl Instance {
                 vec.push(sub);
             },
             None => {
-                subs_inner.insert(id, vec![sub]);
+                subs_inner.insert(id.clone(), vec![sub]);
             }
         }
+
+        // if we are not the owner of this item, send a sub msg to them
+        if !self.we_are_namespace()? {
+            let con = self.get_connection_by_ns(id.namespace())?;
+            let msg = MizeMessage::new_sub(id, con.id);
+            con.send(msg)?;
+        }
+
         Ok(())
     }
 
diff --git a/src/core/instance/updater.rs b/src/core/instance/updater.rs
index 8c51722..e6fe778 100644
--- a/src/core/instance/updater.rs
+++ b/src/core/instance/updater.rs
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ fn handle_msg(msg: &mut MizeMessage, instance: &Instance) -> MizeResult<()> {
             instance.sub(id, sub)?;
         },
 
+        MessageCmd::Sub => {
+            let id = msg.id(instance)?;
+            let mut connection = instance.get_connection(msg.conn_id)?.clone();
+            let sub = Subscription::from_conn(connection.clone());
+            instance.sub(id, sub)?;
+        },
+
         MessageCmd::Update => {
             let data = msg.data()?;
             let id = msg.id(instance)?;
diff --git a/src/core/proto/mod.rs b/src/core/proto/mod.rs
index 2e9b49c..d0e48c4 100644
--- a/src/core/proto/mod.rs
+++ b/src/core/proto/mod.rs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ static CMD_CREATE: u16 = 4;
 static CMD_CREATE_REPLY: u16 = 5;
 static CMD_UPDATE_REQUEST: u16 = 6;
 static CMD_GET_SUB: u16 = 7;
+static CMD_SUB: u16 = 8;
 
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub enum MessageCmd {
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ pub enum MessageCmd {
     CreateReply,
     UpdateRequest,
     GetSub,
+    Sub,
 }
 
 
@@ -66,6 +68,16 @@ impl MizeMessage {
         MizeMessage::new(value, conn_id)
     }
 
+    pub fn new_sub(id: MizeId, conn_id: u64) -> MizeMessage {
+        let id_path = id.path().into_iter().map(|string| CborValue::Text(string.to_owned())).collect();
+
+        let cmd = (CborValue::Integer(MSG_CMD.into()), CborValue::Integer(CMD_SUB.into()));
+        let id = (CborValue::Integer(MSG_ID.into()), CborValue::Array(id_path));
+        let value = CborValue::Map(vec![cmd, id]);
+
+        MizeMessage::new(value, conn_id)
+    }
+
     pub fn new_create(conn_id: u64) -> MizeMessage {
         let cmd = (CborValue::Integer(MSG_CMD.into()), CborValue::Integer(CMD_CREATE.into()));
         let value = CborValue::Map(vec![cmd]);
@@ -157,6 +169,8 @@ impl MizeMessage {
             4 => MessageCmd::Create,
             5 => MessageCmd::CreateReply,
             6 => MessageCmd::UpdateRequest,
+            7 => MessageCmd::GetSub,
+            8 => MessageCmd::Sub,
             _ => {
                 return Err(MizeError::new().msg("error cmd of msg was not a valid command"));
             },