diff --git a/include/config.sample.h b/include/config.sample.h
index e80bbd8..224b272 100644
--- a/include/config.sample.h
+++ b/include/config.sample.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@
 #define MQTT_USER "..."
 #define MQTT_PASS "..."
 #define MQTT_TOPIC "pitrix/" // MQTT-Topic to listen to. Must not start with a slash, but must end with one."
-#define MQTT_TOPIC_LOG "pitrix/log"
 #define MQTT_REPORT_METRICS
 #define MQTT_TOPIC_WEATHER "accuweather/pitrix/" // MQTT topic to listen for weather data. Must not start with a slash, but must end with one.
 
diff --git a/include/my_mqtt.h b/include/my_mqtt.h
index 39baefc..507588c 100644
--- a/include/my_mqtt.h
+++ b/include/my_mqtt.h
@@ -22,10 +22,14 @@ void mqtt_publish(const char* topic, int number);
 void mqtt_log(const char* message);
 void mqtt_log(int number);
 void mqtt_log(long unsigned int number);
+void mqtt_log(long int number);
+void mqtt_log(String str);
 
 void mqtt_log_ln(const char* message);
 void mqtt_log_ln(int number);
 void mqtt_log_ln(long unsigned int number);
+void mqtt_log_ln(long int number);
+void mqtt_log_ln(String str);
 
 
 void mqtt_log_send(const char* message);
diff --git a/src/mqtt.cpp b/src/mqtt.cpp
index b463852..498d98e 100644
--- a/src/mqtt.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt.cpp
@@ -25,51 +25,70 @@ long mqtt_last_reconnect_attempt = 0;
 uint8_t weather_icon_ids[6] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
 int8_t weather_temperatures[6] = {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0};
 
-void mqtt_callback(char* complete_topic, byte* pl, unsigned int length) {
+void mqtt_callback(char* original_topic, byte* pl, unsigned int length) {
 	pl[length] = '\0';
-	char* payload = (char*)pl;
-	LOG("MQTT * Received data for topic "); LOGln(complete_topic);
-
-	if (strncmp(complete_topic, MQTT_TOPIC_WEATHER, strlen(MQTT_TOPIC_WEATHER))==0) {
+	String payload((char*)pl);
+	String topic (original_topic);
+	if (topic.compareTo(MQTT_TOPIC "log")==0) return;
+	LOG("MQTT * Received data for topic "); LOG(topic); LOG(" with payload "); LOGln(payload);
+	if (topic.startsWith(MQTT_TOPIC_WEATHER)) {
 		// Weather stuff
-		complete_topic += strlen(MQTT_TOPIC_WEATHER);
-		if (strncmp(complete_topic, "icons/", 6)==0) {
-			complete_topic += 6; // strlen("icons/")=6
-			uint8_t id = complete_topic[0] - '0'; // ID is 1 digit. Substract '0' from it to get it as number.
+		topic.remove(0, strlen(MQTT_TOPIC_WEATHER));
+		LOG("MQTT * Weather stuff. Remaining topic: "); LOGln(topic.c_str());
+		if (topic.startsWith("icons/")) {
+			topic.remove(0, 6);
+			uint8_t id = topic.toInt();
 			if (id>=6) return;
-			weather_icon_ids[id] = atol(payload);
-		} else if (strncmp(complete_topic, "temperatures/", 13)==0) {
-			complete_topic += 13; // strlen("temperatures/")=13
-			uint8_t id = complete_topic[0] - '0'; // ID is 1 digit. Substract '0' from it to get it as number.
+			uint8_t val = payload.toInt();
+			if (val==0) return;
+			weather_icon_ids[id] = val;
+			LOG("Set weather_icon_ids["); LOG(id); LOG("] to value "); LOGln(val);
+		} else if (topic.startsWith("temperatures/")) {
+			topic.remove(0, 13);
+			uint8_t id = topic.toInt();
 			if (id>=6) return;
-			weather_temperatures[id] = atol(payload);
+			uint8_t val = payload.toInt();
+			if (val==0) return;
+			weather_temperatures[id] = val;
+			LOG("Set weather_temperatures["); LOG(id); LOG("] to value "); LOGln(val);
 		}
 		return;
 	}
 
-	char* topic = complete_topic + strlen(MQTT_TOPIC); // Strip MQTT_TOPIC from the beginning
+	topic.remove(0, strlen(MQTT_TOPIC)); // Strip MQTT_TOPIC from the beginning
 
-	// Here, payload is a char* (but has to be casted).
-	if(strcmp(topic, "mode")==0) {
+	LOG("MQTT * Remaining topic is: "); LOGln(topic.c_str());
+	if (topic.compareTo("free_heap")==0 || topic.compareTo("uptime")==0 || topic.compareTo("status")==0) {
+		// Ignore our own messages.
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if(topic.compareTo("mode")==0) {
+		LOGln("MQTT * Changing mode...");
 		for (int i=0; i<effects->size(); i++) {
 			EffectEntry e = effects->get(i);
-			if (strcmp(e.name, payload)==0) {
+			if (payload.compareTo(e.name)==0) {
 				//Serial.printf("Effect found in mqtt_callback: %p\n", (void *)&e->effect);
 				current_effect->stop();
 				current_effect = e.effect;
 				current_effect->start();
-				clear();
 				return;
 			}
 		}
-	} else if (strcmp(topic, "reboot")==0) {
+	} else if (topic.compareTo("reboot")==0) {
+		LOGln("MQTT * Rebooting");
 		ESP.restart();
 	}
+	long value = payload.toInt();
+	LOG("MQTT * payload after converting to a number: "); LOGln(value);
 
-	long value = atol(payload);
-
-	if (strcmp(topic, "brightness")==0 && value > 0 && value <= 255) {
-		FastLED.setBrightness(value);
+	if (topic.compareTo("brightness")==0) {
+		if (value > 0 && value <= 255) {
+			LOGln("MQTT * Changing brightness...");
+			FastLED.setBrightness(value);
+		} else {
+			LOG("MQTT * Ignoring brightness change: Value "); LOG(value); LOGln(" is out of bounds (0<x<=255).");
+		}
 	}
 }
 
@@ -132,17 +151,19 @@ void mqtt_log(int number) {
 	mqtt_log(String(number).c_str());
 }
 
-void mqtt_log(long unsigned int number) {
-	mqtt_log(String(number).c_str());
-}
+void mqtt_log(long unsigned int number) { mqtt_log(String(number).c_str()); }
+void mqtt_log(long int number) { mqtt_log(String(number).c_str()); }
+
+void mqtt_log(String str) { mqtt_log(str.c_str()); }
 
 void mqtt_log_ln(int number) {
 	mqtt_log_ln(String(number).c_str());
 }
 
-void mqtt_log_ln(long unsigned int number) {
-	mqtt_log_ln(String(number).c_str());
-}
+void mqtt_log_ln(long unsigned int number) { mqtt_log_ln(String(number).c_str()); }
+void mqtt_log_ln(long int number) { mqtt_log_ln(String(number).c_str()); }
+
+void mqtt_log_ln(String str) { mqtt_log_ln(str.c_str()); }
 
 void mqtt_log_ln(const char* message) {
 	if (mqtt_log_str.length()==0) {
@@ -157,7 +178,7 @@ void mqtt_log_ln(const char* message) {
 
 void mqtt_log_send(const char* message) {
 	if (mqtt_client.connected()) {
-		mqtt_client.publish(MQTT_TOPIC_LOG, message);
+		mqtt_client.publish(MQTT_TOPIC "log", message);
 	}
 }