diff --git a/xwords4/linux/mqttcon.c b/xwords4/linux/mqttcon.c
index 5416b028a..e88311f8c 100644
--- a/xwords4/linux/mqttcon.c
+++ b/xwords4/linux/mqttcon.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ typedef struct _MQTTConStorage {
     MQTTDevID clientID;
     gchar clientIDStr[32];
     int msgPipe[2];
+    XP_Bool connected;
 } MQTTConStorage;
 
 #define DEFAULT_QOS 2
@@ -79,18 +80,24 @@ onMessageReceived( struct mosquitto* XP_UNUSED_DBG(mosq), void *userdata,
 }
 
 static void
-connect_callback( struct mosquitto *mosq, void *userdata, int XP_UNUSED_DBG(err) )
+connect_callback( struct mosquitto* mosq, void* userdata,
+                  int XP_UNUSED_DBG(connErr) )
 {
-    XP_LOGFF( "(err=%s)", mosquitto_strerror(err) );
-    XP_USE(mosq);
-    XP_USE(userdata);
-	/* int i; */
-	/* if(!result){ */
-	/* 	/\* Subscribe to broker information topics on successful connect. *\/ */
-	/* 	mosquitto_subscribe(mosq, NULL, "$SYS/#", 2); */
-	/* }else{ */
-	/* 	fprintf(stderr, "Connect failed\n"); */
-	/* } */
+    XP_LOGFF( "(err=%s)", mosquitto_strerror(connErr) );
+    MQTTConStorage* storage = (MQTTConStorage*)userdata;
+    storage->connected = XP_TRUE;
+
+    XP_UCHAR topicStorage[256];
+    XP_UCHAR* topics[4];
+    XP_U16 nTopics = VSIZE(topics);
+    dvc_getMQTTSubTopics( storage->params->dutil, NULL_XWE,
+                          topicStorage, VSIZE(topicStorage),
+                          &nTopics, topics );
+    int mid;
+    int err = mosquitto_subscribe_multiple( mosq, &mid, nTopics, topics,
+                                            DEFAULT_QOS, 0, NULL );
+    XP_LOGFF( "mosquitto_subscribe(topics[0]=%s, etc) => %s, mid=%d", topics[0],
+              mosquitto_strerror(err), mid );
 }
 
 static void
@@ -167,19 +174,22 @@ handle_gotmsg( GIOChannel* source, GIOCondition XP_UNUSED(condition), gpointer d
 static bool
 postOne( MQTTConStorage* storage, const XP_UCHAR* topic, const XP_U8* buf, XP_U16 len )
 {
-    int mid;
-    int err = mosquitto_publish( storage->mosq, &mid, topic,
+    int err = -1;
+    if ( storage->connected ) {
+        int mid;
+        err = mosquitto_publish( storage->mosq, &mid, topic,
                                  len, buf, DEFAULT_QOS, true );
-    XP_LOGFF( "mosquitto_publish(topic=%s) => %s; mid=%d", topic,
-              mosquitto_strerror(err), mid );
-    XP_ASSERT( 0 == err );
+        XP_LOGFF( "mosquitto_publish(topic=%s, len=%d) => %s; mid=%d", topic,
+                  len, mosquitto_strerror(err), mid );
+    } else {
+        XP_LOGFF( "not connected and so not sending" );
+    }
     return 0 == err;
 }
 
 void
 mqttc_init( LaunchParams* params )
 {
-    LOG_FUNC();
     if ( types_hasType( params->conTypes, COMMS_CONN_MQTT ) ) {
         XP_ASSERT( !params->mqttConStorage );
         MQTTConStorage* storage = getStorage( params );
@@ -215,18 +225,6 @@ mqttc_init( LaunchParams* params )
         XP_LOGFF( "mosquitto_connect(host=%s) => %s", params->connInfo.mqtt.hostName,
                   mosquitto_strerror(err) );
         if ( MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS == err ) {
-            XP_UCHAR topicStorage[256];
-            XP_UCHAR* topics[4];
-            XP_U16 nTopics = VSIZE(topics);
-            dvc_getMQTTSubTopics( storage->params->dutil, NULL_XWE,
-                                  topicStorage, VSIZE(topicStorage),
-                                  &nTopics, topics );
-
-            int mid;
-            err = mosquitto_subscribe_multiple( mosq, &mid, nTopics, topics, DEFAULT_QOS, 0, NULL );
-            XP_LOGFF( "mosquitto_subscribe(topics[0]=%s, etc) => %s, mid=%d", topics[0],
-                      mosquitto_strerror(err), mid );
-
             err = mosquitto_loop_start( mosq );
             XP_ASSERT( !err );
         } else {
@@ -235,7 +233,6 @@ mqttc_init( LaunchParams* params )
     } else {
         XP_LOGFF( "MQTT disabled; doing nothing" );
     }
-    LOG_RETURN_VOID();
 }
 
 void