--- a/src/core/mqtt.c
+++ b/src/core/mqtt.c
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@
 
 #include <mosquitto.h>
 
+#include <curl/curl.h>
+
 // Defines for MQTT Property Values
 #define PUBLISH 0x30
 #define CONTENT_TYPE 3
@@ -2192,6 +2194,75 @@ exit:
     }
 }
 
+static int _check_host_rechability(CURL *handle, curl_infotype type, char *data, size_t size, void *userp)
+{
+    bool *palive = (bool *)userp;
+
+    USP_ASSERT(palive != NULL);
+    switch(type) {
+        case CURLINFO_HEADER_OUT:
+        case CURLINFO_HEADER_IN:
+            *palive = true;
+            break;
+        case CURLINFO_TEXT:
+        {
+            USP_LOG_Debug("CURL DATA:: [%s]", data);
+            if (strstr(data, "Connected to ") != NULL) {
+                *palive = true;
+            }
+            break;
+        }
+        default:
+            break;
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+int check_mqtt_host_reachability(mqtt_client_t *client)
+{
+    CURL *curl;
+    mqtt_conn_params_t *cparam = &client->conn_params;
+    char buffer[128] = {0};
+    int ret = USP_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR;
+    bool is_alive = false;
+
+    curl = curl_easy_init();
+    if(curl) {
+        USP_SNPRINTF(buffer, 128, "mqtt://%s:%d", cparam->host, cparam->port);
+        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, buffer);
+
+        if (strlen(cparam->username) > 0) {
+            curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_USERNAME, cparam->username);
+        }
+
+        if (strlen(cparam->password) > 0) {
+            curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_PASSWORD, cparam->password);
+        }
+
+        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_VERBOSE, 1L);
+        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_DEBUGDATA, &is_alive);
+        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_DEBUGFUNCTION, _check_host_rechability);
+
+        /* complete within 2 seconds */
+        curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_TIMEOUT, 2L);
+
+        ret = curl_easy_perform(curl);
+        /* Check for errors */
+        if(ret == CURLE_OK || ret == CURLE_URL_MALFORMAT || is_alive == true) {
+            USP_LOG_Debug("CURL MQTT host %s, ret %d, alive %d ...", buffer, ret, is_alive);
+            ret = USP_ERR_OK;
+        } else {
+            USP_LOG_Info("# CURL MQTT host %s unreachable: %d=>%s ...", buffer, ret, curl_easy_strerror(ret));
+        }
+
+        /* always cleanup */
+        curl_easy_cleanup(curl);
+    }
+
+    return ret;
+}
+
 /*********************************************************************//**
 **
 ** PerformMqttClientConnect
@@ -2261,6 +2332,14 @@ int PerformMqttClientConnect(mqtt_client
         keep_alive = 5;
     }
 
+    // Below function is a workaround to check the host reachability with a timeout
+    // mosquitto_connect_* API block the thread for 2 mins if host is not reachable,
+    // which halts other clients connectivity
+    err = check_mqtt_host_reachability(client);
+    if (err != USP_ERR_OK) {
+        err = USP_ERR_INTERNAL_ERROR;
+        goto exit;
+    }
     // Release the access mutex temporarily whilst performing the connect call
     // We do this to prevent the data model thread from potentially being blocked, whilst the connect call is taking place
     OS_UTILS_UnlockMutex(&mqtt_access_mutex);