diff --git a/core/coreapi/interface/options/name.go b/core/coreapi/interface/options/name.go
index ba3691b03..c614db3ab 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/interface/options/name.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/interface/options/name.go
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ const (
 type NamePublishSettings struct {
 	ValidTime time.Duration
 	Key       string
+
+	TTL *time.Duration
+
+	AllowOffline bool
 }
 
 type NameResolveSettings struct {
@@ -29,6 +33,8 @@ func NamePublishOptions(opts ...NamePublishOption) (*NamePublishSettings, error)
 	options := &NamePublishSettings{
 		ValidTime: DefaultNameValidTime,
 		Key:       "self",
+
+		AllowOffline: false,
 	}
 
 	for _, opt := range opts {
@@ -82,6 +88,24 @@ func (nameOpts) Key(key string) NamePublishOption {
 	}
 }
 
+// AllowOffline is an option for Name.Publish which specifies whether to allow
+// publishing when the node is offline. Default value is false
+func (nameOpts) AllowOffline(allow bool) NamePublishOption {
+	return func(settings *NamePublishSettings) error {
+		settings.AllowOffline = allow
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
+// TTL is an option for Name.Publish which specifies the time duration the
+// published record should be cached for (caution: experimental).
+func (nameOpts) TTL(ttl time.Duration) NamePublishOption {
+	return func(settings *NamePublishSettings) error {
+		settings.TTL = &ttl
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // Local is an option for Name.Resolve which specifies if the lookup should be
 // offline. Default value is false
 func (nameOpts) Local(local bool) NameResolveOption {
diff --git a/core/coreapi/name.go b/core/coreapi/name.go
index cb7fc9b7d..ddd339c8a 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/name.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/name.go
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ func (api *NameAPI) Publish(ctx context.Context, p coreiface.Path, opts ...caopt
 	n := api.node
 
 	if !n.OnlineMode() {
+		if !options.AllowOffline {
+			return nil, coreiface.ErrOffline
+		}
 		err := n.SetupOfflineRouting()
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
@@ -65,6 +68,10 @@ func (api *NameAPI) Publish(ctx context.Context, p coreiface.Path, opts ...caopt
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if options.TTL != nil {
+		ctx = context.WithValue(ctx, "ipns-publish-ttl", *options.TTL)
+	}
+
 	eol := time.Now().Add(options.ValidTime)
 	err = n.Namesys.PublishWithEOL(ctx, k, pth, eol)
 	if err != nil {