diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 3e83e642..3602680a 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -31,8 +31,8 @@ ESPPORT		?= /dev/ttyUSB0
 ESPBAUD		?= 460800
 
 # The Wifi station configuration can be hard-coded here, which makes esp-link come up in STA+AP
-# mode trying to connect to the specified AP. It will only switch to STA-only a few seconds after
-# actually connecting the AP.
+# mode trying to connect to the specified AP *only* if the flash wireless settings are empty!
+# This happens on a full serial flash and avoids having to hunt for the AP...
 # STA_SSID ?= 
 # STA_PASS ?= 
 
diff --git a/esp-link/cgimqtt.c b/esp-link/cgimqtt.c
index 877f976d..d4f71004 100644
--- a/esp-link/cgimqtt.c
+++ b/esp-link/cgimqtt.c
@@ -119,12 +119,7 @@ int ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR cgiMqttSet(HttpdConnData *connData) {
     os_printf("MQTT server settings changed, enable=%d\n", flashConfig.mqtt_enable);
 #endif
     MQTT_Free(&mqttClient); // safe even if not connected
-    MQTT_Init(&mqttClient, flashConfig.mqtt_host, flashConfig.mqtt_port, 0,
-        flashConfig.mqtt_timeout, flashConfig.mqtt_clientid,
-        flashConfig.mqtt_username, flashConfig.mqtt_password,
-        flashConfig.mqtt_keepalive);
-    if (flashConfig.mqtt_enable && strlen(flashConfig.mqtt_host) > 0)
-      MQTT_Connect(&mqttClient);
+    mqtt_client_init();
 
   // if just enable changed we just need to bounce the client
   } else if (mqtt_en_chg > 0) {
@@ -174,4 +169,4 @@ int ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR cgiMqtt(HttpdConnData *connData) {
     return HTTPD_CGI_DONE;
   }
 }
-#endif // MQTT
\ No newline at end of file
+#endif // MQTT
diff --git a/esp-link/cgiwifi.c b/esp-link/cgiwifi.c
index 72924474..81929ea8 100644
--- a/esp-link/cgiwifi.c
+++ b/esp-link/cgiwifi.c
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ static void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR wifiHandleEventCb(System_Event_t *evt) {
 void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR
 wifiAddStateChangeCb(WifiStateChangeCb cb) {
   for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+    if (wifi_state_change_cb[i] == cb) return;
     if (wifi_state_change_cb[i] == NULL) {
       wifi_state_change_cb[i] = cb;
       return;
@@ -599,7 +600,7 @@ int ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR cgiWiFiConnStatus(HttpdConnData *connData) {
 
   len += os_sprintf(buff+len, "\"x\":0}\n");
 #ifdef CGIWIFI_DBG
-  os_printf("  -> %s\n", buff);
+  //os_printf("  -> %s\n", buff);
 #endif
   httpdSend(connData, buff, len);
   return HTTPD_CGI_DONE;
diff --git a/esp-link/main.c b/esp-link/main.c
index 7c20d04a..023021d7 100644
--- a/esp-link/main.c
+++ b/esp-link/main.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ HttpdBuiltInUrl builtInUrls[] = {
   { "/console/baud", ajaxConsoleBaud, NULL },
   { "/console/text", ajaxConsole, NULL },
   //Enable the line below to protect the WiFi configuration with an username/password combo.
-  //	{"/wifi/*", authBasic, myPassFn},
+  //    {"/wifi/*", authBasic, myPassFn},
   { "/wifi", cgiRedirect, "/wifi/wifi.html" },
   { "/wifi/", cgiRedirect, "/wifi/wifi.html" },
   { "/wifi/info", cgiWifiInfo, NULL },
@@ -119,18 +119,25 @@ void user_init(void) {
   os_printf("Flash config restore %s\n", restoreOk ? "ok" : "*FAILED*");
 
 #if defined(STA_SSID) && defined(STA_PASS)
-  struct station_config stconf;
-  wifi_station_get_config(&stconf);
-
-  os_strncpy((char*)stconf.ssid, VERS_STR(STA_SSID), 32);
-  os_strncpy((char*)stconf.password, VERS_STR(STA_PASS), 64);
+  int x = wifi_get_opmode() & 0x3;
+  if (x == 2) {
+    // we only force the STA settings when a full flash of the module has been made, which
+    // resets the wifi settings not to have anything configured
+    struct station_config stconf;
+    wifi_station_get_config(&stconf);
+
+    if (os_strlen((char*)stconf.ssid) == 0 && os_strlen((char*)stconf.password) == 0) {
+      os_strncpy((char*)stconf.ssid, VERS_STR(STA_SSID), 32);
+      os_strncpy((char*)stconf.password, VERS_STR(STA_PASS), 64);
 #ifdef CGIWIFI_DBG
-  os_printf("Wifi pre-config trying to connect to AP %s pw %s\n",
-      (char*)stconf.ssid, (char*)stconf.password);
+      os_printf("Wifi pre-config trying to connect to AP %s pw %s\n",
+          (char*)stconf.ssid, (char*)stconf.password);
 #endif
-  wifi_set_opmode(3); // sta+ap, will switch to sta-only 15 secs after connecting
-  stconf.bssid_set = 0;
-  wifi_station_set_config(&stconf);
+      wifi_set_opmode(3); // sta+ap, will switch to sta-only 15 secs after connecting
+      stconf.bssid_set = 0;
+      wifi_station_set_config(&stconf);
+    }
+  }
 #endif
 
   // Status LEDs
diff --git a/esp-link/mqtt_client.c b/esp-link/mqtt_client.c
index cca42541..3969530d 100644
--- a/esp-link/mqtt_client.c
+++ b/esp-link/mqtt_client.c
@@ -10,9 +10,12 @@
 #define DBG_MQTTCLIENT(format, ...) do { } while(0)
 #endif
 
-MQTT_Client mqttClient;
+MQTT_Client mqttClient; // main mqtt client used by esp-link
+
+#ifdef BRUNNELS
 char* statusTopicStr;
 static char* onlineMsgStr;
+#endif
 
 static MqttCallback connected_cb;
 static MqttCallback disconnected_cb;
@@ -21,10 +24,12 @@ static MqttDataCallback data_cb;
 
 void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR
 mqttConnectedCb(uint32_t *args) {
-  MQTT_Client* client = (MQTT_Client*)args;
   DBG_MQTTCLIENT("MQTT Client: Connected\n");
-  MQTT_Subscribe(client, "system/time", 0);
+  //MQTT_Client* client = (MQTT_Client*)args;
+  //MQTT_Subscribe(client, "system/time", 0); // handy for testing
+#ifdef BRUNNELS
   MQTT_Publish(client, "announce/all", onlineMsgStr, 0, 0);
+#endif
   if (connected_cb)
     connected_cb(args);
 }
@@ -49,6 +54,7 @@ void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR
 mqttDataCb(uint32_t *args, const char* topic, uint32_t topic_len, const char *data, uint32_t data_len) {
   //  MQTT_Client* client = (MQTT_Client*)args;
 
+#ifdef MQTTCLIENT_DBG
   char *topicBuf = (char*)os_zalloc(topic_len + 1);
   char *dataBuf = (char*)os_zalloc(data_len + 1);
 
@@ -58,9 +64,10 @@ mqttDataCb(uint32_t *args, const char* topic, uint32_t topic_len, const char *da
   os_memcpy(dataBuf, data, data_len);
   dataBuf[data_len] = 0;
 
-  DBG_MQTTCLIENT("MQTT Client: Received topic: %s, data: %s\n", topicBuf, dataBuf);
+  os_printf("MQTT Client: Received topic: %s, data: %s\n", topicBuf, dataBuf);
   os_free(topicBuf);
   os_free(dataBuf);
+#endif
 
   if (data_cb)
     data_cb(args, topic, topic_len, data, data_len);
@@ -70,7 +77,7 @@ void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR
 wifiStateChangeCb(uint8_t status)
 {
   if (flashConfig.mqtt_enable) {
-    if (status == wifiGotIP  && mqttClient.connState != TCP_CONNECTING) {
+    if (status == wifiGotIP && mqttClient.connState != TCP_CONNECTING) {
       MQTT_Connect(&mqttClient);
     }
     else if (status == wifiIsDisconnected && mqttClient.connState == TCP_CONNECTING) {
@@ -82,21 +89,16 @@ wifiStateChangeCb(uint8_t status)
 void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR
 mqtt_client_init()
 {
-  if (flashConfig.mqtt_enable) {
-    MQTT_Init(&mqttClient, flashConfig.mqtt_host, flashConfig.mqtt_port, 0, flashConfig.mqtt_timeout,
-      flashConfig.mqtt_clientid, flashConfig.mqtt_username, flashConfig.mqtt_password,
-      flashConfig.mqtt_keepalive);
+  MQTT_Init(&mqttClient, flashConfig.mqtt_host, flashConfig.mqtt_port, 0, flashConfig.mqtt_timeout,
+    flashConfig.mqtt_clientid, flashConfig.mqtt_username, flashConfig.mqtt_password,
+    flashConfig.mqtt_keepalive);
 
-    if (flashConfig.mqtt_status_enable) {
 // removed client_id concat for now until a better solution is devised
 //      statusTopicStr = (char*)os_zalloc(strlen(flashConfig.mqtt_clientid) + strlen(flashConfig.mqtt_status_topic) + 2);
 //      os_strcpy(statusTopicStr, flashConfig.mqtt_clientid);
 //      os_strcat(statusTopicStr, "/");
 
-      statusTopicStr = (char*)os_zalloc(strlen(flashConfig.mqtt_status_topic) + 1);
-      os_strcpy(statusTopicStr, flashConfig.mqtt_status_topic);
-    }
-
+#ifdef BRUNNELS
     char* onlineMsg = " is online";
     onlineMsgStr = (char*)os_zalloc(strlen(flashConfig.mqtt_clientid) + strlen(onlineMsg) + 1);
     os_strcpy(onlineMsgStr, flashConfig.mqtt_clientid);
@@ -112,12 +114,15 @@ mqtt_client_init()
     os_strcpy(lwtMsgStr, flashConfig.mqtt_clientid);
     os_strcat(lwtMsgStr, lwt);
     MQTT_InitLWT(&mqttClient, lwtMsgStr, offlineMsg, 0, 0);
+#endif
 
-    MQTT_OnConnected(&mqttClient, mqttConnectedCb);
-    MQTT_OnDisconnected(&mqttClient, mqttDisconnectedCb);
-    MQTT_OnPublished(&mqttClient, mqttPublishedCb);
-    MQTT_OnData(&mqttClient, mqttDataCb);
-  }
+  MQTT_OnConnected(&mqttClient, mqttConnectedCb);
+  MQTT_OnDisconnected(&mqttClient, mqttDisconnectedCb);
+  MQTT_OnPublished(&mqttClient, mqttPublishedCb);
+  MQTT_OnData(&mqttClient, mqttDataCb);
+
+  if (flashConfig.mqtt_enable && strlen(flashConfig.mqtt_host) > 0)
+    MQTT_Connect(&mqttClient);
 
   wifiAddStateChangeCb(wifiStateChangeCb);
 }
diff --git a/esp-link/status.c b/esp-link/status.c
index a1ca389b..a49726fc 100644
--- a/esp-link/status.c
+++ b/esp-link/status.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ static void ICACHE_FLASH_ATTR mqttStatusCb(void *v) {
 
   char buf[128];
   mqttStatusMsg(buf);
-  MQTT_Publish(&mqttClient, statusTopicStr, buf, 1, 0);
+  MQTT_Publish(&mqttClient, flashConfig.mqtt_status_topic, buf, 1, 0);
 }