diff --git a/src/ems-esp.cpp b/src/ems-esp.cpp
index 0f7cd3f90..d1c9c7605 100644
--- a/src/ems-esp.cpp
+++ b/src/ems-esp.cpp
@@ -1611,7 +1611,7 @@ void MQTTCallback(unsigned int type, const char * topic, const char * message) {
 
     uint8_t hc;
     // thermostat temp changes
-    hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_TEMP, topic);
+    hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_TEMP_HA, topic);
     if (hc) {
         float f = strtof((char *)message, 0);
         ems_setThermostatTemp(f, hc);
@@ -1620,7 +1620,7 @@ void MQTTCallback(unsigned int type, const char * topic, const char * message) {
     }
 
     // thermostat mode changes
-    hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_MODE, topic);
+    hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_MODE_HA, topic);
     if (hc) {
         if (strncmp(message, "auto", 4) == 0) {
             ems_setThermostatMode(2, hc);
@@ -1643,6 +1643,29 @@ void MQTTCallback(unsigned int type, const char * topic, const char * message) {
         }
         const char * command = doc["cmd"];
 
+        // thermostat temp changes
+        hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_TEMP, command);
+        if (hc) {
+            float f = doc["data"];
+            ems_setThermostatTemp(f, hc);
+            publishValues(true); // publish back immediately
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // thermostat mode changes
+        hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_MODE, command);
+        if (hc) {
+            const char * data_cmd = doc["data"];
+            if (strncmp(data_cmd, "auto", 4) == 0) {
+                ems_setThermostatMode(2, hc);
+            } else if ((strncmp(data_cmd, "day", 4) == 0) || (strncmp(data_cmd, "manual", 6) == 0) || (strncmp(data_cmd, "heat", 4) == 0)) {
+                ems_setThermostatMode(1, hc);
+            } else if ((strncmp(data_cmd, "night", 5) == 0) || (strncmp(data_cmd, "off", 3) == 0)) {
+                ems_setThermostatMode(0, hc);
+            }
+            return;
+        }
+
         // set night temp value
         hc = _hasHCspecified(TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_NIGHTTEMP, command);
         if (hc) {
diff --git a/src/my_config.h b/src/my_config.h
index 8e63d914c..dfcd59578 100644
--- a/src/my_config.h
+++ b/src/my_config.h
@@ -18,12 +18,14 @@
 // these topics can be suffixed with a Heating Circuit number, e.g. thermostat_cmd_temp1 and thermostat_data1
 #define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_DATA "thermostat_data" // for sending thermostat values to MQTT
 
-#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD "thermostat_cmd"           // for receiving thermostat commands via MQTT
-#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_TEMP "thermostat_cmd_temp" // temp changes via MQTT
-#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_MODE "thermostat_cmd_mode" // mode changes via MQTT
-#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_DAYTEMP "daytemp"          // day temp (RC35 specific)
-#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_NIGHTTEMP "nighttemp"      // night temp (RC35 specific)
-#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_HOLIDAYTEMP "holidayttemp" // holiday temp (RC35 specific)
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD "thermostat_cmd"              // for receiving thermostat commands via MQTT
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_TEMP_HA "thermostat_cmd_temp" // temp changes via MQTT, for HA climate component
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_MODE_HA "thermostat_cmd_mode" // mode changes via MQTT, for HA climate component
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_TEMP "temp"                   // temp changes via MQTT
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_MODE "mode"                   // mode changes via MQTT
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_DAYTEMP "daytemp"             // day temp (RC35 specific)
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_NIGHTTEMP "nighttemp"         // night temp (RC35 specific)
+#define TOPIC_THERMOSTAT_CMD_HOLIDAYTEMP "holidayttemp"    // holiday temp (RC35 specific)
 
 #define THERMOSTAT_CURRTEMP "currtemp"               // current temperature
 #define THERMOSTAT_SELTEMP "seltemp"                 // selected temperature