diff --git a/core/loadpoint.go b/core/loadpoint.go
index 3bb810444..e2889503f 100644
--- a/core/loadpoint.go
+++ b/core/loadpoint.go
@@ -532,6 +532,8 @@ func (lp *LoadPoint) Prepare(uiChan chan<- util.Param, pushChan chan<- push.Even
 	lp.publish("activePhases", lp.activePhases())
 	lp.publishVehicles()
 
+	lp.setDefaultPhases(lp.DefaultPhases)
+
 	lp.Lock()
 	lp.publish("mode", lp.Mode)
 	lp.publish("targetSoC", lp.SoC.Target)
@@ -1036,8 +1038,16 @@ func (lp *LoadPoint) scalePhasesIfAvailable(phases int) error {
 func (lp *LoadPoint) setDefaultPhases(phases int) {
 	lp.Lock()
 	defer lp.Unlock()
+
 	lp.DefaultPhases = phases
 	lp.phaseTimer = time.Time{}
+
+	// publish 1p3p capability and phase configuration
+	if _, ok := lp.charger.(api.ChargePhases); ok {
+		lp.publish("phases1p3p", lp.DefaultPhases)
+	} else {
+		lp.publish("phases1p3p", nil)
+	}
 }
 
 // setPhases sets the number of enabled phases without modifying the charger
diff --git a/server/mqtt.go b/server/mqtt.go
index 61da436ac..b230ecaf6 100644
--- a/server/mqtt.go
+++ b/server/mqtt.go
@@ -28,21 +28,26 @@ func NewMQTT(root string) *MQTT {
 }
 
 func (m *MQTT) encode(v interface{}) string {
-	var s string
+	// nil should erase the value
+	if v == nil {
+		return ""
+	}
+
 	switch val := v.(type) {
+	case string:
+		return val
+	case float64:
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%.5g", val)
 	case time.Time:
-		s = strconv.FormatInt(val.Unix(), 10)
+		return strconv.FormatInt(val.Unix(), 10)
 	case time.Duration:
 		// must be before stringer to convert to seconds instead of string
-		s = fmt.Sprintf("%d", int64(val.Seconds()))
-	case fmt.Stringer, string:
-		s = fmt.Sprintf("%s", val)
-	case float64:
-		s = fmt.Sprintf("%.5g", val)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%d", int64(val.Seconds()))
+	case fmt.Stringer:
+		return val.String()
 	default:
-		s = fmt.Sprintf("%v", val)
+		return fmt.Sprintf("%v", val)
 	}
-	return s
 }
 
 func (m *MQTT) publishSingleValue(topic string, retained bool, payload interface{}) {
@@ -154,10 +159,6 @@ func (m *MQTT) Run(site site.API, in <-chan util.Param) {
 		m.listenSetters(topic, lp)
 	}
 
-	// alive indicator
-	updated := time.Now().Unix()
-	m.publish(fmt.Sprintf("%s/updated", m.root), true, updated)
-
 	// remove deprecated topics
 	for id := range site.LoadPoints() {
 		topic := fmt.Sprintf("%s/loadpoints/%d", m.root, id+1)
@@ -166,6 +167,9 @@ func (m *MQTT) Run(site site.API, in <-chan util.Param) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// alive indicator
+	var updated time.Time
+
 	// publish
 	for p := range in {
 		topic := fmt.Sprintf("%s/site", m.root)
@@ -175,9 +179,9 @@ func (m *MQTT) Run(site site.API, in <-chan util.Param) {
 		}
 
 		// alive indicator
-		if now := time.Now().Unix(); now != updated {
-			updated = now
-			m.publish(fmt.Sprintf("%s/updated", m.root), true, updated)
+		if time.Since(updated) > time.Second {
+			updated = time.Now()
+			m.publish(fmt.Sprintf("%s/updated", m.root), true, updated.Unix())
 		}
 
 		// value