diff --git a/include/irqhandler.h b/include/irqhandler.h
index 712e5e41..958acc4e 100644
--- a/include/irqhandler.h
+++ b/include/irqhandler.h
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 #define BME_IRQ 0x080
 #define MATRIX_DISPLAY_IRQ 0x100
 #define PMU_IRQ 0x200
-#define MQTT_IRQ 0x400
 
 #include "globals.h"
 #include "button.h"
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@
 #include "bmesensor.h"
 #include "power.h"
 #include "ledmatrixdisplay.h"
-#include "mqttclient.h"
 
 void irqHandler(void *pvParameters);
 void mask_user_IRQ();
diff --git a/include/mqttclient.h b/include/mqttclient.h
index 804ee0f3..6e351e2a 100644
--- a/include/mqttclient.h
+++ b/include/mqttclient.h
@@ -6,17 +6,15 @@
 #include <MQTT.h>
 #include <ETH.h>
 
-#define MQTT_ETHERNET 0 // set to 0 to run on Wifi
+#define MQTT_ETHERNET 0 // select PHY: set 0 for Wifi, 1 for ethernet
 #define MQTT_INTOPIC "paxin"
 #define MQTT_OUTTOPIC "paxout"
 #define MQTT_PORT 1883
-#define MQTT_SERVER "broker.shiftr.io"
-//#define MQTT_CLIENTNAME "arduino"
-#define MQTT_USER "try"
-#define MQTT_PASSWD "try"
+#define MQTT_SERVER "paxcounter.cloud.shiftr.io"
+#define MQTT_USER "public"
+#define MQTT_PASSWD "public"
 #define MQTT_RETRYSEC 20  // retry reconnect every 20 seconds
 #define MQTT_KEEPALIVE 10 // keep alive interval in seconds
-#define MQTT_TIMEOUT 1000 // timeout for all mqtt commands in milliseconds
 
 #ifndef MQTT_CLIENTNAME
 #define MQTT_CLIENTNAME clientId.c_str()
@@ -27,13 +25,12 @@ extern TaskHandle_t mqttTask;
 void mqtt_enqueuedata(MessageBuffer_t *message);
 uint32_t mqtt_queuewaiting(void);
 void mqtt_queuereset(void);
-void setMqttIRQ(void);
-void mqtt_loop(void);
 void mqtt_client_task(void *param);
 int mqtt_connect(const char *my_host, const uint16_t my_port);
 void mqtt_callback(MQTTClient *client, char topic[], char payload[],
                    int length);
 void NetworkEvent(WiFiEvent_t event);
 esp_err_t mqtt_init(void);
+void mqtt_deinit(void);
 
 #endif // _MQTTCLIENT_H
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/irqhandler.cpp b/src/irqhandler.cpp
index 687a6965..244910ad 100644
--- a/src/irqhandler.cpp
+++ b/src/irqhandler.cpp
@@ -69,14 +69,6 @@ void irqHandler(void *pvParameters) {
     }
 #endif
 
-// MQTT loop due?
-#if (HAS_MQTT)
-    if (InterruptStatus & MQTT_IRQ) {
-      mqtt_loop();
-      InterruptStatus &= ~MQTT_IRQ;
-    }
-#endif
-
     // are cyclic tasks due?
     if (InterruptStatus & CYCLIC_IRQ) {
       doHousekeeping();
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 2ce13018..b52ce977 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,6 @@ TIMESYNC_IRQ    -> setTimeSyncIRQ()
 CYCLIC_IRQ      -> setCyclicIRQ()
 SENDCYCLE_IRQ   -> setSendIRQ()
 BME_IRQ         -> setBMEIRQ()
-MQTT_IRQ        -> setMqttIRQ()
 
 ClockTask (Core 1), see timekeeper.cpp
 
diff --git a/src/mqttclient.cpp b/src/mqttclient.cpp
index 7a1f3af7..867f06db 100644
--- a/src/mqttclient.cpp
+++ b/src/mqttclient.cpp
@@ -11,13 +11,17 @@ Ticker mqttTimer;
 WiFiClient netClient;
 MQTTClient mqttClient;
 
+void mqtt_deinit(void) {
+  mqttClient.onMessageAdvanced(NULL);
+  mqttClient.disconnect();
+  vTaskDelete(mqttTask);
+}
+
 esp_err_t mqtt_init(void) {
 
   // setup network connection
   WiFi.onEvent(NetworkEvent);
   ETH.begin();
-  // WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);
-  // WiFi.begin("SSID", "PASSWORD");
 
   // setup mqtt client
   mqttClient.begin(MQTT_SERVER, MQTT_PORT, netClient);
@@ -33,7 +37,6 @@ esp_err_t mqtt_init(void) {
            SEND_QUEUE_SIZE * PAYLOAD_BUFFER_SIZE);
 
   ESP_LOGI(TAG, "Starting MQTTloop...");
-  mqttTimer.attach(MQTT_KEEPALIVE, setMqttIRQ);
   xTaskCreate(mqtt_client_task, "mqttloop", 4096, (void *)NULL, 1, &mqttTask);
 
   return ESP_OK;
@@ -113,16 +116,19 @@ void mqtt_client_task(void *param) {
 
   while (1) {
 
-    // fetch next or wait for payload to send from queue
-    // do not delete item from queue until it is transmitted
-    if (xQueuePeek(MQTTSendQueue, &msg, portMAX_DELAY) != pdTRUE) {
-      ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Premature return from xQueueReceive() with no data!");
-      continue;
-    }
-
-    // send data to mqtt server, if we are connected
     if (mqttClient.connected()) {
 
+      // check for incoming messages
+      mqttClient.loop();
+
+      // fetch next or wait for payload to send from queue
+      // do not delete item from queue until it is transmitted
+      // consider mqtt timeout while waiting
+      if (xQueuePeek(MQTTSendQueue, &msg,
+                     MQTT_KEEPALIVE * 1000 / portTICK_PERIOD_MS) != pdTRUE)
+        continue;
+
+      // send data to mqtt server
       char buffer[PAYLOAD_BUFFER_SIZE + 3];
       snprintf(buffer, msg.MessageSize + 3, "%u/%s", msg.MessagePort,
                msg.Message);
@@ -131,20 +137,17 @@ void mqtt_client_task(void *param) {
         ESP_LOGI(TAG, "%d byte(s) sent to MQTT server", msg.MessageSize + 2);
         // delete sent item from queue
         xQueueReceive(MQTTSendQueue, &msg, (TickType_t)0);
-        continue;
       } else
         ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Couldn't sent message to MQTT server");
-
     } else {
       // attempt to reconnect to MQTT server
-      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "MQTT client reconnecting...");
-      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "MQTT last_error = %d / rc = %d", mqttClient.lastError(),
+      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "MQTT error = %d / rc = %d", mqttClient.lastError(),
                mqttClient.returnCode());
+      ESP_LOGD(TAG, "MQTT client reconnecting...");
       delay(MQTT_RETRYSEC * 1000);
       mqtt_connect(MQTT_SERVER, MQTT_PORT);
     }
-
-  } // while(1)
+  } // while (1)
 }
 
 void mqtt_enqueuedata(MessageBuffer_t *message) {
@@ -159,18 +162,10 @@ void mqtt_callback(MQTTClient *client, char topic[], char payload[],
     rcommand((const uint8_t *)payload, (const uint8_t)length);
 }
 
-void mqtt_loop(void) {
-  if (!mqttClient.loop())
-    ESP_LOGD(TAG, "MQTT last_error = %d / rc = %d", mqttClient.lastError(),
-             mqttClient.returnCode());
-}
-
 void mqtt_queuereset(void) { xQueueReset(MQTTSendQueue); }
 
 uint32_t mqtt_queuewaiting(void) {
   return uxQueueMessagesWaiting(MQTTSendQueue);
 }
 
-void setMqttIRQ(void) { xTaskNotify(irqHandlerTask, MQTT_IRQ, eSetBits); }
-
 #endif // HAS_MQTT
\ No newline at end of file