diff --git a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/client.py b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/client.py
index 0871a0419e5..d36670baef1 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/mqtt/client.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/mqtt/client.py
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ class MQTT:
         self._subscribe_debouncer = EnsureJobAfterCooldown(
             INITIAL_SUBSCRIBE_COOLDOWN, self._async_perform_subscriptions
         )
-        self._misc_task: asyncio.Task | None = None
+        self._misc_timer: asyncio.TimerHandle | None = None
         self._reconnect_task: asyncio.Task | None = None
         self._should_reconnect: bool = True
         self._available_future: asyncio.Future[bool] | None = None
@@ -563,14 +563,6 @@ class MQTT:
 
         self._mqttc = mqttc
 
-    async def _misc_loop(self) -> None:
-        """Start the MQTT client misc loop."""
-        # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
-        import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
-
-        while self._mqttc.loop_misc() == mqtt.MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS:
-            await asyncio.sleep(1)
-
     @callback
     def _async_reader_callback(self, client: mqtt.Client) -> None:
         """Handle reading data from the socket."""
@@ -578,13 +570,22 @@ class MQTT:
             self._async_on_disconnect(status)
 
     @callback
-    def _async_start_misc_loop(self) -> None:
-        """Start the misc loop."""
-        if self._misc_task is None or self._misc_task.done():
-            _LOGGER.debug("%s: Starting client misc loop", self.config_entry.title)
-            self._misc_task = self.config_entry.async_create_background_task(
-                self.hass, self._misc_loop(), name="mqtt misc loop"
-            )
+    def _async_start_misc_periodic(self) -> None:
+        """Start the misc periodic."""
+        assert self._misc_timer is None, "Misc periodic already started"
+        _LOGGER.debug("%s: Starting client misc loop", self.config_entry.title)
+        # pylint: disable=import-outside-toplevel
+        import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
+
+        # Inner function to avoid having to check late import
+        # each time the function is called.
+        @callback
+        def _async_misc() -> None:
+            """Start the MQTT client misc loop."""
+            if self._mqttc.loop_misc() == mqtt.MQTT_ERR_SUCCESS:
+                self._misc_timer = self.loop.call_at(self.loop.time() + 1, _async_misc)
+
+        self._misc_timer = self.loop.call_at(self.loop.time() + 1, _async_misc)
 
     def _increase_socket_buffer_size(self, sock: SocketType) -> None:
         """Increase the socket buffer size."""
@@ -635,7 +636,8 @@ class MQTT:
         if fileno > -1:
             self._increase_socket_buffer_size(sock)
             self.loop.add_reader(sock, partial(self._async_reader_callback, client))
-        self._async_start_misc_loop()
+        if not self._misc_timer:
+            self._async_start_misc_periodic()
         # Try to consume the buffer right away so it doesn't fill up
         # since add_reader will wait for the next loop iteration
         self._async_reader_callback(client)
@@ -652,8 +654,9 @@ class MQTT:
         self._async_connection_result(False)
         if fileno > -1:
             self.loop.remove_reader(sock)
-        if self._misc_task is not None and not self._misc_task.done():
-            self._misc_task.cancel()
+        if self._misc_timer:
+            self._misc_timer.cancel()
+            self._misc_timer = None
 
     @callback
     def _async_writer_callback(self, client: mqtt.Client) -> None: