diff --git a/examples/mqtt_client/mqtt_client.c b/examples/mqtt_client/mqtt_client.c
index fdf86c3..c725565 100644
--- a/examples/mqtt_client/mqtt_client.c
+++ b/examples/mqtt_client/mqtt_client.c
@@ -216,6 +216,6 @@ void user_init(void)
     vSemaphoreCreateBinary(wifi_alive);
     publish_queue = xQueueCreate(3, PUB_MSG_LEN);
     xTaskCreate(&wifi_task, (int8_t *)"wifi_task",  256, NULL, 2, NULL);
-    xTaskCreate(&beat_task, (int8_t *)"beat_task", 256, NULL, 3, NULL);
-    xTaskCreate(&mqtt_task, (int8_t *)"mqtt_task", 1024, NULL, 4, NULL);
+    xTaskCreate(&beat_task, (int8_t *)"beat_task", 256, NULL, 2, NULL);
+    xTaskCreate(&mqtt_task, (int8_t *)"mqtt_task", 1024, NULL, 2, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/extras/paho_mqtt_c/MQTTESP8266.c b/extras/paho_mqtt_c/MQTTESP8266.c
index 09e645b..dc2eb18 100644
--- a/extras/paho_mqtt_c/MQTTESP8266.c
+++ b/extras/paho_mqtt_c/MQTTESP8266.c
@@ -72,9 +72,8 @@ int  mqtt_esp_read(Network* n, unsigned char* buffer, int len, int timeout_ms)
     int rcvd = 0;
     FD_ZERO(&fdset);
     FD_SET(n->my_socket, &fdset);
-    // It seems tv_sec actually means FreeRTOS tick
-    tv.tv_sec = timeout_ms / portTICK_RATE_MS;
-    tv.tv_usec = 0;
+    tv.tv_sec = timeout_ms / 1000;
+    tv.tv_usec = (timeout_ms % 1000) * 1000;
     rc = select(n->my_socket + 1, &fdset, 0, 0, &tv);
     if ((rc > 0) && (FD_ISSET(n->my_socket, &fdset)))
     {
@@ -97,9 +96,8 @@ int  mqtt_esp_write(Network* n, unsigned char* buffer, int len, int timeout_ms)
 
     FD_ZERO(&fdset);
     FD_SET(n->my_socket, &fdset);
-    // It seems tv_sec actually means FreeRTOS tick
-    tv.tv_sec = timeout_ms / portTICK_RATE_MS;
-    tv.tv_usec = 0;
+    tv.tv_sec = timeout_ms / 1000;
+    tv.tv_usec = (timeout_ms % 1000) * 1000;
     rc = select(n->my_socket + 1, 0, &fdset, 0, &tv);
     if ((rc > 0) && (FD_ISSET(n->my_socket, &fdset)))
     {