diff --git a/local/local.go b/local/local.go
index abf3793..9b7837e 100644
--- a/local/local.go
+++ b/local/local.go
@@ -17,12 +17,13 @@ import (
 )
 
 type SyncContext struct {
-	DryRun          bool
-	KeepCache       bool
-	TempDir         string
-	LbrynetAddr     string
-	ChannelID       string
-	PublishBid      float64
+	DryRun              bool
+	KeepCache           bool
+	ReflectStreams      bool
+	TempDir             string
+	LbrynetAddr         string
+	ChannelID           string
+	PublishBid          float64
 	YouTubeSourceConfig *YouTubeSourceConfig
 }
 
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ func AddCommand(rootCmd *cobra.Command) {
 	}
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncContext.DryRun, "dry-run", false, "Display information about the stream publishing, but do not publish the stream")
 	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncContext.KeepCache, "keep-cache", false, "Don't delete local files after publishing.")
+	cmd.Flags().BoolVar(&syncContext.ReflectStreams, "reflect-streams", true, "Require published streams to be reflected.")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&syncContext.TempDir, "temp-dir", getEnvDefault("TEMP_DIR", ""), "directory to use for temporary files")
 	cmd.Flags().Float64Var(&syncContext.PublishBid, "publish-bid", 0.01, "Bid amount for the stream claim")
 	cmd.Flags().StringVar(&syncContext.LbrynetAddr, "lbrynet-address", getEnvDefault("LBRYNET_ADDRESS", ""), "JSONRPC address of the local LBRYNet daemon")
@@ -119,15 +121,19 @@ func localCmd(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 		log.Debugf("Object to be published: %v", processedVideo)
 
 	} else {
-		done, err := publisher.Publish(*processedVideo)
+		doneReflectingCh, err := publisher.Publish(*processedVideo, syncContext.ReflectStreams)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("Error publishing video: %v", err)
 			return
 		}
 
-		err = <-done
-		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("Error while wating for stream to reflect: %v", err)
+		if syncContext.ReflectStreams {
+			err = <-doneReflectingCh
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Errorf("Error while wating for stream to reflect: %v", err)
+			}
+		} else {
+			log.Debugln("Not waiting for stream to reflect.")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -227,13 +233,14 @@ func getAbbrevDescription(v SourceVideo) string {
 		return v.SourceURL
 	}
 
-	maxLength := 2800
+	additionalDescription := "\n...\n" + v.SourceURL
+	maxLength := 2800 - len(additionalDescription)
+
 	description := strings.TrimSpace(*v.Description)
-	additionalDescription := "\n" + v.SourceURL
 	if len(description) > maxLength {
 		description = description[:maxLength]
 	}
-	return description + "\n..." + additionalDescription
+	return description + additionalDescription
 }
 
 type VideoSource interface {
@@ -242,5 +249,5 @@ type VideoSource interface {
 }
 
 type VideoPublisher interface {
-	Publish(video PublishableVideo) (chan error, error)
+	Publish(video PublishableVideo, reflectStream bool) (chan error, error)
 }
diff --git a/local/localSDKPublisher.go b/local/localSDKPublisher.go
index 4e99355..3886eb9 100644
--- a/local/localSDKPublisher.go
+++ b/local/localSDKPublisher.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func NewLocalSDKPublisher(sdkAddr, channelID string, publishBid float64) (*Local
 	return &publisher, nil
 }
 
-func (p *LocalSDKPublisher) Publish(video PublishableVideo) (chan error, error) {
+func (p *LocalSDKPublisher) Publish(video PublishableVideo, reflectStream bool) (chan error, error) {
 	streamCreateOptions := jsonrpc.StreamCreateOptions {
 		ClaimCreateOptions: jsonrpc.ClaimCreateOptions {
 			Title:        &video.Title,
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ func (p *LocalSDKPublisher) Publish(video PublishableVideo) (chan error, error)
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	if !reflectStream {
+		return nil, nil
+	}
+
 	done := make(chan error, 1)
 	go func() {
 		for {
@@ -88,8 +92,9 @@ func (p *LocalSDKPublisher) Publish(video PublishableVideo) (chan error, error)
 				break
 			}
 			if !fileStatus.UploadingToReflector {
-				log.Warn("Stream is not being uploaded to a reflector. Check your lbrynet settings if this is a mistake.")
-				break
+				log.Error("Stream is not being uploaded to a reflector. Check your lbrynet settings if this is a mistake.")
+				done <- errors.New("Stream is not being reflected (check lbrynet settings).")
+				return
 			}
 			log.Infof("Stream reflector progress: %d%%", fileStatus.ReflectorProgress)
 			time.Sleep(5 * time.Second)
diff --git a/local/readme.md b/local/readme.md
index 16efe8b..81b0235 100644
--- a/local/readme.md
+++ b/local/readme.md
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 - LBRY SDK (what do we actually need this for?)
 - youtube-dl
 - enough space to cache stuff
+- YouTube data API key
 
 
 ## Process
@@ -15,6 +16,21 @@
   - or easier, just error if no channel 
 - enough lbc in wallet?
 
+### Getting a YouTube API key
+
+To access the YouTube data API, you will first need some kind of google account.
+
+The API has two methods of authentication, OAuth2 and API keys. This application uses API keys.
+These API keys are basically like passwords, and so once obtained, they should not be shared.
+
+The instructions for obtaining an API key are copied below from [here](https://developers.google.com/youtube/registering_an_application):
+
+
+1. Open the [Credentials page](https://console.developers.google.com/apis/credentials) in the API Console.
+2. Create an API key in the Console by clicking **Create credentials > API key**. You can restrict the key before using it in production by clicking **Restrict key** and selecting one of the **Restrictions**.
+
+To keep your API keys secure, follow the [best practices for securely using API keys](https://cloud.google.com/docs/authentication/api-keys).
+
 ### Options to figure out what's already synced
 
 - simplest: assume nothing is synced yet
@@ -50,4 +66,4 @@
 
 ### Debugging
 
-- dry-running the whole thing
\ No newline at end of file
+- dry-running the whole thing