diff --git a/api/src/constants/defaults.js b/api/src/constants/defaults.js
index 7c79a500..aa2a63cc 100644
--- a/api/src/constants/defaults.js
+++ b/api/src/constants/defaults.js
@@ -30,9 +30,8 @@ module.exports = {
     min_area: 0,
   },
   mqtt: {
-    tls: {
-      reject_unauthorized: false,
-    },
+    protocol: 'mqtt',
+    tls: {},
     topics: {
       frigate: 'frigate/events',
       matches: 'double-take/matches',
diff --git a/api/src/util/mqtt.util.js b/api/src/util/mqtt.util.js
index a702b62b..abb2623e 100644
--- a/api/src/util/mqtt.util.js
+++ b/api/src/util/mqtt.util.js
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ module.exports.connect = () => {
   if (!MQTT || !MQTT.HOST) return;
 
   try {
-    CLIENT = mqtt.connect(`mqtt://${MQTT.HOST}`, {
+    CLIENT = mqtt.connect({
+      host: MQTT.HOST,
       reconnectPeriod: 10000,
       username: MQTT.USERNAME || MQTT.USER,
       password: MQTT.PASSWORD || MQTT.PASS,
@@ -96,7 +97,8 @@ module.exports.connect = () => {
       key: MQTT.TLS.KEY ? filesystem.readFileSync(MQTT.TLS.KEY) : null,
       cert: MQTT.TLS.CERT ? filesystem.readFileSync(MQTT.TLS.CERT) : null,
       ca: MQTT.TLS.CA ? filesystem.readFileSync(MQTT.TLS.CA) : null,
-      rejectUnauthorized: MQTT.TLS.REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED === true,
+      rejectUnauthorized: MQTT.TLS.REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED ? MQTT.TLS.REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED : true,
+      protocol: MQTT.PROTOCOL ? MQTT.PROTOCOL : 'mqtt',
     });
 
     CLIENT.on('connect', () => {