diff --git a/src/mqtt_interface.rs b/src/mqtt_interface.rs
index 81615d9..9026e3f 100644
--- a/src/mqtt_interface.rs
+++ b/src/mqtt_interface.rs
@@ -125,34 +125,34 @@ impl MqttInterface {
         (Self { client, topics }, event_loop)
     }
 
-    async fn publish_connected(&mut self, connected: bool) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+    async fn publish_data<P>(&mut self, topic: String, payload: &P) -> eyre::Result<()>
+    where
+        P: serde::Serialize,
+    {
+        let payload_vec =
+            serde_json::to_vec(payload).wrap_err("failed to serialize publish payload")?;
         self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.connected(),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                connected.to_string(),
-            )
+            .publish(topic, QoS::AtLeastOnce, true, payload_vec)
             .await
-            .wrap_err("failed to publish connected topic")?;
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish")?;
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    async fn publish_connected(&mut self, connected: bool) -> eyre::Result<()> {
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.connected(), &connected)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish connected topic")
+    }
+
     async fn cancel(&mut self) -> Result<(), rumqttc::ClientError> {
         self.client.cancel().await
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_sections(&mut self, sections: &Sections) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         let section_ids: Vec<_> = sections.keys().cloned().collect();
-        let section_ids_payload = serde_json::to_vec(&section_ids)?;
-        self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.sections(),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                section_ids_payload,
-            )
-            .await?;
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.sections(), &section_ids)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish section ids")?;
         for section in sections.values() {
             self.publish_section(section).await?;
         }
@@ -160,16 +160,9 @@ impl MqttInterface {
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_section(&mut self, section: &Section) -> eyre::Result<()> {
-        let payload = serde_json::to_vec(section).wrap_err("failed to serialize section")?;
-        self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.section_data(section.id),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                payload,
-            )
-            .await?;
-        Ok(())
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.section_data(section.id), section)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish section")
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_section_state(
@@ -177,29 +170,16 @@ impl MqttInterface {
         section_id: SectionId,
         state: bool,
     ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
-        let payload: Vec<u8> = state.to_string().into();
-        self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.section_state(section_id),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                payload,
-            )
-            .await?;
-        Ok(())
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.section_state(section_id), &state)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish section state")
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_programs(&mut self, programs: &Programs) -> eyre::Result<()> {
         let program_ids: Vec<_> = programs.keys().cloned().collect();
-        let program_ids_payload = serde_json::to_vec(&program_ids)?;
-        self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.programs(),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                program_ids_payload,
-            )
-            .await?;
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.programs(), &program_ids)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish program ids")?;
         for program in programs.values() {
             self.publish_program(program).await?;
         }
@@ -207,16 +187,9 @@ impl MqttInterface {
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_program(&mut self, program: &Program) -> eyre::Result<()> {
-        let payload = serde_json::to_vec(program).wrap_err("failed to serialize program")?;
-        self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.program_data(program.id),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                payload,
-            )
-            .await?;
-        Ok(())
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.program_data(program.id), &program)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish program")
     }
 
     pub async fn publish_program_running(
@@ -224,16 +197,9 @@ impl MqttInterface {
         program_id: ProgramId,
         running: bool,
     ) -> eyre::Result<()> {
-        let payload = running.to_string();
-        self.client
-            .publish(
-                self.topics.program_running(program_id),
-                QoS::AtLeastOnce,
-                true,
-                payload,
-            )
-            .await?;
-        Ok(())
+        self.publish_data(self.topics.program_running(program_id), &running)
+            .await
+            .wrap_err("failed to publish program running")
     }
 }