diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index add1eb52..b5f51424 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -197,6 +197,12 @@ transport
     set to "websockets" to send MQTT over WebSockets. Leave at the default of
     "tcp" to use raw TCP.
 
+manual_ack
+    defaults to False, allowing the library to acknowledge messages automatically after on_message callback return
+    passing them to on_message callback.  When set to True, every message
+    must be manually acknowledged by application call to 
+    client.ack( *message.mid* , *message.qos* )
+
 
 Constructor Example
 ...................
diff --git a/src/paho/mqtt/client.py b/src/paho/mqtt/client.py
index cb1489d0..c2b01f3a 100644
--- a/src/paho/mqtt/client.py
+++ b/src/paho/mqtt/client.py
@@ -479,7 +479,8 @@ def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, rc):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, client_id="", clean_session=None, userdata=None,
-                 protocol=MQTTv311, transport="tcp", reconnect_on_failure=True):
+                 protocol=MQTTv311, transport="tcp", reconnect_on_failure=True,
+                 manual_ack=False ):
         """client_id is the unique client id string used when connecting to the
         broker. If client_id is zero length or None, then the behaviour is
         defined by which protocol version is in use. If using MQTT v3.1.1, then
@@ -511,11 +512,20 @@ def __init__(self, client_id="", clean_session=None, userdata=None,
 
         Set transport to "websockets" to use WebSockets as the transport
         mechanism. Set to "tcp" to use raw TCP, which is the default.
+
+        Normally, when a message is received, the library automatically
+        acknowledges after on_message callback returns.  manual_ack=True allows the application to
+        acknowledge receipt after it has completed processing of a message
+        using a the ack() method. This addresses vulnerabilty to message loss
+        if applications fails while processing a message, or while it pending
+        locally.
+
         """
 
         if transport.lower() not in ('websockets', 'tcp'):
             raise ValueError(
                 'transport must be "websockets" or "tcp", not %s' % transport)
+        self._manual_ack = manual_ack
         self._transport = transport.lower()
         self._protocol = protocol
         self._userdata = userdata
@@ -3351,16 +3361,44 @@ def _handle_publish(self):
             return MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS
         elif message.qos == 1:
             self._handle_on_message(message)
-            return self._send_puback(message.mid)
+            if self._manual_ack:
+                return MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS
+            else:
+                return self._send_puback(message.mid)
         elif message.qos == 2:
+
             rc = self._send_pubrec(message.mid)
+
             message.state = mqtt_ms_wait_for_pubrel
             with self._in_message_mutex:
                 self._in_messages[message.mid] = message
+
             return rc
         else:
             return MQTT_ERR_PROTOCOL
 
+    def ack(self, mid: int, qos: int) -> int:
+        """
+           send an acknowledgement for a given message id. (stored in message.mid )
+           only useful in QoS=1 and auto_ack=False
+        """
+        if self._manual_ack :
+            if qos == 1:
+                return self._send_puback(mid)
+            elif qos == 2:
+                return self._send_pubcomp(mid)
+
+        return MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS
+
+    def manual_ack_set(self, on):
+        """
+           The paho library normally acknowledges messages as soon as they are delivered to the caller.
+           If manual_ack is turned on, then the caller MUST manually acknowledge every message once 
+           application processing is complete.
+        """
+        self._manual_ack = on
+
+
     def _handle_pubrel(self):
         if self._protocol == MQTTv5:
             if self._in_packet['remaining_length'] < 2:
@@ -3390,7 +3428,10 @@ def _handle_pubrel(self):
         # is possible that we must known about this message.
         # Choose to acknwoledge this messsage (and thus losing a message) but
         # avoid hanging. See #284.
-        return self._send_pubcomp(mid)
+        if self._manual_ack:
+            return MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS
+        else:
+            return self._send_pubcomp(mid)
 
     def _update_inflight(self):
         # Dont lock message_mutex here