diff --git a/examples/console/main.go b/examples/console/main.go
index 416eda25..9a5af3e2 100644
--- a/examples/console/main.go
+++ b/examples/console/main.go
@@ -153,6 +153,7 @@ func run() error {
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "open - open a channel with asset\n")
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "deposit <amount> - deposit asset into escrow account\n")
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "pay <amount> - pay amount of asset to peer\n")
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "declareclose - declare to close the channel\n")
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "close - close the channel\n")
 			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "exit - exit the application\n")
 		case "listen":
@@ -179,6 +180,12 @@ func run() error {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "error: %v\n", err)
 				continue
 			}
+		case "declareclose":
+			err := agent.DeclareClose()
+			if err != nil {
+				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stdout, "error: %v\n", err)
+				continue
+			}
 		case "close":
 			err := agent.Close()
 			if err != nil {
diff --git a/sdk/agent/agent.go b/sdk/agent/agent.go
index 5d0a98f7..48dc197a 100644
--- a/sdk/agent/agent.go
+++ b/sdk/agent/agent.go
@@ -53,10 +53,6 @@ type Agent struct {
 	channel *state.Channel
 
 	conn io.ReadWriter
-
-	// closeSignal is not nil if closing or closed, and the chan is closed once
-	// the payment channel is closed.
-	closeSignal chan struct{}
 }
 
 // Channel returns the channel the agent is managing. The channel will be nil if
@@ -142,33 +138,36 @@ func (a *Agent) Payment(paymentAmount string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// Close kicks off the close process by synchronously submitting a tx to the
-// network to begin the close process, then synchronously coordinating with the
-// remote participant to coordinate the close, then synchronously submitting the
-// final close tx either after the observation period is waited out.
-func (a *Agent) Close() error {
+// DeclareClose kicks off the close process by submitting a tx to the network to
+// begin the close process, then asynchronously coordinating with the remote
+// participant to coordinate the close. If the participant responds the agent
+// will automatically submit the final close tx that can be submitted
+// immediately. If no closed notification occurs before the observation period,
+// manually submit the close by calling Close.
+func (a *Agent) DeclareClose() error {
 	if a.conn == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("not connected")
 	}
 	if a.channel == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("no channel")
 	}
-	a.closeSignal = make(chan struct{})
-	// Submit declaration tx
-	declTx, closeTx, err := a.channel.CloseTxs()
+
+	// Submit declaration tx.
+	declTx, _, err := a.channel.CloseTxs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("building declaration tx: %w", err)
 	}
 	declHash, err := declTx.HashHex(a.NetworkPassphrase)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("hashing close tx: %w", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("hashing decl tx: %w", err)
 	}
-	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "submitting declaration", declHash)
+	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "submitting declaration:", declHash)
 	err = a.Submitter.SubmitTx(declTx)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("submitting declaration tx: %w", err)
 	}
-	// Revising agreement to close early
+
+	// Attempt revising the close agreement to close early.
 	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "proposing a revised close for immediate submission")
 	ca, err := a.channel.ProposeClose()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -182,22 +181,31 @@ func (a *Agent) Close() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("error: sending the close proposal: %w\n", err)
 	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Close closes the channel. The close must have been declared first either by
+// calling DeclareClose or by the other participant. If the close fails it may
+// be because the channel is already closed, or the participant has submitted
+// the same close which is already queued but not yet processed, or the
+// observation period has not yet passed since the close was declared.
+func (a *Agent) Close() error {
+	_, closeTx, err := a.channel.CloseTxs()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("building close tx: %w", err)
+	}
 	closeHash, err := closeTx.HashHex(a.NetworkPassphrase)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("hashing close tx: %w", err)
 	}
-	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "waiting observation period to submit delayed close tx", closeHash)
-	select {
-	case <-a.closeSignal:
-		fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "aborting sending delayed close tx", closeHash)
-		return nil
-	case <-time.After(a.ObservationPeriodTime):
-	}
-	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "submitting delayed close tx", closeHash)
+	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "submitting close tx:", closeHash)
 	err = a.Submitter.SubmitTx(closeTx)
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("submitting declaration tx: %w", err)
+		fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "error submitting close tx:", closeHash, ",", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("submitting close tx %s: %w", closeHash, err)
 	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "submitted close tx:", closeHash)
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -369,6 +377,7 @@ func (a *Agent) handleCloseRequest(m msg.Message, send *msg.Encoder) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("no channel")
 	}
 
+	// Agree to the close and send it back to requesting participant.
 	closeIn := *m.CloseRequest
 	close, err := a.channel.ConfirmClose(closeIn)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -382,6 +391,22 @@ func (a *Agent) handleCloseRequest(m msg.Message, send *msg.Encoder) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("encoding close to send back: %v\n", err)
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "close ready")
+
+	// Submit the close immediately since it is valid immediately.
+	_, closeTx, err := a.channel.CloseTxs()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("building close tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	hash, err := closeTx.HashHex(a.NetworkPassphrase)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("hashing close tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "submitting close", hash)
+	err = a.Submitter.SubmitTx(closeTx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("submitting close tx: %w", err)
+	}
+	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "close successful")
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -390,12 +415,15 @@ func (a *Agent) handleCloseResponse(m msg.Message, send *msg.Encoder) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("no channel")
 	}
 
+	// Store updated agreement from other participant.
 	closeIn := *m.CloseResponse
 	_, err := a.channel.ConfirmClose(closeIn)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("confirming close: %v\n", err)
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "close ready")
+
+	// Submit the close immediately since it is valid immediately.
 	_, closeTx, err := a.channel.CloseTxs()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("building close tx: %w", err)
@@ -410,8 +438,5 @@ func (a *Agent) handleCloseResponse(m msg.Message, send *msg.Encoder) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("submitting close tx: %w", err)
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintln(a.LogWriter, "close successful")
-	if a.closeSignal != nil {
-		close(a.closeSignal)
-	}
 	return nil
 }