diff --git a/lib/mqtt5_msg.c b/lib/mqtt5_msg.c
index fc04f71..da5d531 100644
--- a/lib/mqtt5_msg.c
+++ b/lib/mqtt5_msg.c
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ mqtt_message_t *mqtt5_msg_publish(mqtt_connection_t *connection, const char *top
                 char *response_topic = calloc(1, response_topic_size);
                 if (!response_topic) {
                     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to calloc %d memory", response_topic_size);
-                    fail_message(connection);
+                    return fail_message(connection);
                 }
                 snprintf(response_topic, response_topic_size, "%s/%s", property->response_topic, resp_info);
                 if (append_property(connection, MQTT5_PROPERTY_RESPONSE_TOPIC, 2, response_topic, response_topic_size) == -1) {