diff --git a/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/SimpleMessaging.java b/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/SimpleMessaging.java
index ce8aede5..7978af5c 100644
--- a/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/SimpleMessaging.java
+++ b/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/SimpleMessaging.java
@@ -206,9 +206,11 @@ public class SimpleMessaging implements IMessaging, EventHandler<ValueEvent> {
         String aclFilePath = props.getProperty(ACL_FILE_PROPERTY_NAME, "");
         IAuthorizator authorizator;
         if (aclFilePath != null && !aclFilePath.isEmpty()) {
-            authorizator = new ACLAuthorizator(aclFilePath);
+            authorizator = new ACLAuthorizator(configPath, aclFilePath);
+            LOG.info("Using acl file defined at path {}", aclFilePath);
         } else {
             authorizator = new PermitAllAuthorizator();
+            LOG.info("Starting without ACL definition");
         }
 
         boolean allowAnonymous = Boolean.parseBoolean(props.getProperty(ALLOW_ANONYMOUS_PROPERTY_NAME, "true"));
diff --git a/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/security/ACLAuthorizator.java b/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/security/ACLAuthorizator.java
index e402c75b..4c438196 100644
--- a/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/security/ACLAuthorizator.java
+++ b/broker/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/spi/impl/security/ACLAuthorizator.java
@@ -35,8 +35,8 @@ public class ACLAuthorizator implements IAuthorizator {
 
     List<Authorization> m_authorisations = Collections.emptyList();
 
-    public ACLAuthorizator(String aclFilePath) {
-        File aclFile = new File(aclFilePath);
+    public ACLAuthorizator(String parent, String filePath) {
+        File aclFile = new File(parent, filePath);
         try {
             m_authorisations = ACLFileParser.parse(aclFile);
         } catch (ParseException pex) {
diff --git a/distribution/src/main/resources/acl.conf b/distribution/src/main/resources/acl.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8de08222
--- /dev/null
+++ b/distribution/src/main/resources/acl.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+topic write /sensors/anemometer
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/distribution/src/main/resources/moquette.conf b/distribution/src/main/resources/moquette.conf
index d1e5492f..6e1bd393 100644
--- a/distribution/src/main/resources/moquette.conf
+++ b/distribution/src/main/resources/moquette.conf
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ host 0.0.0.0
 
 #Password file
 password_file config/password_file.conf
+acl_file config/acl.conf
 
 #false to accept only client connetions with credentials
 #true to accept client connection without credentails, validating only the one that provides
diff --git a/tools_scripts/trivialPublish.groovy b/tools_scripts/trivialPublish.groovy
index 44b7ef86..aec412eb 100644
--- a/tools_scripts/trivialPublish.groovy
+++ b/tools_scripts/trivialPublish.groovy
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@ import org.fusesource.mqtt.client.Topic
 
 
 String host = args[0]
+String topic = "/topic"
+if (args.length > 1) {
+    topic = args[1]
+}
 //start a publisher
 MQTT mqtt2 = new MQTT()
 mqtt2.setHost(host, 1883)
@@ -15,7 +19,7 @@ BlockingConnection publisher = mqtt2.blockingConnection()
 publisher.connect()
 println "publisher connected"
 
-publisher.publish("/topic", 'Hello world again!!'.bytes, QoS.AT_MOST_ONCE, false)
+publisher.publish(topic, 'Hello world again!!'.bytes, QoS.AT_MOST_ONCE, false)
 println "publisher published"
 
 println "shutdown publisher"