diff --git a/FHEM/10_MQTT2_DEVICE.pm b/FHEM/10_MQTT2_DEVICE.pm
index 6c8b3ef38..e974077eb 100644
--- a/FHEM/10_MQTT2_DEVICE.pm
+++ b/FHEM/10_MQTT2_DEVICE.pm
@@ -179,9 +179,9 @@ MQTT2_DEVICE_Parse($$)
       if(!$add) {
         $topic =~ m,.*/([^/]+),;
         $add = ($1 ? $1 : $topic);
+        $add = makeReadingName($add); # Convert non-valid characters to _
       }
 
-      $add = makeReadingName($add); # Convert non-valid characters to _
       $topic =~ s,([\^\$\[\]()\.\\]),\\$1,g;
 
       for my $ch (@{$cidArr}) {
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ MQTT2_DEVICE_Parse($$)
         CommandAttr(undef, "$nn readingList $rl$regex $add")
                 if(index($rl, $regex) == -1);   # Forum #84372
         setReadingsVal($defs{$nn}, "associatedWith", $parentBridge, TimeNow())
-                if($parentBridge);
+                if($parentBridge && $defs{$nn});
       }
       MQTT2_DEVICE_Parse($iodev, $msg);
     }, undef);
diff --git a/fhem.pl b/fhem.pl
index 4ae560c09..687c8ff81 100755
--- a/fhem.pl
+++ b/fhem.pl
@@ -2651,7 +2651,7 @@ CommandRename($$)
     my $aw = ReadingsVal($d, "associatedWith", "");
     next if($aw !~ m/\b$old\b/);
     $aw =~ s/\b$old\b/$new/;
-    setReadingsVal($defs{$d}, "associatedWith", $aw, TimeNow());
+    setReadingsVal($defs{$d}, "associatedWith", $aw, TimeNow()) if($defs{$d});
   }
 
   addStructChange("rename", $new, $param);
@@ -5664,7 +5664,7 @@ getPawList($)
     }
   }
   my $aw = ReadingsVal($d, "associatedWith", ""); # Explicit link
-  push(@dob, split("[ ,]",$aw)) if($aw);
+  push(@dob, grep { $defs{$_} } split("[ ,]",$aw)) if($aw);
   return @dob;
 }