diff --git a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/__init__.py
index 18ebb004209..d603b6637b0 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/__init__.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ from homeassistant.const import (
     CONF_PROTOCOL, CONF_USERNAME, CONF_VALUE_TEMPLATE,
     EVENT_HOMEASSISTANT_STOP)
 from homeassistant.core import Event, ServiceCall, callback
-from homeassistant.exceptions import HomeAssistantError
+from homeassistant.exceptions import HomeAssistantError, Unauthorized
 from homeassistant.helpers import config_validation as cv, template
 from homeassistant.helpers.entity import Entity
 from homeassistant.helpers.typing import (
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from homeassistant.setup import async_prepare_setup_platform
 from homeassistant.util.async_ import (
     run_callback_threadsafe, run_coroutine_threadsafe)
 from homeassistant.util.logging import catch_log_exception
+from homeassistant.components import websocket_api
 
 # Loading the config flow file will register the flow
 from . import config_flow  # noqa pylint: disable=unused-import
@@ -391,6 +392,8 @@ async def async_setup(hass: HomeAssistantType, config: ConfigType) -> bool:
     # This needs a better solution.
     hass.data[DATA_MQTT_HASS_CONFIG] = config
 
+    websocket_api.async_register_command(hass, websocket_subscribe)
+
     if conf is None:
         # If we have a config entry, setup is done by that config entry.
         # If there is no config entry, this should fail.
@@ -602,6 +605,7 @@ class MQTT:
         self.keepalive = keepalive
         self.subscriptions = []  # type: List[Subscription]
         self.birth_message = birth_message
+        self.connected = False
         self._mqttc = None  # type: mqtt.Client
         self._paho_lock = asyncio.Lock(loop=hass.loop)
 
@@ -703,7 +707,10 @@ class MQTT:
             if any(other.topic == topic for other in self.subscriptions):
                 # Other subscriptions on topic remaining - don't unsubscribe.
                 return
-            self.hass.async_create_task(self._async_unsubscribe(topic))
+
+            # Only unsubscribe if currently connected.
+            if self.connected:
+                self.hass.async_create_task(self._async_unsubscribe(topic))
 
         return async_remove
 
@@ -743,6 +750,8 @@ class MQTT:
             self._mqttc.disconnect()
             return
 
+        self.connected = True
+
         # Group subscriptions to only re-subscribe once for each topic.
         keyfunc = attrgetter('topic')
         for topic, subs in groupby(sorted(self.subscriptions, key=keyfunc),
@@ -782,6 +791,8 @@ class MQTT:
 
     def _mqtt_on_disconnect(self, _mqttc, _userdata, result_code: int) -> None:
         """Disconnected callback."""
+        self.connected = False
+
         # When disconnected because of calling disconnect()
         if result_code == 0:
             return
@@ -791,6 +802,7 @@ class MQTT:
         while True:
             try:
                 if self._mqttc.reconnect() == 0:
+                    self.connected = True
                     _LOGGER.info("Successfully reconnected to the MQTT server")
                     break
             except socket.error:
@@ -1040,3 +1052,27 @@ class MqttEntityDeviceInfo(Entity):
             info['via_hub'] = (DOMAIN, self._device_config[CONF_VIA_HUB])
 
         return info
+
+
+@websocket_api.async_response
+@websocket_api.websocket_command({
+    vol.Required('type'): 'mqtt/subscribe',
+    vol.Required('topic'): valid_subscribe_topic,
+})
+async def websocket_subscribe(hass, connection, msg):
+    """Subscribe to a MQTT topic."""
+    if not connection.user.is_admin:
+        raise Unauthorized
+
+    async def forward_messages(topic: str, payload: str, qos: int):
+        """Forward events to websocket."""
+        connection.send_message(websocket_api.event_message(msg['id'], {
+            'topic': topic,
+            'payload': payload,
+            'qos': qos,
+        }))
+
+    connection.subscriptions[msg['id']] = await async_subscribe(
+        hass, msg['topic'], forward_messages)
+
+    connection.send_message(websocket_api.result_message(msg['id']))
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/__init__.py b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/__init__.py
index 3734f46abb7..6c4935b9d95 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/__init__.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/__init__.py
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ ActiveConnection = connection.ActiveConnection
 BASE_COMMAND_MESSAGE_SCHEMA = messages.BASE_COMMAND_MESSAGE_SCHEMA
 error_message = messages.error_message
 result_message = messages.result_message
+event_message = messages.event_message
 async_response = decorators.async_response
 require_admin = decorators.require_admin
 ws_require_user = decorators.ws_require_user
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/commands.py b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/commands.py
index b367e3392ed..b64fac0ed51 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/commands.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/commands.py
@@ -24,15 +24,6 @@ def async_register_commands(hass):
     async_reg(handle_ping)
 
 
-def event_message(iden, event):
-    """Return an event message."""
-    return {
-        'id': iden,
-        'type': 'event',
-        'event': event.as_dict(),
-    }
-
-
 def pong_message(iden):
     """Return a pong message."""
     return {
@@ -59,9 +50,11 @@ def handle_subscribe_events(hass, connection, msg):
         if event.event_type == EVENT_TIME_CHANGED:
             return
 
-        connection.send_message(event_message(msg['id'], event))
+        connection.send_message(messages.event_message(
+            msg['id'], event.as_dict()
+        ))
 
-    connection.event_listeners[msg['id']] = hass.bus.async_listen(
+    connection.subscriptions[msg['id']] = hass.bus.async_listen(
         msg['event_type'], forward_events)
 
     connection.send_message(messages.result_message(msg['id']))
@@ -79,8 +72,8 @@ def handle_unsubscribe_events(hass, connection, msg):
     """
     subscription = msg['subscription']
 
-    if subscription in connection.event_listeners:
-        connection.event_listeners.pop(subscription)()
+    if subscription in connection.subscriptions:
+        connection.subscriptions.pop(subscription)()
         connection.send_message(messages.result_message(msg['id']))
     else:
         connection.send_message(messages.error_message(
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/connection.py b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/connection.py
index 041aad3969e..d65ba4c54d8 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/connection.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/connection.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class ActiveConnection:
         else:
             self.refresh_token_id = None
 
-        self.event_listeners = {}
+        self.subscriptions = {}
         self.last_id = 0
 
     def context(self, msg):
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ class ActiveConnection:
     @callback
     def async_close(self):
         """Close down connection."""
-        for unsub in self.event_listeners.values():
+        for unsub in self.subscriptions.values():
             unsub()
 
     @callback
diff --git a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/messages.py b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/messages.py
index d616b6ad670..c0f899d279e 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/messages.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/websocket_api/messages.py
@@ -40,3 +40,12 @@ def error_message(iden, code, message):
             'message': message,
         },
     }
+
+
+def event_message(iden, event):
+    """Return an event message."""
+    return {
+        'id': iden,
+        'type': 'event',
+        'event': event,
+    }
diff --git a/tests/components/mqtt/test_init.py b/tests/components/mqtt/test_init.py
index 94506efa909..81941173d68 100644
--- a/tests/components/mqtt/test_init.py
+++ b/tests/components/mqtt/test_init.py
@@ -767,3 +767,37 @@ async def test_message_callback_exception_gets_logged(hass, caplog):
     assert \
         "Exception in bad_handler when handling msg on 'test-topic':" \
         " 'test'" in caplog.text
+
+
+async def test_mqtt_ws_subscription(hass, hass_ws_client):
+    """Test MQTT websocket subscription."""
+    await async_mock_mqtt_component(hass)
+
+    client = await hass_ws_client(hass)
+    await client.send_json({
+        'id': 5,
+        'type': 'mqtt/subscribe',
+        'topic': 'test-topic',
+    })
+    response = await client.receive_json()
+    assert response['success']
+
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'test-topic', 'test1')
+    async_fire_mqtt_message(hass, 'test-topic', 'test2')
+
+    response = await client.receive_json()
+    assert response['event']['topic'] == 'test-topic'
+    assert response['event']['payload'] == 'test1'
+
+    response = await client.receive_json()
+    assert response['event']['topic'] == 'test-topic'
+    assert response['event']['payload'] == 'test2'
+
+    # Unsubscribe
+    await client.send_json({
+        'id': 8,
+        'type': 'unsubscribe_events',
+        'subscription': 5,
+    })
+    response = await client.receive_json()
+    assert response['success']