diff --git a/lib/algorithm.js b/lib/algorithm.js
index 05fb485..a33b1a5 100644
--- a/lib/algorithm.js
+++ b/lib/algorithm.js
@@ -2,12 +2,16 @@ const { BloomFilter } = require('bloom-filters')
 const MsgV3 = require('ppppp-db/msg-v3')
 const p = require('util').promisify
 const { EMPTY_RANGE, isEmptyRange, estimateMsgCount } = require('./range')
-const { parseGoal } = require('./goal')
 
 /**
  * @typedef {import('./range').Range} Range
- * @typedef {import('./goal').Goal} Goal
  * @typedef {import('ppppp-db/msg-v3').Msg} Msg
+ *
+ * @typedef {{
+ *   type: 'all' | 'newest' | 'oldest',
+ *   count: number,
+ *   id: string
+ * }} Goal
  */
 
 function countIter(iter) {
@@ -87,13 +91,12 @@ class Algorithm {
   wantRange(localHave, remoteHave, goal) {
     if (!goal) return EMPTY_RANGE
     if (isEmptyRange(remoteHave)) return EMPTY_RANGE
-    const { type, count } = parseGoal(goal)
-    if (type === 'all') {
+    if (goal.type === 'all') {
       return this.#wantAllRange(localHave, remoteHave)
-    } else if (type === 'newest') {
-      return this.#wantNewestRange(localHave, remoteHave, count)
-    } else if (type === 'oldest') {
-      return this.#wantOldestRange(localHave, remoteHave, count)
+    } else if (goal.type === 'newest') {
+      return this.#wantNewestRange(localHave, remoteHave, goal.count)
+    } else if (goal.type === 'oldest') {
+      return this.#wantOldestRange(localHave, remoteHave, goal.count)
     }
   }
 
@@ -189,6 +192,12 @@ class Algorithm {
     return validNewMsgs
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @param {string} rootID
+   * @param {Array<Msg>} newMsgs
+   * @param {Goal} goal
+   * @param {Range} myWantRange
+   */
   async commit(rootID, newMsgs, goal, myWantRange) {
     const validNewMsgs = this.#filterReceivedMsgs(rootID, newMsgs, myWantRange)
 
@@ -202,10 +211,12 @@ class Algorithm {
       } catch {}
     }
 
-    // Prune. Ideally this should be in a garbage collection module
-    const { type, count } = parseGoal(goal)
-    if (type === 'newest') return await this.pruneNewest(rootID, count)
-    if (type === 'oldest') throw new Error('not implemented') // TODO:
+    if (goal.type === 'newest') {
+      return await this.pruneNewest(rootID, goal.count)
+    }
+    if (goal.type === 'oldest') {
+      throw new Error('not implemented') // TODO
+    }
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/lib/goal.js b/lib/goal.js
deleted file mode 100644
index b4a89b3..0000000
--- a/lib/goal.js
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,53 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * @typedef {'all'} GoalAll
- */
-
-/**
- * @typedef {`newest-${number}`} GoalNewest
- */
-
-/**
- * @typedef {`oldest-${number}`} GoalOldest
- */
-
-/**
- * @typedef {GoalAll|GoalNewest|GoalOldest} Goal
- */
-
-/**
- * @typedef {{type: 'all'; count: never}} ParsedAll
- */
-
-/**
- * @typedef {{type: 'newest' |'oldest'; count: number}} ParsedLimited
- */
-
-/**
- * @typedef {ParsedAll | ParsedLimited} ParsedGoal
- */
-
-/**
- * @param {Goal} goal
- * @returns {ParsedGoal}
- */
-function parseGoal(goal) {
-  if (goal === 'all') {
-    return { type: 'all' }
-  }
-
-  const matchN = goal.match(/^newest-(\d+)$/)
-  if (matchN) {
-    return { type: 'newest', count: Number(matchN[1]) }
-  }
-
-  const matchO = goal.match(/^oldest-(\d+)$/)
-  if (matchO) {
-    return { type: 'oldest', count: Number(matchO[1]) }
-  }
-
-  throw new Error(`Invalid goal: ${goal}`)
-}
-
-module.exports = {
-  parseGoal,
-}
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 2649a13..3791ccd 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -5,10 +5,6 @@ const getSeverity = require('ssb-network-errors')
 const Algorithm = require('./algorithm')
 const SyncStream = require('./stream')
 
-/**
- * @typedef {import('./goal').Goal} Goal
- */
-
 function isMuxrpcMissingError(err, namespace, methodName) {
   const jsErrorMessage = `method:${namespace},${methodName} is not in list of allowed methods`
   const goErrorMessage = `muxrpc: no such command: ${namespace}.${methodName}`
@@ -19,7 +15,6 @@ module.exports = {
   name: 'tangleSync',
   manifest: {
     connect: 'duplex',
-    setGoal: 'sync',
     initiate: 'sync',
   },
   permissions: {
@@ -28,15 +23,17 @@ module.exports = {
     },
   },
   init(peer, config) {
+    if (!peer.goals) {
+      throw new Error('tangleSync requires the goals plugin')
+    }
     const debug = makeDebug(`ppppp:tangleSync`)
-    const goals = new Map()
     const algo = new Algorithm(peer)
 
     const streams = []
     function createStream(remoteId, iamClient) {
       // prettier-ignore
       debug('Opening a stream with remote %s %s', iamClient ? 'server' : 'client', remoteId)
-      const stream = new SyncStream(peer.shse.pubkey, debug, goals, algo)
+      const stream = new SyncStream(peer.shse.pubkey, debug, peer.goals, algo)
       streams.push(stream)
       return stream
     }
@@ -67,14 +64,6 @@ module.exports = {
       return toPull.duplex(createStream(this.id, false))
     }
 
-    /**
-     * @param {string} tangleId
-     * @param {Goal} goal
-     */
-    function setGoal(tangleId, goal = 'all') {
-      goals.set(tangleId, goal)
-    }
-
     function initiate() {
       for (const stream of streams) {
         stream.initiate()
@@ -83,7 +72,6 @@ module.exports = {
 
     return {
       connect,
-      setGoal,
       initiate,
     }
   },
diff --git a/lib/stream.js b/lib/stream.js
index 5122ed6..0a2bdb6 100644
--- a/lib/stream.js
+++ b/lib/stream.js
@@ -2,7 +2,11 @@ const Pipeable = require('push-stream/pipeable')
 const { isEmptyRange } = require('./range')
 
 /**
- * @typedef {import('./goal').Goal} Goal
+ * @typedef {{
+ *   type: 'all' | 'newest' | 'oldest',
+ *   count: number,
+ *   id: string
+ * }} Goal
  */
 
 class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
@@ -15,7 +19,10 @@ class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
   #requested
 
   /** tangleId => goal
-   * @type {Map<string, Goal>} */
+   * @type {{
+   *   getByID(id: string): Goal | null,
+   *   list(): IterableIterator<Goal>,
+   * }} */
   #goals
 
   /**
@@ -73,8 +80,8 @@ class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
   }
 
   initiate() {
-    for (const id of this.#goals.keys()) {
-      this.#requested.add(id)
+    for (const goal of this.#goals.list()) {
+      this.#requested.add(goal.id)
     }
     this.resume()
   }
@@ -111,7 +118,7 @@ class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
     // prettier-ignore
     this.#debug('%s Stream  IN1:  got remote have-range %o for %s', this.#myId, remoteHaveRange, id)
     this.#remoteHave.set(id, remoteHaveRange)
-    const goal = this.#goals.get(id)
+    const goal = this.#goals.getByID(id)
     const haveRange = this.#algo.haveRange(id)
     const wantRange = this.#algo.wantRange(haveRange, remoteHaveRange, goal)
     this.#localHave.set(id, haveRange)
@@ -126,7 +133,7 @@ class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
     this.#debug('%s Stream  IN2:  got remote have-range %o and want-range %o for %s', this.#myId, remoteHaveRange, remoteWantRange, id)
     this.#remoteHave.set(id, remoteHaveRange)
     this.#remoteWant.set(id, remoteWantRange)
-    const goal = this.#goals.get(id)
+    const goal = this.#goals.getByID(id)
     const haveRange = this.#localHave.get(id)
     const wantRange = this.#algo.wantRange(haveRange, remoteHaveRange, goal)
     this.#localWant.set(id, wantRange)
@@ -253,7 +260,7 @@ class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
     this.#debug('%s Stream OUT9: send %s msgs in %s', this.#myId, msgs.length, id)
     this.sink.write({ id, phase: 9, payload: msgs })
 
-    const goal = this.#goals.get(id)
+    const goal = this.#goals.getByID(id)
     const localWant = this.#localWant.get(id)
     this.#requested.delete(id)
     this.#localHave.delete(id)
@@ -275,7 +282,7 @@ class SyncStream extends Pipeable {
     // prettier-ignore
     this.#debug('%s Stream  IN9:  got %s msgs in %s', this.#myId, msgsForMe.length, id)
 
-    const goal = this.#goals.get(id)
+    const goal = this.#goals.getByID(id)
     const localWant = this.#localWant.get(id)
     this.#requested.delete(id)
     this.#localHave.delete(id)
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 5a86d6b..debf82f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
     "c8": "7",
     "ppppp-db": "github:staltz/ppppp-db",
     "ppppp-caps": "github:staltz/ppppp-caps",
+    "ppppp-goals": "github:staltz/ppppp-goals",
     "ppppp-keypair": "github:staltz/ppppp-keypair",
     "prettier": "^2.6.2",
     "pretty-quick": "^3.1.3",
diff --git a/test/account-sync.test.js b/test/account-sync.test.js
index 2292ecb..98f9f82 100644
--- a/test/account-sync.test.js
+++ b/test/account-sync.test.js
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ test('sync an account tangle', async (t) => {
     "bob doesn't have alice's account tangle"
   )
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(aliceID, 'all')
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(aliceID, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(aliceID, 'all')
+  alice.goals.set(aliceID, 'all')
 
   const remoteAlice = await p(bob.connect)(alice.getAddress())
   assert('bob connected to alice')
diff --git a/test/feed-sync.test.js b/test/feed-sync.test.js
index 2494d55..e49c9ac 100644
--- a/test/feed-sync.test.js
+++ b/test/feed-sync.test.js
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ test('sync a feed with goal=all', async (t) => {
     )
   }
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(carolPostsMootID, 'all')
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(carolPostsMootID, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(carolPostsMootID, 'all')
+  alice.goals.set(carolPostsMootID, 'all')
 
   const remoteAlice = await p(bob.connect)(alice.getAddress())
   assert('bob connected to alice')
@@ -129,8 +129,8 @@ test('sync a feed with goal=newest', async (t) => {
     )
   }
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(carolPostsMootID, 'newest-5')
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(carolPostsMootID, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(carolPostsMootID, 'newest-5')
+  alice.goals.set(carolPostsMootID, 'all')
 
   const remoteAlice = await p(bob.connect)(alice.getAddress())
   assert('bob connected to alice')
@@ -211,8 +211,8 @@ test('sync a feed with goal=newest but too far behind', async (t) => {
     assert.deepEqual(arr, ['m1', 'm2'], 'bob has msgs 1..2 from carol')
   }
 
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(carolPostsMootID, 'newest-5')
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(carolPostsMootID, 'newest-8')
+  alice.goals.set(carolPostsMootID, 'newest-5')
+  bob.goals.set(carolPostsMootID, 'newest-8')
 
   const remoteAlice = await p(bob.connect)(alice.getAddress())
   assert('bob connected to alice')
diff --git a/test/thread-sync.test.js b/test/thread-sync.test.js
index 9d98e22..9cbf3f5 100644
--- a/test/thread-sync.test.js
+++ b/test/thread-sync.test.js
@@ -149,8 +149,8 @@ test('sync a thread where both peers have portions', async (t) => {
     'bob has another portion of the thread'
   )
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(startA.id, 'all')
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(startA.id, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(startA.id, 'all')
+  alice.goals.set(startA.id, 'all')
 
   const remoteAlice = await p(bob.connect)(alice.getAddress())
   assert('bob connected to alice')
@@ -228,9 +228,9 @@ test('sync a thread where initiator does not have the root', async (t) => {
 
   assert.deepEqual(getTexts(bob.db.msgs()), [], 'bob has nothing')
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(rootA.id, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(rootA.id, 'all')
   // ON PURPOSE: alice does not set the goal
-  // alice.tangleSync.setGoal(rootA.id, 'all')
+  // alice.goals.set(rootA.id, 'all')
 
   const remoteAlice = await p(bob.connect)(alice.getAddress())
   assert('bob connected to alice')
@@ -302,8 +302,8 @@ test('sync a thread where receiver does not have the root', async (t) => {
 
   assert.deepEqual(getTexts(bob.db.msgs()), [], 'bob has nothing')
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(rootA.id, 'all')
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(rootA.id, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(rootA.id, 'all')
+  alice.goals.set(rootA.id, 'all')
 
   const remoteBob = await p(alice.connect)(bob.getAddress())
   assert('alice connected to bob')
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ test('sync a thread with reactions too', async (t) => {
 
   assert.deepEqual(getTexts(bob.db.msgs()), [], 'bob has nothing')
 
-  bob.tangleSync.setGoal(rootA.id, 'all')
-  alice.tangleSync.setGoal(rootA.id, 'all')
+  bob.goals.set(rootA.id, 'all')
+  alice.goals.set(rootA.id, 'all')
 
   const remoteBob = await p(alice.connect)(bob.getAddress())
   assert('alice connected to bob')
diff --git a/test/util.js b/test/util.js
index 0d8e070..57f22b4 100644
--- a/test/util.js
+++ b/test/util.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ function createPeer(opts) {
     .use(require('secret-stack/plugins/net'))
     .use(require('secret-handshake-ext/secret-stack'))
     .use(require('ppppp-db'))
+    .use(require('ppppp-goals'))
     .use(require('ssb-box'))
     .use(require('../lib'))
     .call(null, {