diff --git a/src/internal/observe/observe.go b/src/internal/observe/observe.go
index 4fe47767d..374b205d5 100644
--- a/src/internal/observe/observe.go
+++ b/src/internal/observe/observe.go
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ func MessageWithCompletion(message string) (chan<- struct{}, func()) {
 		mpb.SpinnerStyle(frames...).PositionLeft(),
 		mpb.PrependDecorators(
 			decor.Name(message),
+			decor.Elapsed(decor.ET_STYLE_GO, decor.WC{W: 4}),
 		),
 		mpb.BarFillerOnComplete("done"),
 	)
diff --git a/src/pkg/repository/repository.go b/src/pkg/repository/repository.go
index 8541bdc60..190337ec8 100644
--- a/src/pkg/repository/repository.go
+++ b/src/pkg/repository/repository.go
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/internal/events"
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/internal/kopia"
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/internal/model"
+	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/internal/observe"
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/internal/operations"
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/pkg/account"
 	"github.com/alcionai/corso/src/pkg/backup"
@@ -133,6 +134,10 @@ func Connect(
 	s storage.Storage,
 	opts control.Options,
 ) (Repository, error) {
+	complete, closer := observe.MessageWithCompletion("Connecting to repository:")
+	defer closer()
+	defer close(complete)
+
 	kopiaRef := kopia.NewConn(s)
 	if err := kopiaRef.Connect(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -156,6 +161,8 @@ func Connect(
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
+	complete <- struct{}{}
+
 	// todo: ID and CreatedAt should get retrieved from a stored kopia config.
 	return &repository{
 		Version:    "v1",