diff --git a/mobile/api.go b/mobile/api.go
index 8a1580f8..f3de70b0 100644
--- a/mobile/api.go
+++ b/mobile/api.go
@@ -272,13 +272,11 @@ func Start() string {
 	}
 
 	for _, topic := range wakuState.relayTopics {
-		topic := topic
-		sub, err := wakuState.node.Relay().SubscribeToTopic(wakuState.ctx, topic)
+		err := relaySubscribe(topic)
 		if err != nil {
 			wakuState.node.Stop()
-			return MakeJSONResponse(fmt.Errorf("could not subscribe to topic: %s, %w", topic, err))
+			return MakeJSONResponse(err)
 		}
-		wakuState.node.Broadcaster().Unregister(&topic, sub.C)
 	}
 
 	return MakeJSONResponse(nil)
diff --git a/mobile/api_relay.go b/mobile/api_relay.go
index 764cd480..efc0379b 100644
--- a/mobile/api_relay.go
+++ b/mobile/api_relay.go
@@ -79,11 +79,7 @@ func RelayPublishEncodeSymmetric(messageJSON string, topic string, symmetricKey
 	return PrepareJSONResponse(hash, err)
 }
 
-func RelaySubscribe(topic string) string {
-	if wakuState.node == nil {
-		return MakeJSONResponse(errWakuNodeNotReady)
-	}
-
+func relaySubscribe(topic string) error {
 	topicToSubscribe := getTopic(topic)
 
 	relaySubsMutex.Lock()
@@ -91,12 +87,12 @@ func RelaySubscribe(topic string) string {
 
 	_, ok := relaySubscriptions[topicToSubscribe]
 	if ok {
-		return MakeJSONResponse(nil)
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	subscription, err := wakuState.node.Relay().SubscribeToTopic(context.Background(), topicToSubscribe)
 	if err != nil {
-		return MakeJSONResponse(err)
+		return err
 	}
 
 	relaySubscriptions[topicToSubscribe] = subscription
@@ -107,7 +103,15 @@ func RelaySubscribe(topic string) string {
 		}
 	}(subscription)
 
-	return MakeJSONResponse(nil)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func RelaySubscribe(topic string) string {
+	if wakuState.node == nil {
+		return MakeJSONResponse(errWakuNodeNotReady)
+	}
+
+	return MakeJSONResponse(relaySubscribe(topic))
 }
 
 func RelayUnsubscribe(topic string) string {