diff --git a/MAVProxy/modules/mavproxy_mqtt.py b/MAVProxy/modules/mavproxy_mqtt.py
index 8213b27f05..54780a7ab8 100644
--- a/MAVProxy/modules/mavproxy_mqtt.py
+++ b/MAVProxy/modules/mavproxy_mqtt.py
@@ -1,17 +1,22 @@
 from paho.mqtt import MQTTException
 from MAVProxy.modules.lib import mp_settings
 from MAVProxy.modules.lib import mp_module
+import paho.mqtt
 import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
 import json
 import numbers
-import sys
+
+# TODO MQTTv3 vs MQTTv5
 
 class MqttModule(mp_module.MPModule):
 
     def __init__(self, mpstate):
         super(MqttModule, self).__init__(mpstate, "mqtt", "mqtt publisher")
-        self.connected = False
-        self.client = mqtt.Client()
+        if paho.mqtt.__version__[0] > '1':
+            self.client = mqtt.Client(callback_api_version=mqtt.CallbackAPIVersion.VERSION1) # TODO update (VERSION1 deprecated)
+        else:
+            client = mqtt.Client()
+        self.client.on_connect = self.on_connect
         self.mqtt_settings = mp_settings.MPSettings(
             [('ip', str, '127.0.0.1'),
              ('port', int, '1883'),
@@ -25,36 +30,50 @@ def __init__(self, mpstate):
 
     def mavlink_packet(self, m):
         """handle an incoming mavlink packet"""
-        if not self.connected:
+        if not self.client.is_connected():
             return
         try:
             data = self.convert_to_dict(m)
             self.client.publish(f'{self.mqtt_settings.prefix}/{m.get_type()}', json.dumps(data))
         except MQTTException as e:
-            self.connected = False
             print(f'mqtt: Exception occurred: {e}')
 
     def connect(self):
         """connect to mqtt broker"""
-        try:
-            if self.mqtt_settings.username != '':
-                if self.mqtt_settings.password != '':
-                    self.client.username_pw_set(self.mqtt_settings.username, password=self.mqtt_settings.password)
-                else:
-                    self.client.username_pw_set(self.mqtt_settings.username, password=None)
-            self.client.reinitialise(client_id=self.mqtt_settings.name)
-            print(f'connecting to {self.mqtt_settings.ip}:{self.mqtt_settings.port}')
-            self.client.connect(self.mqtt_settings.ip, int(self.mqtt_settings.port), 30)
-        except MQTTException as e:
-            print(f'mqtt: could not establish connection: {e}')
-            returns
-        self.connected = True
-        print('mqtt: connected...')
+        if self.mqtt_settings.username != '':
+            self.client.username_pw_set(username=self.mqtt_settings.username)
+        if self.mqtt_settings.password != '':
+            self.client.username_pw_set(username=self.mqtt_settings.username, password=self.mqtt_settings.password)
+        if self.client.is_connected():
+            self.client.disconnect()
+        print(f'connecting to {self.mqtt_settings.ip}:{self.mqtt_settings.port}')
+        self.client.loop_start()
+        self.client.connect(self.mqtt_settings.ip, int(self.mqtt_settings.port), 30)
+
+    def on_connect(self, client, userdata, flags, reason_code, properties=None):
+        """callback to set the connection status"""
+        if reason_code != 0:
+            print('mqtt: connection error - ', end='')
+            if reason_code == 1:
+                print('incorrect protocol version')
+            elif reason_code == 2:
+                print('invalid client identifier')
+            elif reason_code == 3:
+                print('server unavailable')
+            elif reason_code == 4:
+                print('bad username or password')
+            elif reason_code == 5:
+                print('not authorised')
+            else:
+                print('unknown error')
+        else:
+            print('mqtt: connected')
+        # stop the client loop because no incoming traffic needs to be handled
+        self.client.loop_stop()
 
     def disconnect(self):
         """disconnect"""
         self.client.disconnect()
-        self.connected = False
         print('mqtt: disconnected')
 
     def mqtt_command(self, args):