diff --git a/reg-tests/converter/mqtt.vtc b/reg-tests/converter/mqtt.vtc
index 59818246a..ea2cbb4f8 100644
--- a/reg-tests/converter/mqtt.vtc
+++ b/reg-tests/converter/mqtt.vtc
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@ server s1 {
     sendhex "20020000"
     close
 
-    # MQTT 3.1.1 CONNECT packet (id: test_sub - username: test - passwd: passwd)
+    # MQTT 3.1.1 CONNECT packet (id: <empty> - username: test - passwd: passwd)
     accept
-    recv 36
+    recv 28
     sendhex "20020000"
     close
 
@@ -120,8 +120,8 @@ client c1_311_1 -connect ${h1_fe1_sock} {
 } -run
 
 client c1_311_2 -connect ${h1_fe1_sock} {
-    # Valid MQTT 3.1.1 CONNECT packet (id: test_sub - username: test - passwd: passwd)
-    sendhex "102200044d51545404c2003c0008746573745f7375620004746573740006706173737764"
+    # Valid MQTT 3.1.1 CONNECT packet (id: <empty> - username: test - passwd: passwd)
+    sendhex "101a00044d51545404c2003c00000004746573740006706173737764"
     recv 4
     expect_close
 } -run
diff --git a/src/mqtt.c b/src/mqtt.c
index 8a6b6a065..662420121 100644
--- a/src/mqtt.c
+++ b/src/mqtt.c
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ static inline struct ist mqtt_read_string(struct ist parser, struct ist *str)
 	uint16_t len = 0;
 
 	/* read and compute the string length */
-	if (istlen(parser) <= 2)
+	if (istlen(parser) < 2)
 		goto error;
 
 	parser = mqtt_read_2byte_int(parser, &len);
@@ -862,7 +862,7 @@ static int mqtt_parse_connect(struct ist parser, struct mqtt_pkt *mpkt)
 	 */
 	/* read client identifier */
 	parser = mqtt_read_string(parser, &mpkt->data.connect.payload.client_identifier);
-	if (!isttest(parser) || !istlen(mpkt->data.connect.payload.client_identifier))
+	if (!isttest(parser))
 		goto end;
 
 	/* read Will Properties, for MQTT v5 only