diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index 967db04d61..c8db6cf9c2 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -19,8 +19,11 @@
 #include <WiFi.h>
 #endif
 #include "Default.h"
+
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
 #include "serialization/JSON.h"
 #include "serialization/MeshPacketSerializer.h"
+#endif
 #include <Throttle.h>
 #include <assert.h>
 
@@ -52,6 +55,7 @@ void MQTT::onReceive(char *topic, byte *payload, size_t length)
     meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope e = meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope_init_default;
 
     if (moduleConfig.mqtt.json_enabled && (strncmp(topic, jsonTopic.c_str(), jsonTopic.length()) == 0)) {
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
         // check if this is a json payload message by comparing the topic start
         char payloadStr[length + 1];
         memcpy(payloadStr, payload, length);
@@ -135,6 +139,7 @@ void MQTT::onReceive(char *topic, byte *payload, size_t length)
             LOG_ERROR("JSON received payload on MQTT but not a valid JSON");
         }
         delete json_value;
+#endif
     } else {
         if (length == 0) {
             LOG_WARN("Empty MQTT payload received, topic %s!", topic);
@@ -234,11 +239,15 @@ MQTT::MQTT() : concurrency::OSThread("mqtt"), mqttQueue(MAX_MQTT_QUEUE)
 
         if (*moduleConfig.mqtt.root) {
             cryptTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + cryptTopic;
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
             jsonTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + jsonTopic;
+#endif
             mapTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + mapTopic;
         } else {
             cryptTopic = "msh" + cryptTopic;
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
             jsonTopic = "msh" + jsonTopic;
+#endif
             mapTopic = "msh" + mapTopic;
         }
 
@@ -705,6 +714,7 @@ void MQTT::perhapsReportToMap()
     }
 }
 
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
 bool MQTT::isValidJsonEnvelope(JSONObject &json)
 {
     // if "sender" is provided, avoid processing packets we uplinked
@@ -715,6 +725,7 @@ bool MQTT::isValidJsonEnvelope(JSONObject &json)
            (json.find("type") != json.end()) && json["type"]->IsString() && // should specify a type
            (json.find("payload") != json.end());                            // should have a payload
 }
+#endif
 
 bool MQTT::isPrivateIpAddress(const char address[])
 {
@@ -780,4 +791,4 @@ bool MQTT::isPrivateIpAddress(const char address[])
 
     int octet2Num = atoi(octet2);
     return octet2Num >= 16 && octet2Num <= 31;
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
index 7e0378238d..10cac467a0 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
@@ -5,7 +5,9 @@
 #include "concurrency/OSThread.h"
 #include "mesh/Channels.h"
 #include "mesh/generated/meshtastic/mqtt.pb.h"
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
 #include "serialization/JSON.h"
+#endif
 #if HAS_WIFI
 #include <WiFiClient.h>
 #if !defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO)
@@ -117,9 +119,10 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
     // Check if we should report unencrypted information about our node for consumption by a map
     void perhapsReportToMap();
 
+#if NRF52_USE_JSON
     // returns true if this is a valid JSON envelope which we accept on downlink
     bool isValidJsonEnvelope(JSONObject &json);
-
+#endif
     /// Determines if the given address is a private IPv4 address, i.e. not routable on the public internet.
     /// These are the ranges: 127.0.0.1, 10.0.0.0-10.255.255.255, 172.16.0.0-172.31.255.255, 192.168.0.0-192.168.255.255.
     bool isPrivateIpAddress(const char address[]);
@@ -130,4 +133,4 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
 
 void mqttInit();
 
-extern MQTT *mqtt;
+extern MQTT *mqtt;
\ No newline at end of file