diff --git a/ChangeLog.txt b/ChangeLog.txt
index 4a978f30..963e67af 100644
--- a/ChangeLog.txt
+++ b/ChangeLog.txt
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ Broker:
 - Fix incorrect $SYS heap memory reporting when using ACLs.
 - Bridge config parameters couldn't contain a space, this has been fixed.
   Closes #150.
+- Fix saving of persistence messages that start with a '/'. Closes #151.
 - Fix reconnecting for bridges that use TLS on Windows. Closes #154.
 
 Client library:
diff --git a/src/persist.c b/src/persist.c
index 176d6e81..3c37b80b 100644
--- a/src/persist.c
+++ b/src/persist.c
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ error:
 	return 1;
 }
 
-static int _db_subs_retain_write(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr, struct _mosquitto_subhier *node, const char *topic)
+static int _db_subs_retain_write(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr, struct _mosquitto_subhier *node, const char *topic, int level)
 {
 	struct _mosquitto_subhier *subhier;
 	struct _mosquitto_subleaf *sub;
@@ -261,7 +261,7 @@ static int _db_subs_retain_write(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr, struct
 	slen = strlen(topic) + strlen(node->topic) + 2;
 	thistopic = _mosquitto_malloc(sizeof(char)*slen);
 	if(!thistopic) return MOSQ_ERR_NOMEM;
-	if(strlen(topic)){
+	if(level > 1 || strlen(topic)){
 		snprintf(thistopic, slen, "%s/%s", topic, node->topic);
 	}else{
 		snprintf(thistopic, slen, "%s", node->topic);
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ static int _db_subs_retain_write(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr, struct
 
 	subhier = node->children;
 	while(subhier){
-		_db_subs_retain_write(db, db_fptr, subhier, thistopic);
+		_db_subs_retain_write(db, db_fptr, subhier, thistopic, level+1);
 		subhier = subhier->next;
 	}
 	_mosquitto_free(thistopic);
@@ -322,7 +322,7 @@ static int mqtt3_db_subs_retain_write(struct mosquitto_db *db, FILE *db_fptr)
 
 	subhier = db->subs.children;
 	while(subhier){
-		_db_subs_retain_write(db, db_fptr, subhier, "");
+		_db_subs_retain_write(db, db_fptr, subhier->children, "", 0);
 		subhier = subhier->next;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/src/subs.c b/src/subs.c
index 4f64b3e5..dcf1b3af 100644
--- a/src/subs.c
+++ b/src/subs.c
@@ -462,12 +462,12 @@ int mqtt3_sub_add(struct mosquitto_db *db, struct mosquitto *context, const char
 		child->subs = NULL;
 		child->children = NULL;
 		child->retained = NULL;
-		if(db->subs.children){
-			child->next = db->subs.children;
+		if(root->children){
+			child->next = root->children;
 		}else{
 			child->next = NULL;
 		}
-		db->subs.children = child;
+		root->children = child;
 
 		rc = _sub_add(db, context, qos, child, tokens);
 	}