diff --git a/lib/linker.version b/lib/linker.version
index ceebab2a..74030e95 100644
--- a/lib/linker.version
+++ b/lib/linker.version
@@ -73,4 +73,6 @@ MOSQ_1.3 {
 MOSQ_1.4 {
 	global:
 		mosquitto_threaded_set;
+		mosquitto_pub_topic_check;
+		mosquitto_sub_topic_check;
 } MOSQ_1.3;
diff --git a/lib/mosquitto.c b/lib/mosquitto.c
index 8172a1f3..8e5117e1 100644
--- a/lib/mosquitto.c
+++ b/lib/mosquitto.c
@@ -526,7 +526,7 @@ int mosquitto_publish(struct mosquitto *mosq, int *mid, const char *topic, int p
 	if(strlen(topic) == 0) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 	if(payloadlen < 0 || payloadlen > MQTT_MAX_PAYLOAD) return MOSQ_ERR_PAYLOAD_SIZE;
 
-	if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(topic) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
+	if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(topic) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
 		return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 	}
 
@@ -589,7 +589,7 @@ int mosquitto_subscribe(struct mosquitto *mosq, int *mid, const char *sub, int q
 	if(!mosq) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 	if(mosq->sock == INVALID_SOCKET) return MOSQ_ERR_NO_CONN;
 
-	if(_mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
+	if(mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 
 	return _mosquitto_send_subscribe(mosq, mid, false, sub, qos);
 }
@@ -599,7 +599,7 @@ int mosquitto_unsubscribe(struct mosquitto *mosq, int *mid, const char *sub)
 	if(!mosq) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 	if(mosq->sock == INVALID_SOCKET) return MOSQ_ERR_NO_CONN;
 
-	if(_mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
+	if(mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 
 	return _mosquitto_send_unsubscribe(mosq, mid, false, sub);
 }
diff --git a/lib/mosquitto.h b/lib/mosquitto.h
index 6c78d7c0..2819e65f 100644
--- a/lib/mosquitto.h
+++ b/lib/mosquitto.h
@@ -1424,6 +1424,57 @@ libmosq_EXPORT int mosquitto_sub_topic_tokens_free(char ***topics, int count);
  */
 libmosq_EXPORT int mosquitto_topic_matches_sub(const char *sub, const char *topic, bool *result);
 
+/*
+ * Function: mosquitto_pub_topic_check
+ *
+ * Check whether a topic to be used for publishing is valid.
+ *
+ * This searches for + or # in a topic and checks its length.
+ *
+ * This check is already carried out in <mosquitto_publish> and
+ * <mosquitto_will_set>, there is no need to call it directly before them. It
+ * may be useful if you wish to check the validity of a topic in advance of
+ * making a connection for example.
+ *
+ * Parameters:
+ *   topic - the topic to check
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *   MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS - for a valid topic
+ *   MOSQ_ERR_INVAL - if the topic contains a + or a #, or if it is too long.
+ *
+ * See Also:
+ *   <mosquitto_sub_topic_check>
+ */
+libmosq_EXPORT int mosquitto_pub_topic_check(const char *topic);
+
+/*
+ * Function: mosquitto_sub_topic_check
+ *
+ * Check whether a topic to be used for subscribing is valid.
+ *
+ * This searches for + or # in a topic and checks that they aren't in invalid
+ * positions, such as with foo/#/bar, foo/+bar or foo/bar#, and checks its
+ * length.
+ *
+ * This check is already carried out in <mosquitto_subscribe> and
+ * <mosquitto_unsubscribe>, there is no need to call it directly before them.
+ * It may be useful if you wish to check the validity of a topic in advance of
+ * making a connection for example.
+ *
+ * Parameters:
+ *   topic - the topic to check
+ *
+ * Returns:
+ *   MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS - for a valid topic
+ *   MOSQ_ERR_INVAL - if the topic contains a + or a # that is in an invalid
+ *                    position, or if it is too long.
+ *
+ * See Also:
+ *   <mosquitto_sub_topic_check>
+ */
+libmosq_EXPORT int mosquitto_sub_topic_check(const char *topic);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }
 #endif
diff --git a/lib/util_mosq.c b/lib/util_mosq.c
index 3a076924..16105635 100644
--- a/lib/util_mosq.c
+++ b/lib/util_mosq.c
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ uint16_t _mosquitto_mid_generate(struct mosquitto *mosq)
  * Also returns MOSQ_ERR_INVAL if the topic string is too long.
  * Returns MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS if everything is fine.
  */
-int _mosquitto_pub_topic_check(const char *str)
+int mosquitto_pub_topic_check(const char *str)
 {
 	int len = 0;
 	while(str && str[0]){
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ int _mosquitto_pub_topic_check(const char *str)
  * Also returns MOSQ_ERR_INVAL if the topic string is too long.
  * Returns MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS if everything is fine.
  */
-int _mosquitto_sub_topic_check(const char *str)
+int mosquitto_sub_topic_check(const char *str)
 {
 	char c = '\0';
 	int len = 0;
diff --git a/lib/util_mosq.h b/lib/util_mosq.h
index b737514b..7b8ac485 100644
--- a/lib/util_mosq.h
+++ b/lib/util_mosq.h
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ void _mosquitto_check_keepalive(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *mosq)
 void _mosquitto_check_keepalive(struct mosquitto *mosq);
 #endif
 uint16_t _mosquitto_mid_generate(struct mosquitto *mosq);
-int _mosquitto_pub_topic_check(const char *str);
-int _mosquitto_sub_topic_check(const char *str);
 FILE *_mosquitto_fopen(const char *path, const char *mode);
 
 #ifdef REAL_WITH_TLS_PSK
diff --git a/lib/will_mosq.c b/lib/will_mosq.c
index 60f519d3..2756a626 100644
--- a/lib/will_mosq.c
+++ b/lib/will_mosq.c
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ int _mosquitto_will_set(struct mosquitto *mosq, const char *topic, int payloadle
 	if(payloadlen < 0 || payloadlen > MQTT_MAX_PAYLOAD) return MOSQ_ERR_PAYLOAD_SIZE;
 	if(payloadlen > 0 && !payload) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 
-	if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(topic)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
+	if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(topic)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 
 	if(mosq->will){
 		if(mosq->will->topic){
diff --git a/src/conf.c b/src/conf.c
index e1a956d1..122404c2 100644
--- a/src/conf.c
+++ b/src/conf.c
@@ -1352,7 +1352,7 @@ int _config_read_file_core(struct mqtt3_config *config, bool reload, const char
 						return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 					}
 					if(_conf_parse_string(&token, "mount_point", &cur_listener->mount_point, saveptr)) return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
-					if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(cur_listener->mount_point) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
+					if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(cur_listener->mount_point) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
 						_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR,
 								"Error: Invalid mount_point '%s'. Does it contain a wildcard character?",
 								cur_listener->mount_point);
@@ -1667,7 +1667,7 @@ int _config_read_file_core(struct mqtt3_config *config, bool reload, const char
 								if(!strcmp(token, "\"\"")){
 									cur_topic->local_prefix = NULL;
 								}else{
-									if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(token) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
+									if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(token) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
 										_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: Invalid bridge topic local prefix '%s'.", token);
 										return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 									}
@@ -1683,7 +1683,7 @@ int _config_read_file_core(struct mqtt3_config *config, bool reload, const char
 									if(!strcmp(token, "\"\"")){
 										cur_topic->remote_prefix = NULL;
 									}else{
-										if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(token) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
+										if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(token) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
 											_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_ERR, "Error: Invalid bridge topic remote prefix '%s'.", token);
 											return MOSQ_ERR_INVAL;
 										}
diff --git a/src/read_handle.c b/src/read_handle.c
index 16af8cae..76c9372e 100644
--- a/src/read_handle.c
+++ b/src/read_handle.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ int mqtt3_handle_publish(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context)
 		}
 	}
 #endif
-	if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(topic) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
+	if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(topic) != MOSQ_ERR_SUCCESS){
 		/* Invalid publish topic, just swallow it. */
 		_mosquitto_free(topic);
 		return 1;
diff --git a/src/read_handle_server.c b/src/read_handle_server.c
index 8480883c..a4a3ecb3 100644
--- a/src/read_handle_server.c
+++ b/src/read_handle_server.c
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ int mqtt3_handle_connect(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context)
 			rc = 1;
 			goto handle_connect_error;
 		}
-		if(_mosquitto_pub_topic_check(will_topic)){
+		if(mosquitto_pub_topic_check(will_topic)){
 			rc = 1;
 			goto handle_connect_error;
 		}
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ int mqtt3_handle_subscribe(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context)
 				if(payload) _mosquitto_free(payload);
 				return 1;
 			}
-			if(_mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)){
+			if(mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)){
 				_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_INFO, "Invalid subscription string from %s, disconnecting.",
 					context->address);
 				_mosquitto_free(sub);
@@ -806,7 +806,7 @@ int mqtt3_handle_unsubscribe(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context)
 				_mosquitto_free(sub);
 				return 1;
 			}
-			if(_mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)){
+			if(mosquitto_sub_topic_check(sub)){
 				_mosquitto_log_printf(NULL, MOSQ_LOG_INFO, "Invalid unsubscription string from %s, disconnecting.",
 					context->id);
 				_mosquitto_free(sub);