diff --git a/dagsync/option.go b/dagsync/option.go
index 0a9682f..f031481 100644
--- a/dagsync/option.go
+++ b/dagsync/option.go
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ type config struct {
 
 	adsDepthLimit     int64
 	entriesDepthLimit int64
+	firstSyncDepth    int64
 	segDepthLimit     int64
 
 	strictAdsSelSeq bool
@@ -166,6 +167,18 @@ func EntriesDepthLimit(depth int64) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// FirstSyncDepth sets the advertisement chain depth to sync on the first sync
+// with a new provider. A value of 0, the default, means unlimited depth.
+func FirstSyncDepth(depth int64) Option {
+	return func(c *config) error {
+		if depth < 0 {
+			depth = 0
+		}
+		c.firstSyncDepth = depth
+		return nil
+	}
+}
+
 // SegmentDepthLimit sets the maximum recursion depth limit for a segmented sync.
 // Setting the depth to a value less than zero disables segmented sync completely.
 // Disabled by default.
diff --git a/dagsync/subscriber.go b/dagsync/subscriber.go
index 8c5db3b..dc76fd6 100644
--- a/dagsync/subscriber.go
+++ b/dagsync/subscriber.go
@@ -99,8 +99,9 @@ type Subscriber struct {
 	// async syncs.
 	syncSem chan struct{}
 
-	adsDepthLimit selector.RecursionLimit
-	segDepthLimit int64
+	adsDepthLimit  selector.RecursionLimit
+	firstSyncDepth int64
+	segDepthLimit  int64
 
 	receiver *announce.Receiver
 
@@ -135,7 +136,7 @@ type SyncFinished struct {
 	// PeerID identifies the peer this SyncFinished event pertains to. This is
 	// the publisher of the advertisement chain.
 	PeerID peer.ID
-	// Count is the number of CID synced.
+	// Count is the number of CIDs synced.
 	Count int
 	// Err is used to return a failure to complete an asynchronous sync in
 	// response to an announcement.
@@ -223,8 +224,9 @@ func NewSubscriber(host host.Host, lsys ipld.LinkSystem, options ...Option) (*Su
 		latestSyncHandler: latestSyncHandler{},
 		lastKnownSync:     opts.lastKnownSync,
 
-		adsDepthLimit: recursionLimit(opts.adsDepthLimit),
-		segDepthLimit: opts.segDepthLimit,
+		adsDepthLimit:  recursionLimit(opts.adsDepthLimit),
+		firstSyncDepth: opts.firstSyncDepth,
+		segDepthLimit:  opts.segDepthLimit,
 
 		selectorOne: ssb.ExploreRecursive(selector.RecursionLimitDepth(0), all).Node(),
 		selectorAll: ssb.ExploreRecursive(selector.RecursionLimitNone(), all).Node(),
@@ -463,6 +465,8 @@ func (s *Subscriber) SyncAdChain(ctx context.Context, peerInfo peer.AddrInfo, op
 			log.Infow("cid to sync to is the stop node. Nothing to do")
 			return nextCid, nil
 		}
+	} else if s.firstSyncDepth != 0 && opts.depthLimit == 0 {
+		depthLimit = recursionLimit(s.firstSyncDepth)
 	}
 
 	log = log.With("cid", nextCid)
@@ -842,6 +846,7 @@ func (h *handler) asyncSyncAdChain(ctx context.Context) {
 		return
 	}
 
+	adsDepthLimit := h.subscriber.adsDepthLimit
 	nextCid := amsg.Cid
 	latestSyncLink := h.subscriber.GetLatestSync(h.peerID)
 	var stopAtCid cid.Cid
@@ -851,9 +856,12 @@ func (h *handler) asyncSyncAdChain(ctx context.Context) {
 			log.Infow("CID to sync to is the stop node. Nothing to do.", "peer", h.peerID)
 			return
 		}
+	} else if h.subscriber.firstSyncDepth != 0 {
+		// If nothing synced yet, use first sync depth if configured.
+		adsDepthLimit = recursionLimit(h.subscriber.firstSyncDepth)
 	}
 
-	sel := ExploreRecursiveWithStopNode(h.subscriber.adsDepthLimit, h.subscriber.adsSelectorSeq, latestSyncLink)
+	sel := ExploreRecursiveWithStopNode(adsDepthLimit, h.subscriber.adsSelectorSeq, latestSyncLink)
 	syncCount, err := h.handle(ctx, nextCid, sel, syncer, h.subscriber.generalBlockHook, h.subscriber.segDepthLimit, stopAtCid)
 	if err != nil {
 		// Failed to handle the sync, so allow another announce for the same CID.
diff --git a/dagsync/sync_test.go b/dagsync/sync_test.go
index f9e21ef..eeca396 100644
--- a/dagsync/sync_test.go
+++ b/dagsync/sync_test.go
@@ -58,6 +58,59 @@ func TestLatestSyncSuccess(t *testing.T) {
 	senderAnnounceTest(t, pub, p2pSender, sub, dstStore, watcher, srcHost.ID(), chainLnks[0])
 }
 
+func TestFirstSyncDepth(t *testing.T) {
+	srcStore := dssync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
+	dstStore := dssync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
+	srcHost, srcPrivKey := test.MkTestHostPK(t)
+	srcLnkS := test.MkLinkSystem(srcStore)
+
+	dstHost := test.MkTestHost(t)
+	srcHost.Peerstore().AddAddrs(dstHost.ID(), dstHost.Addrs(), time.Hour)
+	dstHost.Peerstore().AddAddrs(srcHost.ID(), srcHost.Addrs(), time.Hour)
+	dstLnkS := test.MkLinkSystem(dstStore)
+
+	pub, err := ipnisync.NewPublisher(srcLnkS, srcPrivKey, ipnisync.WithStreamHost(srcHost))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer pub.Close()
+
+	sub, err := dagsync.NewSubscriber(dstHost, dstLnkS,
+		dagsync.FirstSyncDepth(1),
+		dagsync.RecvAnnounce(testTopic),
+		dagsync.StrictAdsSelector(false))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer sub.Close()
+
+	watcher, cncl := sub.OnSyncFinished()
+	defer cncl()
+
+	// Store the whole chain in source node
+	chainLnks := test.MkChain(srcLnkS, true)
+
+	lnk := chainLnks[0]
+	adCid := lnk.(cidlink.Link).Cid
+
+	pub.SetRoot(adCid)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), 5*time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	pubInfo := peer.AddrInfo{
+		ID:    pub.ID(),
+		Addrs: pub.Addrs(),
+	}
+	err = sub.Announce(ctx, adCid, pubInfo)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		require.FailNow(t, "timed out waiting for sync to propagate")
+	case syncDone, open := <-watcher:
+		require.True(t, open, "event channel closed without receiving event")
+		require.Equal(t, adCid, syncDone.Cid, "sync returned unexpected cid")
+		_, err := dstStore.Get(context.Background(), datastore.NewKey(adCid.String()))
+		require.NoError(t, err, "data not in receiver store")
+		require.Equal(t, 1, syncDone.Count)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSyncFn(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	srcStore := dssync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())