diff --git a/server/accounts.go b/server/accounts.go
index 02d32028..9a68c032 100644
--- a/server/accounts.go
+++ b/server/accounts.go
@@ -1726,7 +1726,7 @@ func (a *Account) subscribeInternal(subject string, cb msgHandler) (*subscriptio
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no internal account client")
 	}
 
-	return c.processSub(c.createSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(sid), cb), false)
+	return c.processSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(sid), cb, false)
 }
 
 // This will add an account subscription that matches the "from" from a service import entry.
@@ -1751,7 +1751,7 @@ func (a *Account) addServiceImportSub(si *serviceImport) error {
 	cb := func(sub *subscription, c *client, subject, reply string, msg []byte) {
 		c.processServiceImport(si, a, msg)
 	}
-	_, err := c.processSub(c.createSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(sid), cb), true)
+	_, err := c.processSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(sid), cb, true)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -1951,7 +1951,7 @@ func (a *Account) createRespWildcard() []byte {
 	a.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// Create subscription and internal callback for all the wildcard response subjects.
-	c.processSub(c.createSub(wcsub, nil, []byte(sid), a.processServiceImportResponse), false)
+	c.processSub(wcsub, nil, []byte(sid), a.processServiceImportResponse, false)
 
 	return pre
 }
diff --git a/server/client.go b/server/client.go
index 3a68b9d2..485a72df 100644
--- a/server/client.go
+++ b/server/client.go
@@ -2226,30 +2226,32 @@ func (c *client) parseSub(argo []byte, noForward bool) error {
 	arg := make([]byte, len(argo))
 	copy(arg, argo)
 	args := splitArg(arg)
-	sub := &subscription{client: c}
+	var (
+		subject []byte
+		queue   []byte
+		sid     []byte
+	)
 	switch len(args) {
 	case 2:
-		sub.subject = args[0]
-		sub.queue = nil
-		sub.sid = args[1]
+		subject = args[0]
+		queue = nil
+		sid = args[1]
 	case 3:
-		sub.subject = args[0]
-		sub.queue = args[1]
-		sub.sid = args[2]
+		subject = args[0]
+		queue = args[1]
+		sid = args[2]
 	default:
 		return fmt.Errorf("processSub Parse Error: '%s'", arg)
 	}
 	// If there was an error, it has been sent to the client. We don't return an
 	// error here to not close the connection as a parsing error.
-	c.processSub(sub, noForward)
+	c.processSub(subject, queue, sid, nil, noForward)
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *client) createSub(subject, queue, sid []byte, cb msgHandler) *subscription {
-	return &subscription{client: c, subject: subject, queue: queue, sid: sid, icb: cb}
-}
-
-func (c *client) processSub(sub *subscription, noForward bool) (*subscription, error) {
+func (c *client) processSub(subject, queue, bsid []byte, cb msgHandler, noForward bool) (*subscription, error) {
+	// Create the subscription
+	sub := &subscription{client: c, subject: subject, queue: queue, sid: bsid, icb: cb}
 
 	c.mu.Lock()
 
@@ -2266,7 +2268,7 @@ func (c *client) processSub(sub *subscription, noForward bool) (*subscription, e
 	// This check does not apply to SYSTEM or JETSTREAM or ACCOUNT clients (because they don't have a `nc`...)
 	if c.isClosed() && (kind != SYSTEM && kind != JETSTREAM && kind != ACCOUNT) {
 		c.mu.Unlock()
-		return nil, nil
+		return nil, ErrConnectionClosed
 	}
 
 	// Check permissions if applicable.
@@ -2313,9 +2315,6 @@ func (c *client) processSub(sub *subscription, noForward bool) (*subscription, e
 				updateGWs = c.srv.gateway.enabled
 			}
 		}
-	} else if es.mqtt != nil && sub.mqtt != nil {
-		es.mqtt.prm = sub.mqtt.prm
-		es.mqtt.qos = sub.mqtt.qos
 	}
 	// Unlocked from here onward
 	c.mu.Unlock()
diff --git a/server/events.go b/server/events.go
index 3e9c84dc..9d3862d3 100644
--- a/server/events.go
+++ b/server/events.go
@@ -1411,7 +1411,7 @@ func (s *Server) systemSubscribe(subject, queue string, internalOnly bool, cb ms
 		q = []byte(queue)
 	}
 	// Now create the subscription
-	return c.processSub(c.createSub([]byte(subject), q, []byte(sid), cb), internalOnly)
+	return c.processSub([]byte(subject), q, []byte(sid), cb, internalOnly)
 }
 
 func (s *Server) sysUnsubscribe(sub *subscription) {
diff --git a/server/jetstream.go b/server/jetstream.go
index 66463ab1..9a591471 100644
--- a/server/jetstream.go
+++ b/server/jetstream.go
@@ -1115,7 +1115,7 @@ func (t *StreamTemplate) createTemplateSubscriptions() error {
 	sid := 1
 	for _, subject := range t.Config.Subjects {
 		// Now create the subscription
-		if _, err := c.processSub(c.createSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(strconv.Itoa(sid)), t.processInboundTemplateMsg), false); err != nil {
+		if _, err := c.processSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(strconv.Itoa(sid)), t.processInboundTemplateMsg, false); err != nil {
 			c.acc.DeleteStreamTemplate(t.Name)
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/server/mqtt.go b/server/mqtt.go
index 8d64ff8c..dcc4a957 100644
--- a/server/mqtt.go
+++ b/server/mqtt.go
@@ -795,6 +795,16 @@ func (as *mqttAccountSessionManager) processSubs(sess *mqttSession, clientID str
 		sess.cons[sid] = cons
 	}
 
+	setupSub := func(sub *subscription, qos byte) {
+		if sub.mqtt == nil {
+			sub.mqtt = &mqttSub{}
+		}
+		sub.mqtt.qos = qos
+		if fromSubProto {
+			as.serializeRetainedMsgsForSub(sess, c, sub, trace)
+		}
+	}
+
 	subs := make([]*subscription, 0, len(filters))
 	for _, f := range filters {
 		if f.qos > 1 {
@@ -810,17 +820,12 @@ func (as *mqttAccountSessionManager) processSubs(sess *mqttSession, clientID str
 
 		var jscons *Consumer
 		var jssub *subscription
-		var err error
 
-		sub := c.mqttCreateSub(subject, sid, mqttDeliverMsgCb, f.qos)
-		if fromSubProto {
-			as.serializeRetainedMsgsForSub(sess, c, sub, trace)
-		}
 		// Note that if a subscription already exists on this subject,
-		// the sub is updated with the new qos/prm and the pointer to
-		// the existing subscription is returned.
-		sub, err = c.processSub(sub, false)
+		// the existing sub is returned. Need to update the qos.
+		sub, err := c.processSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(sid), mqttDeliverMsgCb, false)
 		if err == nil {
+			setupSub(sub, f.qos)
 			// This will create (if not already exist) a JS consumer for subscriptions
 			// of QoS >= 1. But if a JS consumer already exists and the subscription
 			// for same subject is now a QoS==0, then the JS consumer will be deleted.
@@ -836,18 +841,16 @@ func (as *mqttAccountSessionManager) processSubs(sess *mqttSession, clientID str
 		if mqttNeedSubForLevelUp(subject) {
 			var fwjscons *Consumer
 			var fwjssub *subscription
+			var fwcsub *subscription
 
 			// Say subject is "foo.>", remove the ".>" so that it becomes "foo"
 			fwcsubject := subject[:len(subject)-2]
 			// Change the sid to "foo fwc"
 			fwcsid := fwcsubject + mqttMultiLevelSidSuffix
-			fwcsub := c.mqttCreateSub(fwcsubject, fwcsid, mqttDeliverMsgCb, f.qos)
-			if fromSubProto {
-				as.serializeRetainedMsgsForSub(sess, c, fwcsub, trace)
-			}
 			// See note above about existing subscription.
-			fwcsub, err = c.processSub(fwcsub, false)
+			fwcsub, err = c.processSub([]byte(fwcsubject), nil, []byte(fwcsid), mqttDeliverMsgCb, false)
 			if err == nil {
+				setupSub(fwcsub, f.qos)
 				fwjscons, fwjssub, err = c.mqttProcessJSConsumer(sess, as.mstream,
 					fwcsubject, fwcsid, f.qos, fromSubProto)
 			}
@@ -1841,10 +1844,6 @@ func mqttSubscribeTrace(filters []*mqttFilter) string {
 }
 
 func mqttDeliverMsgCb(sub *subscription, pc *client, subject, reply string, msg []byte) {
-	if sub.mqtt == nil {
-		return
-	}
-
 	var ppFlags byte
 	var pQoS byte
 	var pi uint16
@@ -1859,7 +1858,7 @@ func mqttDeliverMsgCb(sub *subscription, pc *client, subject, reply string, msg
 	// We lock to check some of the subscription's fields and if we need to
 	// keep track of pending acks, etc..
 	sess.mu.Lock()
-	if sess.c != cc {
+	if sess.c != cc || sub.mqtt == nil {
 		sess.mu.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
@@ -1960,13 +1959,6 @@ func mqttSerializePublishMsg(w *mqttWriter, pi uint16, dup, retained bool, subje
 	return flags
 }
 
-// Helper to create an MQTT subscription.
-func (c *client) mqttCreateSub(subject, sid string, cb msgHandler, qos byte) *subscription {
-	sub := c.createSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(sid), cb)
-	sub.mqtt = &mqttSub{qos: qos}
-	return sub
-}
-
 // Process the list of subscriptions and update the given filter
 // with the QoS that has been accepted (or failure).
 //
@@ -2080,12 +2072,10 @@ func (c *client) mqttProcessJSConsumer(sess *mqttSession, stream *Stream, subjec
 			return nil, nil, err
 		}
 	}
-	sub := c.mqttCreateSub(inbox, inbox, mqttDeliverMsgCb, qos)
-	sub.mqtt.jsCons = cons
 	// This is an internal subscription on subject like "$MQTT.sub.<nuid>" that is setup
 	// for the JS durable's deliver subject. I don't think that there is any need to
 	// forward this subscription in the cluster/super cluster.
-	sub, err = c.processSub(sub, true)
+	sub, err := c.processSub([]byte(inbox), nil, []byte(inbox), mqttDeliverMsgCb, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		if !exists {
 			cons.Delete()
@@ -2093,6 +2083,11 @@ func (c *client) mqttProcessJSConsumer(sess *mqttSession, stream *Stream, subjec
 		c.Errorf("Unable to create subscription for JetStream consumer on %q: %v", subject, err)
 		return nil, nil, err
 	}
+	if sub.mqtt == nil {
+		sub.mqtt = &mqttSub{}
+	}
+	sub.mqtt.qos = qos
+	sub.mqtt.jsCons = cons
 	return cons, sub, nil
 }
 
diff --git a/server/stream.go b/server/stream.go
index 029cf391..c3cbea4f 100644
--- a/server/stream.go
+++ b/server/stream.go
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ func (mset *Stream) subscribeInternal(subject string, cb msgHandler) (*subscript
 	mset.sid++
 
 	// Now create the subscription
-	return c.processSub(c.createSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(strconv.Itoa(mset.sid)), cb), false)
+	return c.processSub([]byte(subject), nil, []byte(strconv.Itoa(mset.sid)), cb, false)
 }
 
 // Helper for unlocked stream.