diff --git a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
index 34b6c469..ecad3cd6 100644
--- a/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_repeater/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -965,8 +965,8 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.gps_interval = 0;
   _prefs.advert_loc_policy = ADVERT_LOC_PREFS;
 
-  // MQTT defaults
-  StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.mqtt_origin, "MeshCore-Repeater", sizeof(_prefs.mqtt_origin));
+  // MQTT defaults (mqtt_origin empty => effective origin follows node_name at publish time)
+  _prefs.mqtt_origin[0] = '\0';
   StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.mqtt_iata, "SEA", sizeof(_prefs.mqtt_iata));
   _prefs.mqtt_status_enabled = 1;    // enabled
   _prefs.mqtt_packets_enabled = 1;   // enabled
@@ -1010,10 +1010,6 @@ void MyMesh::begin(FILESYSTEM *fs) {
   // load persisted prefs
   _cli.loadPrefs(_fs);
 
-  // Set MQTT origin to actual device name (not build-time ADVERT_NAME)
-  StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.mqtt_origin, _prefs.node_name, sizeof(_prefs.mqtt_origin));
-  MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("MQTT origin set to device name: %s", _prefs.mqtt_origin);
-
   acl.load(_fs, self_id);
   // TODO: key_store.begin();
   region_map.load(_fs);
diff --git a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
index b9ac92b2..fe2af053 100644
--- a/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
+++ b/examples/simple_room_server/MyMesh.cpp
@@ -682,8 +682,8 @@ MyMesh::MyMesh(mesh::MainBoard &board, mesh::Radio &radio, mesh::MillisecondCloc
   _prefs.bridge_baud = 115200;  // baud rate
   _prefs.bridge_channel = 1;    // channel 1
 
-  // MQTT defaults (same as repeater)
-  StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.mqtt_origin, "MeshCore-RoomServer", sizeof(_prefs.mqtt_origin));
+  // MQTT defaults (same as repeater; empty mqtt_origin follows node_name when publishing)
+  _prefs.mqtt_origin[0] = '\0';
   StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.mqtt_iata, "SEA", sizeof(_prefs.mqtt_iata));
   _prefs.mqtt_status_enabled = 1;    // enabled
   _prefs.mqtt_packets_enabled = 1;   // enabled
@@ -755,10 +755,6 @@ void MyMesh::begin(FILESYSTEM *fs) {
   applyGpsPrefs();
 #endif
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
-  // Set MQTT origin to actual device name (not build-time ADVERT_NAME) - same as repeater
-  StrHelper::strncpy(_prefs.mqtt_origin, _prefs.node_name, sizeof(_prefs.mqtt_origin));
-  MESH_DEBUG_PRINTLN("MQTT origin set to device name: %s", _prefs.mqtt_origin);
-
   if (_prefs.bridge_enabled) {
     // Defer construction to avoid static init crashes on ESP32 classic
     bridge = new MQTTBridge(&_prefs, _mgr, getRTCClock(), &self_id);
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
index d75a3c94..991e1993 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
@@ -1660,7 +1660,9 @@ void CommonCLI::handleGetCmd(uint32_t sender_timestamp, char* command, char* rep
 #endif
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
   } else if (memcmp(config, "mqtt.origin", 11) == 0) {
-    sprintf(reply, "> %s", _prefs->mqtt_origin);
+    char effective_origin[32];
+    MQTTBridge::getEffectiveMqttOrigin(_prefs, effective_origin, sizeof(effective_origin));
+    sprintf(reply, "> %s", effective_origin);
   } else if (memcmp(config, "mqtt.iata", 9) == 0) {
     sprintf(reply, "> %s", _prefs->mqtt_iata);
   } else if (memcmp(config, "mqtt.presets", 12) == 0 && (config[12] == '\0' || config[12] == ' ')) {
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
index 28721176..dae7e053 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,32 @@ static void stripQuotes(char* str, size_t max_len) {
   }
 }
 
+// Effective MQTT origin: empty mqtt_origin follows node_name; otherwise mqtt_origin override (quotes stripped).
+static void applyEffectiveOrigin(const NodePrefs* prefs, char* dest, size_t dest_size) {
+  if (!prefs || !dest || dest_size == 0) return;
+  if (prefs->mqtt_origin[0] == '\0') {
+    strncpy(dest, prefs->node_name, dest_size - 1);
+  } else {
+    strncpy(dest, prefs->mqtt_origin, dest_size - 1);
+  }
+  dest[dest_size - 1] = '\0';
+  stripQuotes(dest, dest_size);
+}
+
+void MQTTBridge::refreshOriginFromPrefs() {
+  if (!_prefs) return;
+  applyEffectiveOrigin(_prefs, _origin, sizeof(_origin));
+}
+
+void MQTTBridge::getEffectiveMqttOrigin(const NodePrefs* prefs, char* buf, size_t buf_size) {
+  if (!buf || buf_size == 0) return;
+  if (!prefs) {
+    buf[0] = '\0';
+    return;
+  }
+  applyEffectiveOrigin(prefs, buf, buf_size);
+}
+
 // Helper function to check if WiFi credentials are valid
 static bool isWiFiConfigValid(const NodePrefs* prefs) {
   // Check if WiFi SSID is configured (not empty)
@@ -457,14 +483,11 @@ void MQTTBridge::begin() {
     return;
   }
 
-  // Update origin and IATA from preferences
-  strncpy(_origin, _prefs->mqtt_origin, sizeof(_origin) - 1);
-  _origin[sizeof(_origin) - 1] = '\0';
+  refreshOriginFromPrefs();
+
   strncpy(_iata, _prefs->mqtt_iata, sizeof(_iata) - 1);
   _iata[sizeof(_iata) - 1] = '\0';
 
-  // Strip quotes from origin and IATA if present
-  stripQuotes(_origin, sizeof(_origin));
   stripQuotes(_iata, sizeof(_iata));
 
   // Convert IATA code to uppercase (IATA codes are conventionally uppercase)
@@ -1650,6 +1673,8 @@ void MQTTBridge::publishStatusToSlot(int index) {
   MQTTSlot& slot = _slots[index];
   if (!slot.client || !slot.connected) return;
 
+  refreshOriginFromPrefs();
+
   // Build per-slot topic (handles IATA check for meshcore, token check for meshrank)
   char status_topic[128];
   if (!buildTopicForSlot(index, MSG_STATUS, status_topic, sizeof(status_topic))) {
@@ -2344,6 +2369,8 @@ bool MQTTBridge::publishStatus() {
     return false;
   }
 
+  refreshOriginFromPrefs();
+
   // Reuse pre-allocated buffer to avoid heap alloc/free churn under memory pressure.
   // _status_json_buffer and _last_raw_data are both Core 0-owned; no mutex needed.
   char fallback_status_buffer[STATUS_JSON_BUFFER_SIZE];
@@ -2432,6 +2459,8 @@ bool MQTTBridge::publishPacket(mesh::Packet* packet, bool is_tx,
                                 float snr, float rssi) {
   if (!packet) return false;
 
+  refreshOriginFromPrefs();
+
   // Memory pressure check: Skip publishes when there's not enough contiguous
   // heap for the publish itself (JSON buffer + esp-mqtt outbox frame + WiFi TX
   // path). Headroom only — NOT an mbedTLS preflight: persistent clients keep
@@ -2537,6 +2566,8 @@ bool MQTTBridge::publishPacket(mesh::Packet* packet, bool is_tx,
 bool MQTTBridge::publishRaw(mesh::Packet* packet) {
   if (!packet) return false;
 
+  refreshOriginFromPrefs();
+
   // Use pre-allocated buffer; fallback to single stack buffer if not available
   char json_buffer_stack[PUBLISH_JSON_BUFFER_SIZE];
   char* active_buffer;
diff --git a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
index 785812ba..e633e1de 100644
--- a/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
+++ b/src/helpers/bridges/MQTTBridge.h
@@ -333,6 +333,7 @@ private:
   void optimizeMqttClientConfig(PsychicMqttClient* client, bool needs_large_buffer = false);
   void getClientVersion(char* buffer, size_t buffer_size) const;
   void logMemoryStatus();
+  void refreshOriginFromPrefs();
 
 public:
   MQTTBridge(NodePrefs *prefs, mesh::PacketManager *mgr, mesh::RTCClock *rtc, mesh::LocalIdentity *identity);
@@ -380,6 +381,8 @@ public:
   bool isReady() const;
 
   static unsigned long getWifiConnectedAtMillis();
+  /** Resolved origin for MQTT JSON: node_name when mqtt_origin is empty, else mqtt_origin (with quote stripping). */
+  static void getEffectiveMqttOrigin(const NodePrefs* prefs, char* buf, size_t buf_size);
   static void formatMqttStatusReply(char* buf, size_t bufsize, const NodePrefs* prefs);
   /** True when WiFi is set and at least one MQTT slot can run (preset + custom host if needed). */
   static bool isConfigValid(const NodePrefs* prefs);