diff --git a/netty_parser/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/parser/netty/PubRelEncoder.java b/netty_parser/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/parser/netty/PubRelEncoder.java
index 97a2c5e7..38adf48f 100644
--- a/netty_parser/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/parser/netty/PubRelEncoder.java
+++ b/netty_parser/src/main/java/org/eclipse/moquette/parser/netty/PubRelEncoder.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ class PubRelEncoder extends DemuxEncoder<PubRelMessage> {
 
     @Override
     protected void encode(ChannelHandlerContext chc, PubRelMessage msg, ByteBuf out) {
-        out.writeByte(AbstractMessage.PUBREL << 4);
+        out.writeByte(AbstractMessage.PUBREL << 4 | 0x02);
         out.writeBytes(Utils.encodeRemainingLength(2));
         out.writeShort(msg.getMessageID());
     }