diff --git a/src/persist_write.c b/src/persist_write.c
index aac3554c..7147b6e5 100644
--- a/src/persist_write.c
+++ b/src/persist_write.c
@@ -94,12 +94,12 @@ static int persist__message_store_save(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr)
 
 	stored = db->msg_store;
 	while(stored){
-		if(stored->ref_count < 1){
+		if(stored->ref_count < 1 || stored->topic == NULL){
 			stored = stored->next;
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		if(stored->topic && !strncmp(stored->topic, "$SYS", 4)){
+		if(!strncmp(stored->topic, "$SYS", 4)){
 			if(stored->ref_count <= 1 && stored->dest_id_count == 0){
 				/* $SYS messages that are only retained shouldn't be persisted. */
 				stored = stored->next;
@@ -132,13 +132,10 @@ static int persist__message_store_save(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr)
 			chunk.F.source_username_len = 0;
 			chunk.source.username = NULL;
 		}
-		if(stored->topic){
-			chunk.F.topic_len = strlen(stored->topic);
-			chunk.topic = stored->topic;
-		}else{
-			chunk.F.topic_len = 0;
-			chunk.topic = NULL;
-		}
+
+		chunk.F.topic_len = strlen(stored->topic);
+		chunk.topic = stored->topic;
+
 		if(stored->source_listener){
 			chunk.F.source_port = stored->source_listener->port;
 		}else{
diff --git a/test/unit/persist_read_test.c b/test/unit/persist_read_test.c
index 5b0ad2b6..d0c9f7ae 100644
--- a/test/unit/persist_read_test.c
+++ b/test/unit/persist_read_test.c
@@ -210,7 +210,10 @@ static void TEST_v3_message_store(void)
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->mid, 0);
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->qos, 2);
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->retain, 1);
-		CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(db.msg_store->topic, "topic");
+		CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(db.msg_store->topic);
+		if(db.msg_store->topic){
+			CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(db.msg_store->topic, "topic");
+		}
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->payloadlen, 7);
 		if(db.msg_store->payloadlen == 7){
 			CU_ASSERT_NSTRING_EQUAL(UHPA_ACCESS_PAYLOAD(db.msg_store), "payload", 7);
@@ -276,7 +279,10 @@ static void TEST_v3_client_message(void)
 				CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(context->inflight_msgs->store->mid, 0);
 				CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(context->inflight_msgs->store->qos, 2);
 				CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(context->inflight_msgs->store->retain, 1);
-				CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(context->inflight_msgs->store->topic, "topic");
+				CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(context->inflight_msgs->store->topic);
+				if(context->inflight_msgs->store->topic){
+					CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(context->inflight_msgs->store->topic, "topic");
+				}
 				CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(context->inflight_msgs->store->payloadlen, 7);
 				if(context->inflight_msgs->store->payloadlen == 7){
 					CU_ASSERT_NSTRING_EQUAL(UHPA_ACCESS_PAYLOAD(context->inflight_msgs->store), "payload", 7);
@@ -320,7 +326,10 @@ static void TEST_v3_retain(void)
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->mid, 0);
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->qos, 2);
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->retain, 1);
-		CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(db.msg_store->topic, "topic");
+		CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(db.msg_store->topic);
+		if(db.msg_store->topic){
+			CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(db.msg_store->topic, "topic");
+		}
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->payloadlen, 7);
 		if(db.msg_store->payloadlen == 7){
 			CU_ASSERT_NSTRING_EQUAL(UHPA_ACCESS_PAYLOAD(db.msg_store), "payload", 7);
@@ -387,7 +396,10 @@ static void TEST_v4_message_store(void)
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->mid, 0);
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->qos, 1);
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->retain, 0);
-		CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(db.msg_store->topic, "topic");
+		CU_ASSERT_PTR_NOT_NULL(db.msg_store->topic);
+		if(db.msg_store->topic){
+			CU_ASSERT_STRING_EQUAL(db.msg_store->topic, "topic");
+		}
 		CU_ASSERT_EQUAL(db.msg_store->payloadlen, 7);
 		if(db.msg_store->payloadlen == 7){
 			CU_ASSERT_NSTRING_EQUAL(UHPA_ACCESS_PAYLOAD(db.msg_store), "payload", 7);