diff --git a/spMQTT.class.php b/spMQTT.class.php
index 472d4d5..2289deb 100644
--- a/spMQTT.class.php
+++ b/spMQTT.class.php
@@ -269,6 +269,9 @@ public function publish($topic, $message, $dup=0, $qos=0, $retain=0, $msgid=null
         $publishobj->setMsgID($msgid);
 
         $publish_bytes_written = $publishobj->write();
+         if (! $publish_bytes_written) {
+            return false;
+        }
         spMQTTDebug::Log('publish(): bytes written=' . $publish_bytes_written);
 
         if ($qos == 0) {
@@ -1686,4 +1689,4 @@ class spMQTTMessage_DISCONNECT extends spMQTTMessage {
     protected $message_type = spMQTTMessageType::DISCONNECT;
     protected $protocol_type = self::FIXED_ONLY;
 }
-# EOF
\ No newline at end of file
+# EOF