diff --git a/src/zutil/ObjectUtil.java b/src/zutil/ObjectUtil.java
index cdd365d..6f8e4cf 100644
--- a/src/zutil/ObjectUtil.java
+++ b/src/zutil/ObjectUtil.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 package zutil;
 
+import java.lang.reflect.Array;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
@@ -59,7 +60,7 @@ public class ObjectUtil {
         else if (obj instanceof List)
             return ((List) obj).isEmpty();
         else if (obj.getClass().isArray())
-            return ((Object[]) obj).length == 0;
+            return (Array.getLength(obj) == 0);
         else if (obj instanceof CharSequence)
             return ((CharSequence) obj).length() == 0;
 
diff --git a/src/zutil/net/mqtt/MqttBroker.java b/src/zutil/net/mqtt/MqttBroker.java
index c8d87a2..4a31374 100755
--- a/src/zutil/net/mqtt/MqttBroker.java
+++ b/src/zutil/net/mqtt/MqttBroker.java
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 package zutil.net.mqtt;
 
+import zutil.ObjectUtil;
 import zutil.log.LogUtil;
 import zutil.net.mqtt.packet.*;
 import zutil.net.mqtt.packet.MqttPacketSubscribe.MqttSubscribePayload;
@@ -187,7 +188,7 @@ public class MqttBroker extends ThreadedTCPNetworkServer {
      * @param data      the data that should be published.
      */
     public void publish(String topicName, byte[] data) {
-        logger.finer("Data has been published to topic: " + topicName);
+        logger.finest("Data has been published to topic: " + topicName);
 
         if (globalListeners != null)
             globalListeners.forEach(listener -> listener.dataPublished(topicName, data));
@@ -209,7 +210,13 @@ public class MqttBroker extends ThreadedTCPNetworkServer {
         MqttTopic topicData = createTopic(topicName);
 
         if (topicData != null) {
-            topicData.retainedPayload = data;
+            if (ObjectUtil.isEmpty(data)) {
+                logger.finer("Retained message removed for topic: " + topicName);
+                topicData.retainedPayload = null;
+            } else {
+                logger.finer("New message retained for topic: " + topicName);
+                topicData.retainedPayload = data;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/test/zutil/ObjectUtilTest.java b/test/zutil/ObjectUtilTest.java
index abf0dab..611586b 100644
--- a/test/zutil/ObjectUtilTest.java
+++ b/test/zutil/ObjectUtilTest.java
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ public class ObjectUtilTest {
         assertTrue(ObjectUtil.isEmpty(new HashMap<>(), ""));
         assertTrue(ObjectUtil.isEmpty(new Hashtable<>(), ""));
         assertTrue(ObjectUtil.isEmpty((Object) new String[0]));
+        assertTrue(ObjectUtil.isEmpty(new int[0]));
 
 
         assertFalse(ObjectUtil.isEmpty(" ", ""));
@@ -52,6 +53,7 @@ public class ObjectUtilTest {
         assertFalse(ObjectUtil.isEmpty("", new StringBuffer("a")));
         assertFalse(ObjectUtil.isEmpty("", Arrays.asList(1, 2, 3)));
         assertFalse(ObjectUtil.isEmpty((Object) new String[]{"a"}));
+        assertFalse(ObjectUtil.isEmpty(new int[2]));
     }
 
     @Test