diff --git a/src/mesh/eth/ethClient.cpp b/src/mesh/eth/ethClient.cpp
index 24c4f0db1..70c6e3fe4 100644
--- a/src/mesh/eth/ethClient.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/eth/ethClient.cpp
@@ -5,9 +5,6 @@
 #include "configuration.h"
 #include "main.h"
 #include "mesh/api/ethServerAPI.h"
-#if !MESHTASTIC_EXCLUDE_MQTT
-#include "mqtt/MQTT.h"
-#endif
 #include "target_specific.h"
 #include <RAK13800_W5100S.h>
 #include <SPI.h>
@@ -72,12 +69,6 @@ static int32_t reconnectETH()
 
             ethStartupComplete = true;
         }
-#if !MESHTASTIC_EXCLUDE_MQTT
-        // FIXME this is kinda yucky, instead we should just have an observable for 'wifireconnected'
-        if (mqtt && !moduleConfig.mqtt.proxy_to_client_enabled && !mqtt->isConnectedDirectly()) {
-            mqtt->reconnect();
-        }
-#endif
     }
 
 #ifndef DISABLE_NTP
diff --git a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
index 41de89794..d4a5dbf94 100644
--- a/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
+++ b/src/mesh/wifi/WiFiAPClient.cpp
@@ -7,9 +7,6 @@
 
 #include "main.h"
 #include "mesh/api/WiFiServerAPI.h"
-#if !MESHTASTIC_EXCLUDE_MQTT
-#include "mqtt/MQTT.h"
-#endif
 #include "target_specific.h"
 #include <WiFi.h>
 #include <WiFiUdp.h>
@@ -111,12 +108,6 @@ static void onNetworkConnected()
 #endif
         APStartupComplete = true;
     }
-
-    // FIXME this is kinda yucky, instead we should just have an observable for 'wifireconnected'
-#ifndef MESHTASTIC_EXCLUDE_MQTT
-    if (mqtt)
-        mqtt->reconnect();
-#endif
 }
 
 static int32_t reconnectWiFi()
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index f808a66ef..6043daa34 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -412,36 +412,28 @@ void MQTT::reconnect()
         const char *serverAddr = default_mqtt_address;
         const char *mqttUsername = default_mqtt_username;
         const char *mqttPassword = default_mqtt_password;
+        MQTTClient *clientConnection = mqttClient.get();
 
         if (*moduleConfig.mqtt.address) {
             serverAddr = moduleConfig.mqtt.address;
             mqttUsername = moduleConfig.mqtt.username;
             mqttPassword = moduleConfig.mqtt.password;
         }
-#if HAS_WIFI && !defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO)
-#if !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32C6)
+#if HAS_WIFI && !defined(ARCH_PORTDUINO) && !defined(CONFIG_IDF_TARGET_ESP32C6)
         if (moduleConfig.mqtt.tls_enabled) {
             // change default for encrypted to 8883
             try {
                 serverPort = 8883;
                 wifiSecureClient.setInsecure();
-
-                pubSub.setClient(wifiSecureClient);
                 LOG_INFO("Use TLS-encrypted session");
+                clientConnection = &wifiSecureClient;
             } catch (const std::exception &e) {
                 LOG_ERROR("MQTT ERROR: %s", e.what());
             }
         } else {
             LOG_INFO("Use non-TLS-encrypted session");
-            pubSub.setClient(*mqttClient);
         }
-#else
-        pubSub.setClient(*mqttClient);
 #endif
-#elif HAS_NETWORKING
-        pubSub.setClient(*mqttClient);
-#endif
-
         std::pair<String, uint16_t> hostAndPort = parseHostAndPort(serverAddr, serverPort);
         serverAddr = hostAndPort.first.c_str();
         serverPort = hostAndPort.second;
@@ -451,13 +443,14 @@ void MQTT::reconnect()
         LOG_INFO("Connect directly to MQTT server %s, port: %d, username: %s, password: %s", serverAddr, serverPort, mqttUsername,
                  mqttPassword);
 
+        pubSub.setClient(*clientConnection);
         bool connected = pubSub.connect(owner.id, mqttUsername, mqttPassword);
         if (connected) {
             LOG_INFO("MQTT connected");
             enabled = true; // Start running background process again
             runASAP = true;
             reconnectCount = 0;
-            isMqttServerAddressPrivate = isPrivateIpAddress(mqttClient->remoteIP());
+            isMqttServerAddressPrivate = isPrivateIpAddress(clientConnection->remoteIP());
 
             publishNodeInfo();
             sendSubscriptions();
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
index cf52ad877..42157fda9 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
@@ -47,10 +47,6 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
      */
     void onSend(const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp_encrypted, const meshtastic_MeshPacket &mp_decoded, ChannelIndex chIndex);
 
-    /** Attempt to connect to server if necessary
-     */
-    void reconnect();
-
     bool isConnectedDirectly();
 
     bool publish(const char *topic, const char *payload, bool retained);
@@ -115,6 +111,10 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
      */
     bool wantsLink() const;
 
+    /** Attempt to connect to server if necessary
+     */
+    void reconnect();
+
     /** Tell the server what subscriptions we want (based on channels.downlink_enabled)
      */
     void sendSubscriptions();
diff --git a/test/test_mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/test/test_mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index 55ba479e2..3a4625aed 100644
--- a/test/test_mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/test/test_mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -242,6 +242,7 @@ class MQTTUnitTest : public MQTT
         mqttClient.release();
         delete pubsub;
     }
+    using MQTT::reconnect;
     int queueSize() { return mqttQueue.numUsed(); }
     void reportToMap(std::optional<uint32_t> precision = std::nullopt)
     {
@@ -488,7 +489,7 @@ void test_reconnectProxyDoesNotReconnectMqtt(void)
     moduleConfig.mqtt.proxy_to_client_enabled = true;
     MQTTUnitTest::restart();
 
-    mqtt->reconnect();
+    unitTest->reconnect();
 
     TEST_ASSERT_FALSE(pubsub->connected_);
 }