diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js
index e87a4c7ad..bfed09c23 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/nodes/core/network/10-mqtt.js
@@ -459,7 +459,6 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             if(!opts || typeof opts !== "object") {
                 return; //nothing to change, simply return
             }
-            const originalBrokerURL = node.brokerurl;
 
             //apply property changes (only if the property exists in the opts object)
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "url", init);
@@ -468,7 +467,6 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "clientid", init);
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "autoConnect", init);
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "usetls", init);
-            setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "usews", init);
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "verifyservercert", init);
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "compatmode", init);
             setIfHasProperty(opts, node, "protocolVersion", init);
@@ -571,9 +569,6 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             if (typeof node.usetls === 'undefined') {
                 node.usetls = false;
             }
-            if (typeof node.usews === 'undefined') {
-                node.usews = false;
-            }
             if (typeof node.verifyservercert === 'undefined') {
                 node.verifyservercert = false;
             }
@@ -1000,7 +995,7 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
                     node.client.publish(msg.topic, msg.payload, options, function (err) {
                         if (done) {
                             done(err)
-                        } else {
+                        } else if(err) {
                             node.error(err, msg)
                         }
                     })
diff --git a/test/nodes/core/network/21-mqtt_spec.js b/test/nodes/core/network/21-mqtt_spec.js
index fd1309b74..f97442b50 100644
--- a/test/nodes/core/network/21-mqtt_spec.js
+++ b/test/nodes/core/network/21-mqtt_spec.js
@@ -489,6 +489,39 @@ describe('MQTT Nodes', function () {
         }       
         testSendRecv(brokerOptions, { topic: brokerOptions.birthTopic }, {}, options, hooks);
     });
+    itConditional('should safely discard bad birth topic', function (done) {
+        if (skipTests) { return this.skip() }
+        this.timeout = 2000;
+        const baseTopic = nextTopic();
+        const brokerOptions = {
+            protocolVersion: 4,
+            birthTopic: baseTopic + "#", // a publish topic should never have a wildcard
+            birthPayload: "broker connected",
+            birthQos: 2,
+        }
+        const options = {};
+        const hooks = { done: null, beforeLoad: null, afterLoad: null, afterConnect: null };
+        hooks.afterLoad = (helperNode, mqttBroker, mqttIn, mqttOut) => {
+            helperNode.on("input", function (msg) {
+                try {
+                    msg.should.have.a.property("error").type("object");
+                    msg.error.should.have.a.property("source").type("object");
+                    msg.error.source.should.have.a.property("id", mqttIn.id);
+                    done();
+                } catch (err) {
+                    done(err)
+                }
+            });
+            return true; //handled
+        }
+        options.expectMsg = null;
+        try {
+            testSendRecv(brokerOptions, { topic: brokerOptions.birthTopic }, {}, options, hooks);
+            done()
+        } catch(err) {
+            done(e)
+        }
+    });
     itConditional('should publish close message', function (done) {
         if (skipTests) { return this.skip() }
         this.timeout = 2000;
@@ -646,12 +679,13 @@ function testSendRecv(brokerOptions, inNodeOptions, outNodeOptions, options, hoo
             const mqttBroker = helper.getNode(brokerOptions.id);
             const mqttIn = helper.getNode(nodes.mqtt_in.id);
             const mqttOut = helper.getNode(nodes.mqtt_out.id);
-            let afterLoadHandled = false;
+            let afterLoadHandled = false, finished = false;
             if (hooks.afterLoad) {
                 afterLoadHandled = hooks.afterLoad(helperNode, mqttBroker, mqttIn, mqttOut)
             }
             if (!afterLoadHandled) {
                 helperNode.on("input", function (msg) {
+                    finished = true
                     try {
                         compareMsgToExpected(msg, expectMsg);
                         if (hooks.done) { hooks.done(); }
@@ -676,10 +710,12 @@ function testSendRecv(brokerOptions, inNodeOptions, outNodeOptions, options, hoo
                 }
             })
             .catch((e) => {
+                if(finished) { return }
                 if (hooks.done) { hooks.done(e); }
                 else { throw e; }
             });
         } catch (err) {
+            if(finished) { return }
             if (hooks.done) { hooks.done(err); }
             else { throw err; }
         }