diff -r e33f2d325d15 -r 7dc9003f86a8 main/task_mqtt.c
--- a/main/task_mqtt.c	Sun Oct 13 12:24:14 2019 +0200
+++ b/main/task_mqtt.c	Sun Oct 13 19:27:12 2019 +0200
@@ -86,18 +86,21 @@
 
 void publisher(char *topic, char *payload)
 {
-    // publish the data
+    /*
+     * First count, then sent the data.
+     */
+    if (xSemaphoreTake(xSemaphorePcounter, 10) == pdTRUE) {
+        count_pub++;
+printf("  up %d\n", count_pub);
+        xSemaphoreGive(xSemaphorePcounter);
+    } else {
+        ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Missed lock 1");
+    }
+
     if (payload)
         esp_mqtt_client_publish(client, topic, payload, strlen(payload), 1, 0);
     else
 	esp_mqtt_client_publish(client, topic, NULL, 0, 1, 0);
-    if (xSemaphoreTake(xSemaphorePcounter, 10) == pdTRUE) {
-    	count_pub++;
-printf("  up %d\n", count_pub);
-	xSemaphoreGive(xSemaphorePcounter);
-    } else {
-	ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Missed lock 1");
-    }
 }