diff --git a/tutorials/mqtt/mqtt-client/main.c b/tutorials/mqtt/mqtt-client/main.c
index 80bed8bc..ae825235 100644
--- a/tutorials/mqtt/mqtt-client/main.c
+++ b/tutorials/mqtt/mqtt-client/main.c
@@ -18,24 +18,25 @@ static const char *s_pub_topic = "mg/123/tx";  // Publish topic
 static int s_qos = 1;                          // MQTT QoS
 static struct mg_connection *s_mqtt_conn;      // Client connection
 
-static void subscribe(struct mg_connection *c, const char *topic) {
+static void subscribe(struct mg_connection *c, struct mg_str topic) {
   struct mg_mqtt_opts opts = {};
   memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
-  opts.topic = mg_str(topic);
+  opts.topic = topic;
   opts.qos = s_qos;
   mg_mqtt_sub(c, &opts);
-  MG_INFO(("%lu SUBSCRIBED to %s", c->id, topic));
+  MG_INFO(("%lu SUBSCRIBED to %.*s", c->id, topic.len, topic.buf));
 }
 
-static void publish(struct mg_connection *c, const char *topic,
-                    const char *message) {
+static void publish(struct mg_connection *c, struct mg_str topic,
+                    struct mg_str message) {
   struct mg_mqtt_opts opts = {};
   memset(&opts, 0, sizeof(opts));
-  opts.topic = mg_str(topic);
-  opts.message = mg_str(message);
+  opts.topic = topic;
+  opts.message = message;
   opts.qos = s_qos;
   mg_mqtt_pub(c, &opts);
-  MG_INFO(("%lu PUBLISHED %s -> %s", c->id, topic, message));
+  MG_INFO(("%lu PUBLISHED %.*s -> %.*s", c->id, topic.len, topic.buf,
+           message.len, message.buf));
 }
 
 static void mqtt_ev_handler(struct mg_connection *c, int ev, void *ev_data) {
@@ -54,14 +55,14 @@ static void mqtt_ev_handler(struct mg_connection *c, int ev, void *ev_data) {
   } else if (ev == MG_EV_MQTT_OPEN) {
     // MQTT connect is successful
     MG_INFO(("%lu CONNECTED to %s", c->id, s_url));
-    subscribe(c, s_sub_topic);
+    subscribe(c, mg_str(s_sub_topic));
   } else if (ev == MG_EV_MQTT_MSG) {
     // When we get echo response, print it
     char response[100];
     struct mg_mqtt_message *mm = (struct mg_mqtt_message *) ev_data;
     mg_snprintf(response, sizeof(response), "Got %.*s -> %.*s", mm->topic.len,
                 mm->topic.buf, mm->data.len, mm->data.buf);
-    publish(c, s_pub_topic, response);
+    publish(c, mg_str(s_pub_topic), mg_str(response));
   } else if (ev == MG_EV_MQTT_CMD) {
     struct mg_mqtt_message *mm = (struct mg_mqtt_message *) ev_data;
     if (mm->cmd == MQTT_CMD_PINGREQ) mg_mqtt_pong(c);
@@ -73,14 +74,14 @@ static void mqtt_ev_handler(struct mg_connection *c, int ev, void *ev_data) {
 
 // Timer function - recreate client connection if it is closed
 static void timer_fn(void *arg) {
-  struct mg_mgr *mgr = (struct mg_mgr *) arg;
-  struct mg_mqtt_opts opts = {.clean = true,
-                              .qos = s_qos,
-                              .topic = mg_str(s_pub_topic),
-                              .keepalive = 5,
-                              .version = 4,
-                              .message = mg_str("bye")};
   if (s_mqtt_conn == NULL) {
+    struct mg_mgr *mgr = (struct mg_mgr *) arg;
+    struct mg_mqtt_opts opts = {.clean = true,
+                                .qos = s_qos,
+                                .topic = mg_str(s_pub_topic),
+                                .keepalive = 5,
+                                .version = 4,
+                                .message = mg_str("bye")};
     s_mqtt_conn = mg_mqtt_connect(mgr, s_url, &opts, mqtt_ev_handler, NULL);
   } else {
     mg_mqtt_ping(s_mqtt_conn);