diff --git a/src/MQTTProtocolClient.c b/src/MQTTProtocolClient.c
index 3e834ecb..5cc4eafd 100644
--- a/src/MQTTProtocolClient.c
+++ b/src/MQTTProtocolClient.c
@@ -338,13 +338,11 @@ int MQTTProtocol_handlePublishes(void* pack, SOCKET sock)
 
 	if (publish->header.bits.qos == 1)
 	{
-		/* if we get a socket error from sending the puback, should we ignore the publication? */
 		Protocol_processPublication(publish, client, 1);
   
 		if (socketHasPendingWrites)
 			rc = MQTTProtocol_queueAck(client, PUBACK, publish->msgId);
 		else
-		/* send puback before processing the publications because a lot of return publications could fill up the socket buffer */
 			rc = MQTTPacket_send_puback(publish->MQTTVersion, publish->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
 	}
 	else if (publish->header.bits.qos == 2)
@@ -382,11 +380,6 @@ int MQTTProtocol_handlePublishes(void* pack, SOCKET sock)
 		} else
 			ListAppend(client->inboundMsgs, m, sizeof(Messages) + len);
 
-		if (socketHasPendingWrites)
-			rc = MQTTProtocol_queueAck(client, PUBREC, publish->msgId);
-		else
-			rc = MQTTPacket_send_pubrec(publish->MQTTVersion, publish->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
-
 		if (m->MQTTVersion >= MQTTVERSION_5 && already_received == 0)
 		{
 			Publish publish1;
@@ -416,7 +409,10 @@ int MQTTProtocol_handlePublishes(void* pack, SOCKET sock)
 			}
 			memcpy(m->publish->payload, temp, m->publish->payloadlen);
 		}
-		rc = MQTTPacket_send_pubrec(publish->MQTTVersion, publish->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
+		if (socketHasPendingWrites)
+			rc = MQTTProtocol_queueAck(client, PUBREC, publish->msgId);
+		else
+			rc = MQTTPacket_send_pubrec(publish->MQTTVersion, publish->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
 		publish->topic = NULL;
 	}
 exit:
@@ -580,12 +576,6 @@ int MQTTProtocol_handlePubrels(void* pack, SOCKET sock)
 
 			memset(&publish, '\0', sizeof(publish));
 
-			/* send pubcomp before processing the publications because a lot of return publications could fill up the socket buffer */
-			if (!Socket_noPendingWrites(sock))
-				rc = MQTTProtocol_queueAck(client, PUBCOMP, pubrel->msgId);
-			else
-				rc = MQTTPacket_send_pubcomp(pubrel->MQTTVersion, pubrel->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
-
 			publish.header.bits.qos = m->qos;
 			publish.header.bits.retain = m->retain;
 			publish.msgId = m->msgid;
@@ -612,7 +602,11 @@ int MQTTProtocol_handlePubrels(void* pack, SOCKET sock)
 				ListRemove(&(state.publications), m->publish);
 			ListRemove(client->inboundMsgs, m);
 			++(state.msgs_received);
-			rc = MQTTPacket_send_pubcomp(pubrel->MQTTVersion, pubrel->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
+
+			if (!Socket_noPendingWrites(sock))
+				rc = MQTTProtocol_queueAck(client, PUBCOMP, pubrel->msgId);
+			else
+				rc = MQTTPacket_send_pubcomp(pubrel->MQTTVersion, pubrel->msgId, &client->net, client->clientID);
 		}
 	}
 	if (pubrel->MQTTVersion >= MQTTVERSION_5)