diff --git a/lib/handlers/subscribe.js b/lib/handlers/subscribe.js
index 1cc77343..0dc801f2 100644
--- a/lib/handlers/subscribe.js
+++ b/lib/handlers/subscribe.js
@@ -38,20 +38,26 @@ function authorize (sub, done) {
   var client = this.client
   var topic = sub.topic
   var end = topic.length - 1
+  var endMinus = end - 1
   var err
+  var slashInPreEnd = endMinus > 0 && topic.charCodeAt(endMinus) !== 47
+  if (topic.length === 0) {
+    return done(new Error('impossible to subscribe to an empty topic'))
+  }
   for (var i = 0; i < topic.length; i++) {
     switch (topic.charCodeAt(i)) {
       case 35:
-        if (i !== end) {
+        var notAtTheEnd = i !== end
+        if (notAtTheEnd || slashInPreEnd) {
           err = new Error('# is only allowed in SUBSCRIBE in the last position')
-          client.emit('error', err)
           return done(err)
         }
         break
       case 43:
-        if (i < end - 1 && topic.charCodeAt(i + 1) !== 47) {
+        var pastChar = i < end - 1 && topic.charCodeAt(i + 1) !== 47
+        var preChar = i > 1 && topic.charCodeAt(i - 1) !== 47
+        if (pastChar || preChar) {
           err = new Error('+ is only allowed in SUBSCRIBE between /')
-          client.emit('error', err)
           return done(err)
         }
         break
diff --git a/test/basic.js b/test/basic.js
index 2982f94d..6105141e 100644
--- a/test/basic.js
+++ b/test/basic.js
@@ -525,8 +525,7 @@ test('publish invalid topic with #', function (t) {
     })
   })
 
-  eos(s.conn, function () {
-    t.equal(s.broker.connectedClients, 0, 'no connected clients')
+  s.broker.on('clientError', function () {
     t.end()
   })
 })
@@ -546,16 +545,19 @@ test('publish invalid topic with +', function (t) {
     })
   })
 
-  eos(s.conn, function () {
-    t.equal(s.broker.connectedClients, 0, 'no connected clients')
+  s.broker.on('clientError', function () {
     t.end()
   })
 })
 
-;['base/#/sub', 'base/#sub', 'base/+xyz/sub', ''].forEach(function (topic) {
+;['base/#/sub', 'base/#sub', 'base/sub#', 'base/xyz+/sub', 'base/+xyz/sub'].forEach(function (topic) {
   test('subscribe to invalid topic with "' + topic + '"', function (t) {
     var s = connect(setup())
 
+    s.broker.on('clientError', function () {
+      t.end()
+    })
+
     s.inStream.write({
       cmd: 'subscribe',
       messageId: 24,
@@ -564,10 +566,5 @@ test('publish invalid topic with +', function (t) {
         qos: 0
       }]
     })
-
-    eos(s.conn, function () {
-      t.equal(s.broker.connectedClients, 0, 'no connected clients')
-      t.end()
-    })
   })
 })