diff --git a/include/mqtt.h b/include/mqtt.h
index c667e4f..36ec79e 100644
--- a/include/mqtt.h
+++ b/include/mqtt.h
@@ -3,6 +3,11 @@
 
 #include "globals.h"
 #include <model.h>
+#include <ArduinoJson.h>
+
+// Size of buffer to serialize status messages into, can also be used
+// as size of the preceeding JsonDocument
+#define STATUS_BUFSIZE 512
 
 namespace mqtt {
   typedef void (*calibrateCo2SensorCallback_t)(uint16_t);
@@ -26,6 +31,8 @@ namespace mqtt {
 
   void publishSensors(uint16_t mask);
   void publishConfiguration();
+  void sendStatus(DynamicJsonDocument *status);
+  void sendStatusMsg(const char *statusmsg);
 
   void mqttLoop(void* pvParameters);
 
diff --git a/src/mqtt.cpp b/src/mqtt.cpp
index 3819fe6..d38e976 100644
--- a/src/mqtt.cpp
+++ b/src/mqtt.cpp
@@ -24,10 +24,14 @@ namespace mqtt {
   struct MqttMessage {
     uint8_t cmd;
     uint16_t mask;
+    // Only for X_CMD_PUBLISH_STATUS, pointer to status doc
+    // owned by MqttMessage, will be freed after use.
+    DynamicJsonDocument *status;
   };
 
   const uint8_t X_CMD_PUBLISH_SENSORS = bit(0);
   const uint8_t X_CMD_PUBLISH_CONFIGURATION = bit(1);
+  const uint8_t X_CMD_PUBLISH_STATUS = bit(2);
 
   TaskHandle_t mqttTask;
   QueueHandle_t mqttQueue;
@@ -45,6 +49,7 @@ namespace mqtt {
   getSPS30StatusCallback_t getSPS30StatusCallback;
 
   uint32_t lastReconnectAttempt = 0;
+  uint32_t connectionAttempts = 0;
 
   void publishSensors(uint16_t mask) {
     if (!WiFi.isConnected() || !mqtt_client->connected()) return;
@@ -255,12 +260,58 @@ namespace mqtt {
     }
   }
 
+  // Queue a status message with provided document.
+  // This takes ownership (and will free) the provided document after serialization.
+  // If the document does not contain a key name 'online', it will be added and set
+  // to true.
+  // The document is serialized into a buffer of STATUS_BUFSIZE bytes, so you should
+  // make sure to keep your document below that.
+  void sendStatus(DynamicJsonDocument *status) {
+    MqttMessage msg;
+    msg.cmd = X_CMD_PUBLISH_STATUS;
+    msg.status = status;
+    if (mqttQueue) xQueueSendToBack(mqttQueue, (void*)&msg, pdMS_TO_TICKS(100));
+  }
+
+  // Helper for sending a simple status message. Must be shorter than
+  //  STATUS_BUFSZIZE - 48 (e.g. 464 chars by default) to allow for JSON overhead.
+  void sendStatusMsg(const char *msg) {
+    DynamicJsonDocument *status = new DynamicJsonDocument(STATUS_BUFSIZE);
+    (*status)["status"] = msg;
+    if (status->overflowed()) {
+      ESP_LOGW(TAG, "Status overflowed buffer, may not be sent: %s", msg);
+    }
+    sendStatus(status);
+  }
+
+  void publishStatusInternal(DynamicJsonDocument *status) {
+    if (!mqtt_client->connected()) {
+      ESP_LOGE(TAG, "MQTT disconnected; status message lost.");
+      delete status;
+      return;
+    }
+    char msg[STATUS_BUFSIZE];
+    if ((*status)["online"].isNull()) {
+      (*status)["online"] = true;
+    }
+    if (serializeJson(*status, msg) == 0) {
+      ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Failed to serialise status payload; message lost.");
+      delete status;
+      return;
+    }
+    delete status;
+    char buf[256];
+    sprintf(buf, "%s/%u/up/status", config.mqttTopic, config.deviceId);
+    mqtt_client->publish(buf, msg);
+  }
+
   void reconnect() {
     if (millis() - lastReconnectAttempt < 60000) return;
     char buf[256];
     sprintf(buf, "CO2Monitor-%u-%s", config.deviceId, WifiManager::getMac().c_str());
     if (!WiFi.isConnected()) return;
     lastReconnectAttempt = millis();
+    connectionAttempts++;
     if (!mqtt_client->connected()) {
       ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Attempting MQTT connection...");
       if (mqtt_client->connect(buf, config.mqttUsername, config.mqttPassword)) {
@@ -269,8 +320,9 @@ namespace mqtt {
         mqtt_client->subscribe(buf);
         sprintf(buf, "%s/down/#", config.mqttTopic);
         mqtt_client->subscribe(buf);
-        sprintf(buf, "%s/%u/up/status", config.mqttTopic, config.deviceId);
-        mqtt_client->publish(buf, "{\"online\":true}");
+        DynamicJsonDocument *status = new DynamicJsonDocument(STATUS_BUFSIZE);
+        (*status)["connectionAttempts"] = connectionAttempts;
+        publishStatusInternal(status);
       } else {
         ESP_LOGW(TAG, "MQTT connection failed, rc=%i", mqtt_client->state());
         vTaskDelay(pdMS_TO_TICKS(1000));
@@ -288,7 +340,7 @@ namespace mqtt {
     cleanSPS30Callback_t _cleanSPS30Callback,
     getSPS30StatusCallback_t _getSPS30StatusCallback
   ) {
-    mqttQueue = xQueueCreate(2, sizeof(struct MqttMessage*));
+    mqttQueue = xQueueCreate(2, sizeof(struct MqttMessage));
     if (mqttQueue == NULL) {
       ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Queue creation failed!");
     }
@@ -347,6 +399,8 @@ namespace mqtt {
           publishConfigurationInternal();
         } else if (msg.cmd == X_CMD_PUBLISH_SENSORS) {
           publishSensorsInternal(msg.mask);
+        } else if (msg.cmd == X_CMD_PUBLISH_STATUS) {
+          publishStatusInternal(msg.status);
         }
       }
       if (!mqtt_client->connected()) {
diff --git a/src/ota.cpp b/src/ota.cpp
index c7c1857..68c0ff5 100644
--- a/src/ota.cpp
+++ b/src/ota.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 #include <Arduino.h>
 #include <config.h>
+#include <mqtt.h>
 #include <ota.h>
 #include <esp32fota.h>
 #include <Ticker.h>
@@ -36,6 +37,7 @@ namespace OTA {
     if (shouldExecuteFirmwareUpdate) {
       ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Firmware update available");
       if (preUpdateCallback) preUpdateCallback();
+      mqtt::sendStatusMsg("Starting OTA update");
       esp32FOTA.execOTA();
     } else {
       ESP_LOGD(TAG, "No firmware update available");
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ namespace OTA {
     ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Beginning forced OTA");
     if (preUpdateCallback) preUpdateCallback();
     esp32FOTA esp32FOTA(OTA_APP, APP_VERSION, LittleFS, false, false);
+    mqtt::sendStatusMsg("Starting forced OTA update");
     esp32FOTA.forceUpdate(forceUpdateURL, false);
     forceUpdateURL = "";
     ESP_LOGD(TAG, "Forced OTA done");    forceUpdateURL = "";