diff --git a/Kconfig b/Kconfig
index 858db35..45c4cfc 100644
--- a/Kconfig
+++ b/Kconfig
@@ -20,11 +20,6 @@ config ESP_MQTT_TASK_PRIORITY
     depends on ESP_MQTT_ENABLED
     default 5
 
-config ESP_MQTT_TASK_CORE
-    int "MQTT background process task core"
-    depends on ESP_MQTT_ENABLED
-    default 1
-
 config ESP_MQTT_EVENT_QUEUE_SIZE
     int "MQTT event queue size"
     depends on ESP_MQTT_ENABLED
diff --git a/esp_mqtt.c b/esp_mqtt.c
index 87258dc..ee10c38 100644
--- a/esp_mqtt.c
+++ b/esp_mqtt.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ static esp_lwmqtt_timer_t esp_mqtt_timer1, esp_mqtt_timer2;
 
 static void *esp_mqtt_write_buffer;
 static void *esp_mqtt_read_buffer;
+static int esp_mqtt_core;
 
 static QueueHandle_t esp_mqtt_event_queue = NULL;
 
@@ -80,12 +81,15 @@ typedef struct {
 } esp_mqtt_event_t;
 
 void esp_mqtt_init(esp_mqtt_status_callback_t scb, esp_mqtt_message_callback_t mcb, size_t buffer_size,
-                   int command_timeout) {
+                   int command_timeout, int core) {
   // set callbacks
   esp_mqtt_status_callback = scb;
   esp_mqtt_message_callback = mcb;
+
+  // set settings
   esp_mqtt_buffer_size = buffer_size;
   esp_mqtt_command_timeout = (uint32_t)command_timeout;
+  esp_mqtt_core = core;
 
   // allocate buffers
   esp_mqtt_write_buffer = malloc((size_t)buffer_size);
@@ -553,7 +557,7 @@ bool esp_mqtt_start(const char *host, const char *port, const char *client_id, c
   // create mqtt thread
   ESP_LOGI(ESP_MQTT_LOG_TAG, "esp_mqtt_start: create task");
   BaseType_t ret = xTaskCreatePinnedToCore(esp_mqtt_run, "esp_mqtt", CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_STACK, NULL,
-                                           CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_PRIORITY, &esp_mqtt_task, CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_CORE);
+                                           CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_PRIORITY, &esp_mqtt_task, esp_mqtt_core);
   if (ret != pdPASS) {
     ESP_LOGW(ESP_MQTT_LOG_TAG, "esp_mqtt_start: failed to create task");
     ESP_MQTT_UNLOCK_MAIN();
diff --git a/esp_mqtt.h b/esp_mqtt.h
index 44896b8..a2f6fad 100644
--- a/esp_mqtt.h
+++ b/esp_mqtt.h
@@ -33,9 +33,10 @@ typedef void (*esp_mqtt_message_callback_t)(const char *topic, const uint8_t *pa
  * @param mcb - The message callback.
  * @param buffer_size - The read and write buffer size.
  * @param command_timeout - The command timeout.
+ * @param core - The core to run the background task on.
  */
 void esp_mqtt_init(esp_mqtt_status_callback_t scb, esp_mqtt_message_callback_t mcb, size_t buffer_size,
-                   int command_timeout);
+                   int command_timeout, int core);
 
 /**
  * Configure TLS connection.
diff --git a/test/main/main.c b/test/main/main.c
index 89b8f19..10c4ca5 100644
--- a/test/main/main.c
+++ b/test/main/main.c
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ void app_main() {
   ESP_ERROR_CHECK(esp_wifi_start());
 
   // initialize mqtt
-  esp_mqtt_init(status_callback, message_callback, 256, 2000);
+  esp_mqtt_init(status_callback, message_callback, 256, 2000, 1);
 
   // create tasks
   xTaskCreatePinnedToCore(process, "process", 2048, NULL, 10, NULL, 1);
diff --git a/test/sdkconfig b/test/sdkconfig
index 37a29e0..f8f5bf1 100644
--- a/test/sdkconfig
+++ b/test/sdkconfig
@@ -1214,7 +1214,6 @@ CONFIG_WPA_MBEDTLS_CRYPTO=y
 CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_ENABLED=y
 CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_STACK=9216
 CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_PRIORITY=5
-CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TASK_CORE=1
 CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_EVENT_QUEUE_SIZE=64
 CONFIG_ESP_MQTT_TLS_ENABLE=y
 # end of esp-mqtt