diff --git a/src/Power.cpp b/src/Power.cpp
index 6b5bebe4d..4bce83afb 100644
--- a/src/Power.cpp
+++ b/src/Power.cpp
@@ -350,12 +350,12 @@ void Power::readPowerStatus()
             char mac[18];
             sprintf(mac, "!%02x%02x%02x%02x", dmac[2], dmac[3], dmac[4], dmac[5]);
             auto newHeap = ESP.getFreeHeap();
-            std::string heapTopic = "msh/2/heap/" + std::string(mac);
+            std::string heapTopic = (*moduleConfig.mqtt.root ? moduleConfig.mqtt.root : "msh") + "/2/heap/" + std::string(mac);
             std::string heapString = std::to_string(newHeap);
             mqtt->pubSub.publish(heapTopic.c_str(), heapString.c_str(), false);
             // auto fragHeap = ESP.getHeapFragmentation();
             auto wifiRSSI = WiFi.RSSI();
-            heapTopic = "msh/2/wifi/" + std::string(mac);
+            heapTopic = (*moduleConfig.mqtt.root ? moduleConfig.mqtt.root : "msh") + "/2/wifi/" + std::string(mac);
             std::string wifiString = std::to_string(wifiRSSI);
             mqtt->pubSub.publish(heapTopic.c_str(), wifiString.c_str(), false);
         }
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
index c0758019a..bd1a85641 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.cpp
@@ -19,10 +19,6 @@ const int reconnectMax = 5;
 
 MQTT *mqtt;
 
-std::string statusTopic = "/2/stat/";
-std::string cryptTopic = "/2/c/";   // msh/2/c/CHANNELID/NODEID
-std::string jsonTopic = "/2/json/"; // msh/2/json/CHANNELID/NODEID
-
 static MemoryDynamic<meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope> staticMqttPool;
 
 Allocator<meshtastic_ServiceEnvelope> &mqttPool = staticMqttPool;
@@ -164,7 +160,7 @@ MQTT::MQTT() : concurrency::OSThread("mqtt"), pubSub(mqttClient), mqttQueue(MAX_
         assert(!mqtt);
         mqtt = this;
 
-        if (moduleConfig.mqtt.root) {
+        if (*moduleConfig.mqtt.root) {
             statusTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + statusTopic;
             cryptTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + cryptTopic;
             jsonTopic = moduleConfig.mqtt.root + jsonTopic;
diff --git a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
index 3065cc08e..1e626c3e0 100644
--- a/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
+++ b/src/mqtt/MQTT.h
@@ -69,6 +69,9 @@ class MQTT : private concurrency::OSThread
     virtual int32_t runOnce() override;
 
   private:
+    std::string statusTopic = "/2/stat/";
+    std::string cryptTopic = "/2/c/";   // msh/2/c/CHANNELID/NODEID
+    std::string jsonTopic = "/2/json/"; // msh/2/json/CHANNELID/NODEID
     /** return true if we have a channel that wants uplink/downlink
      */
     bool wantsLink() const;