diff --git a/tractor/msg.py b/tractor/msg.py
index 28e3405db..2897b8766 100644
--- a/tractor/msg.py
+++ b/tractor/msg.py
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ def pub(
     wrapped: typing.Callable = None,
     *,
     tasks: Set[str] = set(),
+    send_on_connect: Any = None,
 ):
     """Publisher async generator decorator.
 
@@ -206,7 +207,7 @@ async def pub_service(get_topics):
 
     # handle the decorator not called with () case
     if wrapped is None:
-        return partial(pub, tasks=tasks)
+        return partial(pub, tasks=tasks, send_on_connect=send_on_connect)
 
     task2lock: Dict[str, trio.StrictFIFOLock] = {}
 
@@ -249,6 +250,11 @@ async def _execute(
 
             try:
                 modify_subs(topics2ctxs, topics, ctx)
+
+                # if specified send the startup message back to consumer
+                if send_on_connect is not None:
+                    await ctx.send_yield(send_on_connect)
+
                 # block and let existing feed task deliver
                 # stream data until it is cancelled in which case
                 # the next waiting task will take over and spawn it again