diff --git a/src/ems-esp.ino b/src/ems-esp.ino
index b250801b4..e7f238ddc 100644
--- a/src/ems-esp.ino
+++ b/src/ems-esp.ino
@@ -895,7 +895,6 @@ void MQTTCallback(unsigned int type, const char * topic, const char * message) {
             } else if (message[0] == '0') {
                 ems_setWarmWaterActivated(false);
             }
-            publishValues(true); // publish back immediately
         }
 
         // shower timer
@@ -1149,11 +1148,11 @@ void loop() {
         ds18.loop();
     }
 
-    // publish the values to MQTT, regardless if the values haven't changed
-    // we don't want to publish when doing a deep scan of the thermostat
+    // publish the values to MQTT, only if the values have changed
+    // although we don't want to publish when doing a deep scan of the thermostat
     if (ems_getEmsRefreshed() && (scanThermostat_count == 0)) {
-        publishValues(true);
-        ems_setEmsRefreshed(false);
+        publishValues(false);
+        ems_setEmsRefreshed(false); // reset
     }
 
     // do shower logic, if enabled
diff --git a/src/ems.cpp b/src/ems.cpp
index 2b654ca40..e72edd394 100644
--- a/src/ems.cpp
+++ b/src/ems.cpp
@@ -524,6 +524,7 @@ void _createValidate() {
 
     // safety check: only do a validate after a write and when we have a type to validate
     if ((EMS_TxTelegram.action != EMS_TX_TELEGRAM_WRITE) || (EMS_TxTelegram.type_validate == EMS_ID_NONE)) {
+        EMS_TxQueue.shift(); // remove from queue
         return;
     }
 
@@ -582,7 +583,7 @@ void ems_parseTelegram(uint8_t * telegram, uint8_t length) {
                 EMS_Sys_Status.emsTxPkgs++;
                 // got a success 01. Send a validate to check the value of the last write
                 emsaurt_tx_poll(); // send a poll to free the EMS bus
-                _createValidate(); // create a validate Tx request
+                _createValidate(); // create a validate Tx request (if needed)
             } else if (value == EMS_TX_ERROR) {
                 // last write failed (04), delete it from queue and dont bother to retry
                 if (EMS_Sys_Status.emsLogging == EMS_SYS_LOGGING_VERBOSE) {
@@ -767,9 +768,9 @@ void _processType(uint8_t * telegram, uint8_t length) {
     // release the lock on the TxQueue
     EMS_Sys_Status.emsTxStatus = EMS_TX_STATUS_IDLE;
 
-    // at this point we can assume Txstatus is EMS_TX_STATUS_WAIT
+    // at this point we can assume Txstatus is EMS_TX_STATUS_WAIT so we just sent a read/write/validate
     // for READ, WRITE or VALIDATE the dest (telegram[1]) is always us, so check for this
-    // if not we probably didn't get any response so remove the last Tx from the queue and process the telegram
+    // and if not we probably didn't get any response so remove the last Tx from the queue and process the telegram anyway
     if ((telegram[1] & 0x7F) != EMS_ID_ME) {
         _removeTxQueue();
         _ems_processTelegram(telegram, length);