diff --git a/src/paho/mqtt/client.py b/src/paho/mqtt/client.py
index 5b7206f5..50e74dec 100644
--- a/src/paho/mqtt/client.py
+++ b/src/paho/mqtt/client.py
@@ -455,7 +455,7 @@ def timed_out() -> bool:
         with self._condition:
             while not self._published and not timed_out():
                 self._condition.wait(timeout_tenth)
-        
+
         if self.rc > 0:
             raise RuntimeError(f'Message publish failed: {error_string(self.rc)}')
 
@@ -1196,25 +1196,24 @@ def reconnect(self) -> MQTTErrorCode:
             "pos": 0,
         }
 
-        # Before dropping all out_packet, ensure any QoS == 0 message info get
-        # marked as MQTT_ERR_CONN_LOST or the wait_for_publish() could hang forever
-        old_queue = self._out_packet
-        self._out_packet = collections.deque()
+        self._ping_t = 0.0
+        self._state = mqtt_cs_new
+
+        self._sock_close()
 
-        for pkt in old_queue:
-            if pkt["command"] & 0xF0 == PUBLISH and pkt["qos"] == 0:
+        # Mark all currently outgoing QoS = 0 packets as lost,
+        # or `wait_for_publish()` could hang forever
+        for pkt in self._out_packet:
+            if pkt["command"] & 0xF0 == PUBLISH and pkt["qos"] == 0 and pkt["info"] is not None:
                 pkt["info"].rc = MQTT_ERR_CONN_LOST
                 pkt["info"]._set_as_published()
 
+        self._out_packet.clear()
+
         with self._msgtime_mutex:
             self._last_msg_in = time_func()
             self._last_msg_out = time_func()
 
-        self._ping_t = 0.0
-        self._state = mqtt_cs_new
-
-        self._sock_close()
-
         # Put messages in progress in a valid state.
         self._messages_reconnect_reset()
 
@@ -1274,11 +1273,9 @@ def _loop(self, timeout: float = 1.0) -> MQTTErrorCode:
         if timeout < 0.0:
             raise ValueError('Invalid timeout.')
 
-        try:
-            packet = self._out_packet.popleft()
-            self._out_packet.appendleft(packet)
+        if self.want_write():
             wlist = [self._sock]
-        except IndexError:
+        else:
             wlist = []
 
         # used to check if there are any bytes left in the (SSL) socket
@@ -1762,12 +1759,7 @@ def want_write(self) -> bool:
         """Call to determine if there is network data waiting to be written.
         Useful if you are calling select() yourself rather than using loop().
         """
-        try:
-            packet = self._out_packet.popleft()
-            self._out_packet.appendleft(packet)
-            return True
-        except IndexError:
-            return False
+        return len(self._out_packet) > 0
 
     def loop_misc(self) -> MQTTErrorCode:
         """Process miscellaneous network events. Use in place of calling loop() if you