diff --git a/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs b/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs
--- a/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs
+++ b/services/tunnelbroker/src/websockets/session.rs
@@ -281,6 +281,27 @@
     !self.amqp_channel.status().connected()
   }
 
+  async fn publish_amqp_message_to_device(
+    &mut self,
+    device_id: &str,
+    payload: &[u8],
+  ) -> Result<lapin::publisher_confirm::PublisherConfirm, SessionError> {
+    if self.is_amqp_channel_dead() {
+      self.reset_failed_amqp().await?;
+    }
+    let publish_result = self
+      .amqp_channel
+      .basic_publish(
+        "",
+        device_id,
+        BasicPublishOptions::default(),
+        payload,
+        BasicProperties::default().with_priority(CLIENT_RMQ_MSG_PRIORITY),
+      )
+      .await?;
+    Ok(publish_result)
+  }
+
   pub async fn reset_failed_amqp(&mut self) -> Result<(), SessionError> {
     if self.amqp_channel.status().connected()
       && self.amqp_consumer.state().is_active()
@@ -302,7 +323,7 @@
   }
 
   pub async fn handle_message_to_device(
-    &self,
+    &mut self,
     message_request: &MessageToDeviceRequest,
   ) -> Result<(), SessionError> {
     let message_id = self
@@ -323,23 +344,19 @@
     let serialized_message = serde_json::to_string(&message_to_device)?;
 
     let publish_result = self
-      .amqp_channel
-      .basic_publish(
-        "",
+      .publish_amqp_message_to_device(
         &message_request.device_id,
-        BasicPublishOptions::default(),
         serialized_message.as_bytes(),
-        BasicProperties::default().with_priority(CLIENT_RMQ_MSG_PRIORITY),
       )
       .await;
 
-    if let Err(publish_error) = publish_result {
+    if let Err(amqp_session_error) = publish_result {
       self
         .db_client
         .delete_message(&self.device_info.device_id, &message_id)
         .await
         .expect("Error deleting message");
-      return Err(SessionError::AmqpError(publish_error));
+      return Err(amqp_session_error);
     }
     Ok(())
   }
@@ -830,7 +847,7 @@
   }
 
   async fn invalidate_device_token(
-    &self,
+    &mut self,
     device_id: String,
     invalidated_token: String,
   ) -> Result<(), SessionError> {