diff --git a/artemis-protocols/artemis-mqtt-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/protocol/mqtt/MQTTPublishManager.java b/artemis-protocols/artemis-mqtt-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/protocol/mqtt/MQTTPublishManager.java
index 76f15c0938..f0385dc63d 100644
--- a/artemis-protocols/artemis-mqtt-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/protocol/mqtt/MQTTPublishManager.java
+++ b/artemis-protocols/artemis-mqtt-protocol/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/protocol/mqtt/MQTTPublishManager.java
@@ -161,7 +161,12 @@ public class MQTTPublishManager {
 
             Transaction tx = session.getServerSession().newTransaction();
             try {
-               session.getServerSession().send(tx, serverMessage, true, false);
+               if (internal) {
+                  session.getServer().getPostOffice().route(serverMessage, tx, true);
+               } else {
+                  session.getServerSession().send(tx, serverMessage, true, false);
+               }
+
                if (retain) {
                   boolean reset = payload instanceof EmptyByteBuf || payload.capacity() == 0;
                   session.getRetainMessageManager().handleRetainedMessage(serverMessage, topic, reset, tx);