diff --git a/config.yaml.example b/config.yaml.example
index 690c978..83a21f7 100644
--- a/config.yaml.example
+++ b/config.yaml.example
@@ -2,11 +2,17 @@ mqtt:
   host: 192.168.1.1
   username: user
   password: password
-workers:
-  thermostat:
-    args:
-      devices:
-        bedroom: 00:11:22:33:44:55
-      topic_prefix: thermostat
-    topic_subscription: thermostat/+/+/set
-    update_interval: 60
+
+manager:
+  topic_subcription:
+    update_all:
+      topic: homeassistant/status
+      payload: online
+  workers:
+    thermostat:
+      args:
+        devices:
+          bedroom: 00:11:22:33:44:55
+        topic_prefix: thermostat
+      topic_subscription: thermostat/+/+/set
+      update_interval: 60
diff --git a/gateway.py b/gateway.py
index 4b27e7d..442e547 100755
--- a/gateway.py
+++ b/gateway.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ else:
 _LOGGER.debug('Starting')
 
 mqtt = MqttClient(settings['mqtt'])
-WorkersManager.start(mqtt, settings['workers'])
+WorkersManager().register_workers(settings['manager']).start(mqtt)
 
 running = True
 
diff --git a/mqtt.py b/mqtt.py
index 04bf241..6db7288 100644
--- a/mqtt.py
+++ b/mqtt.py
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 import paho.mqtt.publish as publish
 import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
 
+
 class MqttClient:
   def __init__(self, config):
     self._config = config
 
   def publish(self, messages):
+    if messages is None:
+      return
+
     publish.multiple(list(map(lambda m: m.as_dict, messages)),
                      hostname=self.hostname,
                      auth={'username': self.username, 'password': self.password})
@@ -34,6 +38,7 @@ class MqttClient:
 
     mqttc.loop_start()
 
+
 class MqttMessage:
   def __init__(self, topic=None, payload=None):
     self._topic = topic
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ class MqttMessage:
     }
 
   def __repr__(self):
-    return  self.as_dict.__str__()
+    return self.as_dict.__str__()
 
   def __str__(self):
     return self.__repr__()
diff --git a/workers/thermostat.py b/workers/thermostat.py
index fb8142c..fd8a28b 100644
--- a/workers/thermostat.py
+++ b/workers/thermostat.py
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ class ThermostatWorker(BaseWorker):
       self._reverse_modes = {v: k for k, v in self._mapped_modes.items()}
 
     def get_mapping(self, mode):
+      if mode < 0:
+        return None
       return self._mapped_modes[mode]
 
     def get_reverse_mapping(self, mode):
@@ -67,6 +69,8 @@ class ThermostatWorker(BaseWorker):
     _, device_name, method, _ = topic.split('/')
     thermostat = self.devices[device_name]
 
+    value = value.decode('utf-8')
+
     if method == STATE_AWAY:
       method = "mode"
       value = ModesMapper.on_off_to_mode(value)
diff --git a/workers_manager.py b/workers_manager.py
index 308ab29..0cbdc07 100644
--- a/workers_manager.py
+++ b/workers_manager.py
@@ -20,38 +20,70 @@ class WorkersManager:
       _LOGGER.debug(messages)
       return messages
 
-  @classmethod
-  def start(cls, mqtt, config):
-    scheduler = BackgroundScheduler()
-    mqtt_callbacks = []
+  def __init__(self):
+    self._mqtt_callbacks = []
+    self._update_commands = []
+    self._scheduler = BackgroundScheduler()
 
-    for (worker_name, worker_config) in config.items():
+  def register_workers(self, config):
+    for (worker_name, worker_config) in config['workers'].items():
       module_obj = importlib.import_module("workers.%s" % worker_name)
       klass = getattr(module_obj, "%sWorker" % worker_name.title())
 
       if module_obj.REQUIREMENTS is not None:
-        cls._pip_install_helper(module_obj.REQUIREMENTS)
+        self._pip_install_helper(module_obj.REQUIREMENTS)
 
       worker_obj = klass(**worker_config['args'])
 
-      if 'update_interval' in worker_config:
+      if hasattr(worker_obj, 'status_update'):
         _LOGGER.debug("Added: %s with %d seconds interval" % (worker_name, worker_config['update_interval']))
-        _WORKERS_QUEUE.put(cls.Command(worker_obj.status_update, []))
-        scheduler.add_job(
-          lambda x: _WORKERS_QUEUE.put(cls.Command(worker_obj.status_update, [])), 'interval',
-          seconds=worker_config['update_interval'],
-          args=[worker_name]
-        )
+        command = self.Command(worker_obj.status_update, [])
+        self._update_commands.append(command)
+
+        if 'update_interval' in worker_config:
+          self._scheduler.add_job(
+            lambda x: self._queue_command(command), 'interval',
+            seconds=worker_config['update_interval'],
+            args=[worker_name]
+          )
 
       if 'topic_subscription' in worker_config:
         _LOGGER.debug("Subscribing to: %s" % worker_config['topic_subscription'])
-        mqtt_callbacks.append((
+        self._mqtt_callbacks.append((
           worker_config['topic_subscription'],
-          lambda client, _ , c: _WORKERS_QUEUE.put(cls.Command(worker_obj.on_command, [c.topic, c.payload]))
+          lambda client, _ , c: self._queue_command(self.Command(worker_obj.on_command, [c.topic, c.payload]))
         ))
 
-    scheduler.start()
-    mqtt.callbacks_subscription(mqtt_callbacks)
+    for (callback_name, options) in config['topic_subcription'].items():
+      _LOGGER.debug("Subscribing to: %s with command: %s" % (options['topic'], callback_name))
+      self._mqtt_callbacks.append((
+        options['topic'],
+        lambda client, _ , c: self._queue_if_matching_payload(self.Command(getattr(self, callback_name)), c.payload, options['payload']))
+      )
+
+    return self
+
+  def start(self, mqtt):
+    self._scheduler.start()
+    mqtt.callbacks_subscription(self._mqtt_callbacks)
+    self.update_all()
+
+  def _queue_if_matching_payload(self, command, payload, expected_payload):
+    if payload.decode('utf-8') == expected_payload:
+      self._queue_command(command)
+
+  @property
+  def mqtt_callbacks(self):
+    return self._mqtt_callbacks
+
+  def update_all(self):
+    _LOGGER.debug("Updating all workers")
+    for command in self._update_commands:
+      self._queue_command(command)
+
+  @staticmethod
+  def _queue_command(command):
+    _WORKERS_QUEUE.put(command)
 
   @staticmethod
   def _pip_install_helper(package_names):