diff --git a/cmd/server/main.go b/cmd/server/main.go
index fb119ca..f39d01f 100644
--- a/cmd/server/main.go
+++ b/cmd/server/main.go
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ func main() {
 		} else {
 			mq = mqc
 			mqttclient.SetDefault(mqc)
+
+			// subscribe to the configured topic and log incoming messages
+			if cfg.MQTT.Topic != "" {
+				if err := mq.Subscribe(cfg.MQTT.Topic, func(t string, p []byte) {
+					log.Printf("mqtt recv on %s: %s", t, string(p))
+				}); err != nil {
+					log.Printf("warning: mqtt subscribe failed: %v", err)
+				}
+			}
 			// publish a startup message (non-blocking)
 			go func() {
 				msg := fmt.Sprintf("lambdaiot-core started on %s", addr)
diff --git a/internal/mqtt/mqtt.go b/internal/mqtt/mqtt.go
index b7568f4..aa75f91 100644
--- a/internal/mqtt/mqtt.go
+++ b/internal/mqtt/mqtt.go
@@ -64,6 +64,24 @@ func (c *Client) Publish(topic string, payload []byte) error {
 	return token.Error()
 }
 
+// Subscribe subscribes to the given topic and calls the provided handler
+// for each incoming message.
+func (c *Client) Subscribe(topic string, handler func(topic string, payload []byte)) error {
+	if c == nil || c.client == nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("mqtt client not connected")
+	}
+	mh := func(cli paho.Client, msg paho.Message) {
+		if handler != nil {
+			handler(msg.Topic(), msg.Payload())
+		}
+	}
+	token := c.client.Subscribe(topic, 0, mh)
+	if ok := token.WaitTimeout(5 * time.Second); !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("subscribe timeout")
+	}
+	return token.Error()
+}
+
 func (c *Client) Close() {
 	if c == nil || c.client == nil {
 		return