diff --git a/Source/MQTTnet/Client/MqttClient.cs b/Source/MQTTnet/Client/MqttClient.cs
index 0107ffb..47ac903 100644
--- a/Source/MQTTnet/Client/MqttClient.cs
+++ b/Source/MQTTnet/Client/MqttClient.cs
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
         long _isDisconnectPending;
         bool _isConnected;
         MqttClientDisconnectReason _disconnectReason;
-        
+
         DateTime _lastPacketSentTimestamp;
 
         public MqttClient(IMqttClientAdapterFactory channelFactory, IMqttNetLogger logger)
@@ -390,7 +390,7 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
             cancellationToken.ThrowIfCancellationRequested();
 
             _lastPacketSentTimestamp = DateTime.UtcNow;
-            
+
             return _adapter.SendPacketAsync(packet, cancellationToken);
         }
 
@@ -585,9 +585,9 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
                     if (!_packetDispatcher.TryDispatch(packet))
                     {
                         throw new MqttProtocolViolationException($"Received packet '{packet}' at an unexpected time.");
-                    }
                 }
             }
+            }
             catch (Exception exception)
             {
                 if (_cleanDisconnectInitiated)
@@ -641,35 +641,13 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
                     }
 
                     var publishPacket = publishPacketDequeueResult.Item;
+                    var eventArgs = await HandleReceivedApplicationMessageAsync(publishPacket, cancellationToken);
 
-                    if (publishPacket.QualityOfServiceLevel == MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.AtMostOnce)
-                    {
-                        await HandleReceivedApplicationMessageAsync(publishPacket).ConfigureAwait(false);
-                    }
-                    else if (publishPacket.QualityOfServiceLevel == MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.AtLeastOnce)
-                    {
-                        var eventArgs = await HandleReceivedApplicationMessageAsync(publishPacket).ConfigureAwait(false);
-
-                        if (!eventArgs.ProcessingFailed)
-                        {
-                            var pubAckPacket = _adapter.PacketFormatterAdapter.DataConverter.CreatePubAckPacket(publishPacket, eventArgs.ReasonCode);
-                            await SendAsync(pubAckPacket, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
-                        }
-                    }
-                    else if (publishPacket.QualityOfServiceLevel == MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.ExactlyOnce)
+                    if (eventArgs.AutoAcknowledge) 
                     {
-                        var eventArgs = await HandleReceivedApplicationMessageAsync(publishPacket).ConfigureAwait(false);
-
-                        if (!eventArgs.ProcessingFailed)
-                        {
-                            var pubRecPacket = _adapter.PacketFormatterAdapter.DataConverter.CreatePubRecPacket(publishPacket, eventArgs.ReasonCode);
-                            await SendAsync(pubRecPacket, cancellationToken).ConfigureAwait(false);
-                        }
-                    }
-                    else
-                    {
-                        throw new MqttProtocolViolationException("Received a not supported QoS level.");
+                        await eventArgs.Acknowledge();
                     }
+                    
                 }
                 catch (OperationCanceledException)
                 {
@@ -681,6 +659,36 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
             }
         }
 
+        internal Task AcknowledgeReceivedPublishPacket(MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs eventArgs)
+        {
+            if (eventArgs.PublishPacket.QualityOfServiceLevel == MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.AtMostOnce)
+            {
+                // no response required
+            }
+            else if (eventArgs.PublishPacket.QualityOfServiceLevel == MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.AtLeastOnce)
+            {
+                if (!eventArgs.ProcessingFailed)
+                {
+                    var pubAckPacket = _adapter.PacketFormatterAdapter.DataConverter.CreatePubAckPacket(eventArgs.PublishPacket, eventArgs.ReasonCode);
+                    return SendAsync(pubAckPacket, eventArgs.CancellationToken);
+                }
+            }
+            else if (eventArgs.PublishPacket.QualityOfServiceLevel == MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.ExactlyOnce)
+            {
+                if (!eventArgs.ProcessingFailed)
+                {
+                    var pubRecPacket = _adapter.PacketFormatterAdapter.DataConverter.CreatePubRecPacket(eventArgs.PublishPacket, eventArgs.ReasonCode);
+                    return SendAsync(pubRecPacket, eventArgs.CancellationToken);
+                }
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                throw new MqttProtocolViolationException("Received a not supported QoS level.");
+            }
+
+            return PlatformAbstractionLayer.CompletedTask;
+        }
+
         Task ProcessReceivedPubRecPacket(MqttPubRecPacket pubRecPacket, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
         {
             if (!_packetDispatcher.TryDispatch(pubRecPacket))
@@ -706,7 +714,7 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
 
             // Also dispatch disconnect to waiting threads to generate a proper exception.
             _packetDispatcher.FailAll(new MqttUnexpectedDisconnectReceivedException(disconnectPacket));
-            
+
             if (!DisconnectIsPending())
             {
                 return DisconnectInternalAsync(_packetReceiverTask, null, null);
@@ -753,10 +761,10 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Client
             return _adapter.PacketFormatterAdapter.DataConverter.CreateClientPublishResult(pubRecPacket, pubCompPacket);
         }
 
-        async Task<MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs> HandleReceivedApplicationMessageAsync(MqttPublishPacket publishPacket)
+        async Task<MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs> HandleReceivedApplicationMessageAsync(MqttPublishPacket publishPacket, CancellationToken cancellationToken)
         {
             var applicationMessage = _adapter.PacketFormatterAdapter.DataConverter.CreateApplicationMessage(publishPacket);
-            var eventArgs = new MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs(Options.ClientId, applicationMessage);
+            var eventArgs = new MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs(this, publishPacket, cancellationToken, Options.ClientId, applicationMessage);
 
             var handler = ApplicationMessageReceivedHandler;
             if (handler != null)
diff --git a/Source/MQTTnet/MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs.cs b/Source/MQTTnet/MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs.cs
index c44f179..8e4f2f5 100644
--- a/Source/MQTTnet/MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs.cs
+++ b/Source/MQTTnet/MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs.cs
@@ -1,15 +1,41 @@
-using System;
+using MQTTnet.Client;
+using MQTTnet.Implementations;
+using MQTTnet.Packets;
+using System;
+using System.Threading;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
 
 namespace MQTTnet
 {
     public sealed class MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs : EventArgs
     {
+        public MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs(MqttClient client, MqttPublishPacket publishPacket, CancellationToken cancellationToken, string clientId, MqttApplicationMessage applicationMessage)
+        {
+            Client = client ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(client));
+            PublishPacket = publishPacket ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(publishPacket));
+            CancellationToken = cancellationToken;
+            acknowledged = 0;
+            ClientId = clientId;
+            ApplicationMessage = applicationMessage ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(applicationMessage));
+            AutoAcknowledge = true;
+        }
+
         public MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs(string clientId, MqttApplicationMessage applicationMessage)
         {
+            acknowledged = 1;
             ClientId = clientId;
             ApplicationMessage = applicationMessage ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(applicationMessage));
+            AutoAcknowledge = true;
         }
 
+        internal MqttClient Client { get; }
+
+        internal CancellationToken CancellationToken { get; }
+
+        internal MqttPublishPacket PublishPacket { get; }
+
+        int acknowledged;
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Gets the client identifier.
         /// Hint: This identifier needs to be unique over all used clients / devices on the broker to avoid connection issues.
@@ -29,5 +55,19 @@ namespace MQTTnet
         public bool IsHandled { get; set; }
         
         public object Tag { get; set; }
+
+        public bool AutoAcknowledge { get; set; }
+
+        public Task Acknowledge() 
+        { 
+            if (Interlocked.CompareExchange(ref acknowledged, 1, 0) == 0)
+            {
+                return Client.AcknowledgeReceivedPublishPacket(this);
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                return PlatformAbstractionLayer.CompletedTask;
+            }
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/Tests/MQTTnet.Core.Tests/MqttClient_Tests.cs b/Tests/MQTTnet.Core.Tests/MqttClient_Tests.cs
index c4fdb22..c28fdf9 100644
--- a/Tests/MQTTnet.Core.Tests/MqttClient_Tests.cs
+++ b/Tests/MQTTnet.Core.Tests/MqttClient_Tests.cs
@@ -445,6 +445,55 @@ namespace MQTTnet.Tests
             }
         }
 
+        [TestMethod]
+        public async Task Preserve_Message_Order_With_Delayed_Acknowledgement()
+        {
+            // The messages are sent in reverse or to ensure that the delay in the handler
+            // needs longer for the first messages and later messages may be processed earlier (if there
+            // is an issue).
+            const int MessagesCount = 50;
+
+            using (var testEnvironment = new TestEnvironment(TestContext))
+            {
+                await testEnvironment.StartServerAsync();
+
+                var client1 = await testEnvironment.ConnectClientAsync();
+                await client1.SubscribeAsync("x", MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.ExactlyOnce);
+
+                var receivedValues = new List<int>();
+
+                Task Handler1(MqttApplicationMessageReceivedEventArgs eventArgs)
+                {
+                    var value = int.Parse(eventArgs.ApplicationMessage.ConvertPayloadToString());
+                    eventArgs.AutoAcknowledge = false;
+                    Task.Delay(value).ContinueWith(x => eventArgs.Acknowledge());
+
+                    System.Diagnostics.Debug.WriteLine($"received {value}");
+                    lock (receivedValues)
+                    {
+                        receivedValues.Add(value);
+                    }
+
+                    return Task.CompletedTask;
+                }
+
+                client1.UseApplicationMessageReceivedHandler(Handler1);
+
+                var client2 = await testEnvironment.ConnectClientAsync();
+                for (var i = MessagesCount; i > 0; i--)
+                {
+                    await client2.PublishAsync("x", i.ToString(), MqttQualityOfServiceLevel.ExactlyOnce);
+                }
+
+                await Task.Delay(5000);
+
+                for (var i = MessagesCount; i > 0; i--)
+                {
+                    Assert.AreEqual(i, receivedValues[MessagesCount - i]);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
         [TestMethod]
         public async Task Send_Reply_For_Any_Received_Message()
         {