diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index 56af9f663..2ce5cd755 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ static MemoryDynamic<meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope> staticMqttPool;
 
 Allocator<meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope> &mqttPool = staticMqttPool;
 
+// FIXME - this size calculation is super sloppy, but it will go away once we dynamically alloc meshpackets
+static uint8_t bytes[meshtastic_MqttClientProxyMessage_size + 30]; // 12 for channel name and 16 for nodeid
+
 void MQTT::mqttCallback(char *topic, byte *payload, unsigned int length)
 {
     mqtt->onReceive(topic, payload, length);
@@ -482,9 +485,7 @@ void MQTT::publishQueuedMessages()
 {
     if (!mqttQueue.isEmpty()) {
         LOG_DEBUG("Publishing enqueued MQTT message\n");
-        // FIXME - this size calculation is super sloppy, but it will go away once we dynamically alloc meshpackets
         meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope *env = mqttQueue.dequeuePtr(0);
-        static uint8_t bytes[meshtastic_MqttClientProxyMessage_size];
         size_t numBytes = pb_encode_to_bytes(bytes, sizeof(bytes), &meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope_msg, env);
         std::string topic;
         if (env->packet->pki_encrypted) {
@@ -570,8 +571,6 @@ void MQTT::onSend(const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp, const meshtastic_MeshPacket &
         }
 
         if (moduleConfig.mqtt.proxy_to_client_enabled || this->isConnectedDirectly()) {
-            // FIXME - this size calculation is super sloppy, but it will go away once we dynamically alloc meshpackets
-            static uint8_t bytes[meshtastic_MqttClientProxyMessage_size];
             size_t numBytes = pb_encode_to_bytes(bytes, sizeof(bytes), &meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope_msg, env);
             std::string topic = cryptTopic + channelId + "/" + owner.id;
             LOG_DEBUG("MQTT Publish %s, %u bytes\n", topic.c_str(), numBytes);
@@ -666,8 +665,6 @@ void MQTT::perhapsReportToMap()
                                                       &meshtastic_MapReport_msg, &mapReport);
         se->packet = mp;
 
-        // FIXME - this size calculation is super sloppy, but it will go away once we dynamically alloc meshpackets
-        static uint8_t bytes[meshtastic_MqttClientProxyMessage_size];
         size_t numBytes = pb_encode_to_bytes(bytes, sizeof(bytes), &meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope_msg, se);
 
         LOG_INFO("MQTT Publish map report to %s\n", mapTopic.c_str());