diff --git a/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h b/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h
index 5b2cbd1b12..c0919bf5d3 100644
--- a/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h
+++ b/src/mesh/MeshTypes.h
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ typedef uint32_t NodeNum;
 typedef uint32_t PacketId; // A packet sequence number
 
 #define NODENUM_BROADCAST UINT32_MAX
+#define NODENUM_BROADCAST_NO_LORA                                                                                                \
+    1 // Reserved to only deliver packets over high speed (non-lora) transports, such as MQTT or BLE mesh (not yet implemented)
 #define ERRNO_OK 0
 #define ERRNO_NO_INTERFACES 33
 #define ERRNO_UNKNOWN 32  // pick something that doesn't conflict with RH_ROUTER_ERROR_UNABLE_TO_DELIVER
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index a64720c78c..50086e7a2b 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -188,12 +188,10 @@ MQTT::MQTT() : concurrency::OSThread("mqtt"), mqttQueue(MAX_MQTT_QUEUE)
         mqtt = this;
 
         if (*moduleConfig.mqtt.root) {
-            statusTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + statusTopic;
             cryptTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + cryptTopic;
             jsonTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + jsonTopic;
             mapTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + mapTopic;
         } else {
-            statusTopic = "msh" + statusTopic;
             cryptTopic = "msh" + cryptTopic;
             jsonTopic = "msh" + jsonTopic;
             mapTopic = "msh" + mapTopic;
@@ -216,7 +214,7 @@ MQTT::MQTT() : concurrency::OSThread("mqtt"), mqttQueue(MAX_MQTT_QUEUE)
             enabled = true;
             runASAP = true;
             reconnectCount = 0;
-            publishStatus();
+            publishNodeInfo();
         }
         // preflightSleepObserver.observe(&preflightSleep);
     } else {
@@ -281,7 +279,7 @@ void MQTT::reconnect()
             runASAP = true;
             reconnectCount = 0;
 
-            publishStatus();
+            publishNodeInfo();
             return; // Don't try to connect directly to the server
         }
 #if HAS_NETWORKING
@@ -330,15 +328,14 @@ void MQTT::reconnect()
         LOG_INFO("Attempting to connect directly to MQTT server %s, port: %d, username: %s, password: %s\n", serverAddr,
                  serverPort, mqttUsername, mqttPassword);
 
-        auto myStatus = (statusTopic + owner.id);
-        bool connected = pubSub.connect(owner.id, mqttUsername, mqttPassword, myStatus.c_str(), 1, true, "offline");
+        bool connected = pubSub.connect(owner.id, mqttUsername, mqttPassword);
         if (connected) {
             LOG_INFO("MQTT connected\n");
             enabled = true; // Start running background process again
             runASAP = true;
             reconnectCount = 0;
 
-            publishStatus();
+            publishNodeInfo();
             sendSubscriptions();
         } else {
 #if HAS_WIFI && !defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO)
@@ -437,14 +434,10 @@ int32_t MQTT::runOnce()
     return 30000;
 }
 
-/// FIXME, include more information in the status text
-void MQTT::publishStatus()
+void MQTT::publishNodeInfo()
 {
-    auto myStatus = (statusTopic + owner.id);
-    bool ok = publish(myStatus.c_str(), "online", true);
-    LOG_INFO("published online=%d\n", ok);
+    // TODO: NodeInfo broadcast over MQTT only (NODENUM_BROADCAST_NO_LORA)
 }
-
 void MQTT::publishQueuedMessages()
 {
     if (!mqttQueue.isEmpty()) {
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
index 1ebba4afe9..d68f1b88d7 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
@@ -81,10 +81,9 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
     virtual int32_t runOnce() override;
 
   private:
-    std::string statusTopic = "/2/stat/"; // For "online"/"offline" message
-    std::string cryptTopic = "/2/e/";     // msh/2/e/CHANNELID/NODEID
-    std::string jsonTopic = "/2/json/";   // msh/2/json/CHANNELID/NODEID
-    std::string mapTopic = "/2/map/";     // For protobuf-encoded MapReport messages
+    std::string cryptTopic = "/2/e/";   // msh/2/e/CHANNELID/NODEID
+    std::string jsonTopic = "/2/json/"; // msh/2/json/CHANNELID/NODEID
+    std::string mapTopic = "/2/map/";   // For protobuf-encoded MapReport messages
 
     // For map reporting (only applies when enabled)
     const uint32_t default_map_position_precision = 14;         // defaults to max. offset of ~1459m
@@ -110,9 +109,10 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
     /// Called when a new publish arrives from the MQTT server
     std::string meshPacketToJson(meshtastic_MeshPacket *mp);
 
-    void publishStatus();
     void publishQueuedMessages();
 
+    void publishNodeInfo();
+
     // Check if we should report unencrypted information about our node for consumption by a map
     void perhapsReportToMap();