diff --git a/mqtt_client.c b/mqtt_client.c
index a3a6576..31280d1 100644
--- a/mqtt_client.c
+++ b/mqtt_client.c
@@ -316,11 +316,13 @@ static esp_err_t esp_mqtt_connect(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, int timeout_m
 {
     int write_len, read_len, connect_rsp_code;
     client->wait_for_ping_resp = false;
-    mqtt_msg_init(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection,
-                  client->mqtt_state.out_buffer,
-                  client->mqtt_state.out_buffer_length);
     client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_connect(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection,
                                           client->mqtt_state.connect_info);
+    if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Connect message cannot be created");
+        return ESP_FAIL;
+    }
+
     client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_type = mqtt_get_type(client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->data);
     client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_id = mqtt_get_id(client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->data,
                                         client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length);
@@ -532,6 +534,10 @@ esp_mqtt_client_handle_t esp_mqtt_client_init(const esp_mqtt_client_config_t *co
     ESP_MEM_CHECK(TAG, client->outbox, goto _mqtt_init_failed);
     client->status_bits = xEventGroupCreate();
     ESP_MEM_CHECK(TAG, client->status_bits, goto _mqtt_init_failed);
+
+    mqtt_msg_init(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection, client->mqtt_state.out_buffer,
+                            client->mqtt_state.out_buffer_length);
+
     return client;
 _mqtt_init_failed:
     esp_mqtt_client_destroy(client);
@@ -976,6 +982,10 @@ static esp_err_t mqtt_process_receive(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
         } else if (msg_qos == 2) {
             client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_pubrec(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection, msg_id);
         }
+        if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Publish response message PUBACK or PUBREC cannot be created");
+            return ESP_FAIL;
+        }
 
         if (msg_qos == 1 || msg_qos == 2) {
             ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Queue response QoS: %d", msg_qos);
@@ -997,12 +1007,22 @@ static esp_err_t mqtt_process_receive(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
     case MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PUBREC:
         ESP_LOGD(TAG, "received MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PUBREC");
         client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_pubrel(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection, msg_id);
+        if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Publish response message PUBREL cannot be created");
+            return ESP_FAIL;
+        }
+
         outbox_set_pending(client->outbox, msg_id, ACKNOWLEDGED);
         mqtt_write_data(client);
         break;
     case MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PUBREL:
         ESP_LOGD(TAG, "received MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PUBREL");
         client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_pubcomp(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection, msg_id);
+        if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+            ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Publish response message PUBCOMP cannot be created");
+            return ESP_FAIL;
+        }
+
         mqtt_write_data(client);
         break;
     case MQTT_MSG_TYPE_PUBCOMP:
@@ -1247,6 +1267,10 @@ esp_err_t esp_mqtt_client_stop(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
         if(client->state == MQTT_STATE_CONNECTED) {
             // Notify the broker we are disconnecting
             client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_disconnect(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection);
+            if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+                ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Disconnect message cannot be created");
+                return ESP_FAIL;
+            }
             if (mqtt_write_data(client) != ESP_OK) {
                 ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error sending disconnect message");
             }
@@ -1267,6 +1291,10 @@ esp_err_t esp_mqtt_client_stop(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
 static esp_err_t esp_mqtt_client_ping(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client)
 {
     client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_pingreq(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection);
+    if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Ping message cannot be created");
+        return ESP_FAIL;
+    }
 
     if (mqtt_write_data(client) != ESP_OK) {
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Error sending ping");
@@ -1287,6 +1315,10 @@ int esp_mqtt_client_subscribe(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, const char *topic
     client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_subscribe(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection,
                                           topic, qos,
                                           &client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_id);
+    if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Subscribe message cannot be created");
+        return -1;
+    }
 
     client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_type = mqtt_get_type(client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->data);
     client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_count ++;
@@ -1315,6 +1347,10 @@ int esp_mqtt_client_unsubscribe(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, const char *top
     client->mqtt_state.outbound_message = mqtt_msg_unsubscribe(&client->mqtt_state.mqtt_connection,
                                           topic,
                                           &client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_id);
+    if (client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->length == 0) {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Unubscribe message cannot be created");
+        return -1;
+    }
     ESP_LOGD(TAG, "unsubscribe, topic\"%s\", id: %d", topic, client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_id);
 
     client->mqtt_state.pending_msg_type = mqtt_get_type(client->mqtt_state.outbound_message->data);
@@ -1336,6 +1372,7 @@ int esp_mqtt_client_unsubscribe(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, const char *top
 int esp_mqtt_client_publish(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, const char *topic, const char *data, int len, int qos, int retain)
 {
     uint16_t pending_msg_id = 0;
+    int ret = 0;
 
     /* Acceptable publish messages:
         data == NULL, len == 0: publish null message
@@ -1352,10 +1389,10 @@ int esp_mqtt_client_publish(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, const char *topic,
                                   qos, retain,
                                   &pending_msg_id);
 
-    if (publish_msg == NULL) {
+    if (publish_msg->length == 0) {
         ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Publish message cannot be created");
         MQTT_API_UNLOCK_FROM_OTHER_TASK(client);
-        return 0;
+        return -1;
     }
     /* We have to set as pending all the qos>0 messages */
     if (qos > 0) {
@@ -1387,6 +1424,7 @@ int esp_mqtt_client_publish(esp_mqtt_client_handle_t client, const char *topic,
 
         if (mqtt_write_data(client) != ESP_OK) {
             esp_mqtt_abort_connection(client);
+            ret = -1;
             goto cannot_publish;
         }
 
@@ -1438,7 +1476,7 @@ cannot_publish:
         ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Publish: Losing qos0 data when client not connected");
     }
     MQTT_API_UNLOCK_FROM_OTHER_TASK(client);
-    return 0;
+    return ret;
 }