diff --git a/src/mqtt.cpp b/src/mqtt.cpp
index 28f8b0436..7be71f867 100644
--- a/src/mqtt.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt.cpp
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@ bool        Mqtt::mqtt_enabled_;
 
 std::vector<Mqtt::MQTTSubFunction> Mqtt::mqtt_subfunctions_;
 
-uint16_t Mqtt::mqtt_publish_fails_ = 0;
-// size_t                             Mqtt::maximum_mqtt_messages_ = Mqtt::MAX_MQTT_MESSAGES;
-uint16_t                           Mqtt::mqtt_message_id_ = 0;
+uint16_t                           Mqtt::mqtt_publish_fails_ = 0;
+bool                               Mqtt::connecting_         = false;
+uint16_t                           Mqtt::mqtt_message_id_    = 0;
 std::list<Mqtt::QueuedMqttMessage> Mqtt::mqtt_messages_;
 char                               will_topic_[Mqtt::MQTT_TOPIC_MAX_SIZE]; // because MQTT library keeps only char pointer
 
@@ -364,6 +364,7 @@ void Mqtt::start() {
     mqttClient_->onConnect([this](bool sessionPresent) { on_connect(); });
 
     mqttClient_->onDisconnect([this](AsyncMqttClientDisconnectReason reason) {
+        connecting_ = false;
         if (reason == AsyncMqttClientDisconnectReason::TCP_DISCONNECTED) {
             LOG_INFO(F("MQTT disconnected: TCP"));
         }
@@ -463,6 +464,14 @@ void Mqtt::set_format(uint8_t mqtt_format) {
 
 // MQTT onConnect - when a connect is established
 void Mqtt::on_connect() {
+    if (connecting_) {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    connecting_ = true;
+
+    LOG_INFO(F("MQTT connected"));
+
     // send info topic appended with the version information as JSON
     StaticJsonDocument<90> doc;
     doc["event"]   = "start";
@@ -481,8 +490,6 @@ void Mqtt::on_connect() {
     if (mqtt_format() == Format::HA) {
         ha_status(); // create a device in HA
     }
-
-    LOG_INFO(F("MQTT connected"));
 }
 
 // Home Assistant Discovery - the main master Device
diff --git a/src/mqtt.h b/src/mqtt.h
index 7e5080a79..cadcc9948 100644
--- a/src/mqtt.h
+++ b/src/mqtt.h
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ class Mqtt {
 
     static constexpr uint8_t MQTT_TOPIC_MAX_SIZE = 128; // note this should really match the user setting in mqttSettings.maxTopicLength
 
+    static void on_connect();
+
     static void subscribe(const uint8_t device_type, const std::string & topic, mqtt_subfunction_p cb);
     static void subscribe(const std::string & topic, mqtt_subfunction_p cb);
     static void resubscribe();
@@ -112,7 +114,6 @@ class Mqtt {
     static void show_topic_handlers(uuid::console::Shell & shell, const uint8_t device_type);
     static void show_mqtt(uuid::console::Shell & shell);
 
-    static void on_connect();
     static void ha_status();
 
     void disconnect() {
@@ -189,8 +190,6 @@ class Mqtt {
     void on_message(const char * topic, const char * payload, size_t len);
     void process_queue();
 
-    static uint16_t mqtt_publish_fails_;
-
     // function handlers for MQTT subscriptions
     struct MQTTSubFunction {
         uint8_t            device_type_;      // which device type, from DeviceType::
@@ -216,6 +215,9 @@ class Mqtt {
     uint32_t last_publish_other_      = 0;
     uint32_t last_publish_sensor_     = 0;
 
+    static bool     connecting_;
+    static uint16_t mqtt_publish_fails_;
+
     // settings, copied over
     static std::string hostname_;
     static uint8_t     mqtt_qos_;