diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
index f0a17392..39dcd915 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI.cpp
@@ -3396,6 +3396,25 @@ void CommonCLI::handleSetCmd(uint32_t sender_timestamp, char* command, char* rep
     }
     return;
   }
+#endif
+#ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
+  // bridge_enabled is stored with the common node preferences.  Keep its
+  // MQTT-specific switch here rather than in the observer preferences
+  // handler, which must only write its own store.
+  if (strncmp(config, "mqtt.enabled ", 13) == 0) {
+    const char* value = config + 13;
+    if (strcmp(value, "on") != 0 && strcmp(value, "off") != 0) {
+      strcpy(reply, "Error: use set mqtt.enabled on|off");
+    } else {
+      const bool enable = strcmp(value, "on") == 0;
+      _prefs->bridge_enabled = enable ? 1 : 0;
+      const bool applied = _callbacks->setMqttBridgeState(enable);
+      savePrefs();
+      strcpy(reply, applied ? "OK"
+                            : "Error: MQTT runtime change failed; setting saved");
+    }
+    return;
+  }
 #endif
   // Observer/MQTT/WiFi/timezone/alert/SNMP commands live in CommonCLI_Observer.cpp.
   if (handleObserverSetCmd(sender_timestamp, config, reply)) return;
diff --git a/src/helpers/CommonCLI_Observer.cpp b/src/helpers/CommonCLI_Observer.cpp
index 11c2f58b..0b252909 100644
--- a/src/helpers/CommonCLI_Observer.cpp
+++ b/src/helpers/CommonCLI_Observer.cpp
@@ -182,20 +182,6 @@ static void formatMQTTPresetListReply(char* reply, size_t reply_size, int start)
 bool CommonCLI::handleObserverSetCmd(uint32_t sender_timestamp, const char* config, char* reply) {
 #ifdef WITH_MQTT_BRIDGE
   bool handled = true;
-  if (strncmp(config, "mqtt.enabled ", 13) == 0) {
-    const char* value = config + 13;
-    if (strcmp(value, "on") != 0 && strcmp(value, "off") != 0) {
-      strcpy(reply, "Error: use set mqtt.enabled on|off");
-    } else {
-      const bool enable = strcmp(value, "on") == 0;
-      _prefs->bridge_enabled = enable ? 1 : 0;
-      const bool applied = _callbacks->setMqttBridgeState(enable);
-      savePrefs();
-      strcpy(reply, applied ? "OK"
-                            : "Error: MQTT runtime change failed; setting saved");
-    }
-    return true;
-  }
   const auto restart_observer_bridge = [this]() {
     return mesh::cli::restartBridgeIfEnabled(
         _prefs->bridge_enabled != 0,
diff --git a/test/test_cli_settings_contract.py b/test/test_cli_settings_contract.py
index 10876bda..0fb2437f 100644
--- a/test/test_cli_settings_contract.py
+++ b/test/test_cli_settings_contract.py
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ COMMON_QUERY_EXCEPTIONS = {
 }
 OBSERVER_QUERY_EXCEPTIONS = {
     'mqtt.config.valid': 'Configuration validation result',
+    'mqtt.enabled': 'Stored in common NodePrefs; set mqtt.enabled is handled by CommonCLI',
     'mqtt.ntp.diag': 'NTP diagnostics',
     'mqtt.presets': 'List of available presets',
     'mqtt.running': 'Live state; set mqtt.enabled controls intent',
diff --git a/test/test_espnow_radio_lifecycle.py b/test/test_espnow_radio_lifecycle.py
index 463b250e..255ff68b 100644
--- a/test/test_espnow_radio_lifecycle.py
+++ b/test/test_espnow_radio_lifecycle.py
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class EspNowLifecycleTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn('uint8_t espnow_bridge_enabled = 1;', prefs)
         self.assertIn('setEspNowBridgeState(enable)', common)
         self.assertIn('_prefs->espnow_bridge_enabled', common)
-        self.assertIn('setMqttBridgeState(enable)', observer)
+        self.assertIn('setMqttBridgeState(enable)', common)
         self.assertIn('isMqttBridgeRunning()', observer)
         for role in ('simple_repeater', 'simple_room_server'):
             header = (ROOT/f'examples/{role}/MyMesh.h').read_text()