diff --git a/bridge.go b/bridge.go
index 9c6f564..dcf6ca5 100644
--- a/bridge.go
+++ b/bridge.go
@@ -78,11 +78,18 @@ type Bridge struct {
 	hapInitCh      chan struct{}
 	pendingUpdates sync.Map // queued updates before HAP init
 
-	mqttClient mqtt.Client
+	mqttClient   mqtt.Client
+	mqttMessages chan *mqttMessage
 
 	updateListeners sync.Map
 }
 
+type mqttMessage struct {
+	Tstamp  time.Time
+	Topic   string
+	Payload []byte
+}
+
 type BridgeDevice struct {
 	Device    *Device
 	Accessory *accessory.A
@@ -98,6 +105,8 @@ func NewBridge(ctx context.Context, storeDir string) *Bridge {
 
 		hapInitCh: make(chan struct{}),
 		devices:   make(map[string]*BridgeDevice),
+
+		mqttMessages: make(chan *mqttMessage, 100),
 	}
 
 	br.bridgeAcc = accessory.NewBridge(accessory.Info{
@@ -259,6 +268,16 @@ func (br *Bridge) ConnectMQTT() error {
 		return tok.Error()
 	}
 
+	// start MQTT message processor
+	go func() {
+		// only start processing after init
+		br.WaitConfigured()
+
+		for m := range br.mqttMessages {
+			br.UpdateAccessoryState(m.Topic, m.Payload, m.Tstamp)
+		}
+	}()
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -383,62 +402,65 @@ func (br *Bridge) handleMqttMessage(_ mqtt.Client, msg mqtt.Message) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// spawn a goroutine to handle message, since mutex might block
-	go func() {
-		if br.DebugMode && topic != "bridge/logging" {
-			log.Printf("received MQTT %s: %s", topic, payload)
-		}
+	isBridgeTopic := strings.HasPrefix(topic, "bridge/")
 
-		br.hapInitMutex.RLock()
-		defer br.hapInitMutex.RUnlock()
+	if br.DebugMode && topic != "bridge/logging" {
+		log.Printf("received MQTT %s: %s", topic, payload)
+	}
 
-		isBridgeTopic := strings.HasPrefix(topic, "bridge/")
+	br.hapInitMutex.RLock()
+	defer br.hapInitMutex.RUnlock()
 
-		// check if HAP bridge device has been initialized
-		if !br.hapInitDone {
-			if isBridgeTopic {
-				// need to look out for bridge/devices for intiial setup
-				if topic == "bridge/devices" {
-					err := br.AddDevicesFromJSON(payload)
-					if err != nil {
-						log.Printf("unable to add devices from JSON: %v", err)
-					}
+	// check if HAP bridge device has been initialized
+	if !br.hapInitDone {
+		// need to look out for bridge/devices for intiial setup
+		if topic == "bridge/devices" {
+			go func() {
+				br.hapInitMutex.Lock()
+				defer br.hapInitMutex.Unlock()
 
-					// populate initial characteristic values from cache, if available
-					err = br.loadZ2MState(&br.pendingUpdates)
-					if err != nil {
-						log.Printf("cannot load z2m state: %s", err)
-					}
-
-					// "upgrade" to write lock for modifications
-					br.hapInitMutex.RUnlock()     // unlock now, relock again later
-					defer br.hapInitMutex.RLock() // ... before defer kicks in
-
-					br.hapInitMutex.Lock()
-					defer br.hapInitMutex.Unlock()
-
-					// dequeue and apply state updates
-					log.Print("applying deferred updates...")
-					br.pendingUpdates.Range(func(k, v any) bool {
-						devName := k.(string)
-						br.UpdateAccessoryState(devName, v.([]byte), recvTime)
-						return true // continue
-					})
-
-					br.hapInitDone = true
-
-					close(br.hapInitCh) // signal to waiting threads
+				// re-verify that init has not been done
+				if br.hapInitDone {
+					return
 				}
-			} else {
-				// queue other messages for state updating after setup
-				// only keep latest message for each device
-				log.Printf("queueing updates for %s", topic)
-				br.pendingUpdates.Store(topic, payload)
-			}
+
+				err := br.AddDevicesFromJSON(payload)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Printf("unable to add devices from JSON: %v", err)
+				}
+
+				// populate initial characteristic values from cache, if available
+				err = br.loadZ2MState(&br.pendingUpdates)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Printf("cannot load z2m state: %s", err)
+				}
+
+				// dequeue and apply state updates
+				log.Print("applying deferred updates...")
+				br.pendingUpdates.Range(func(k, v any) bool {
+					devName := k.(string)
+					br.UpdateAccessoryState(devName, v.([]byte), recvTime)
+					return true // continue
+				})
+
+				br.hapInitDone = true
+
+				close(br.hapInitCh) // signal to waiting threads
+			}()
 		} else if !isBridgeTopic {
-			br.UpdateAccessoryState(topic, payload, recvTime)
+			// queue other messages for state updating after setup
+			// only keep latest message for each device
+			log.Printf("queueing updates for %s", topic)
+			br.pendingUpdates.Store(topic, payload)
 		}
-	}()
+	} else if !isBridgeTopic {
+		// queue up MQTT messages
+		select {
+		case br.mqttMessages <- &mqttMessage{recvTime, topic, payload}:
+		default:
+			log.Printf("cannot queue MQTT message %s: %s", topic, payload)
+		}
+	}
 }
 
 // Gets a list of all added accessories
@@ -597,8 +619,7 @@ wait:
 		}
 	}
 
-	//br.updateListeners.CompareAndDelete(key, ch)	// needs go 1.20
-	br.updateListeners.Delete(key)
+	br.updateListeners.CompareAndDelete(key, ch)
 
 	if !updated {
 		err = ErrUpdateTimeout
@@ -704,7 +725,7 @@ func (br *Bridge) UpdateAccessoryState(devName string, payload []byte, tstamp ti
 			updateKey := makeUpdateKey(dev.Device, mapping)
 			if ch, waiting := br.updateListeners.Load(updateKey); waiting {
 				if BRIDGE_DEVMODE {
-					log.Printf("sending new value for %q via chan", updateKey)
+					log.Printf("sending new value %+v for %q via chan", newVal, updateKey)
 				}
 				select {
 				case ch.(chan any) <- newVal: