diff --git a/rule-listener/rules.py b/rule-listener/rules.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0a87709
--- /dev/null
+++ b/rule-listener/rules.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+    "main/fan/1": [
+        { # after the fan has been on 2 times, another fan should be turned on
+            "count": 2, # the amount of times
+            "state": "on", # it has had this state
+            "doTopic": "main/fan/2", # i will send to topic
+            "doMessage": "on", # this message
+            "delay": 3, # after this amount of seconds
+            "reset": True # and i should reset my count afterwards
+        }
+    ]
+}
diff --git a/rule-listener/script.py b/rule-listener/script.py
index bde0b78..cc9926d 100644
--- a/rule-listener/script.py
+++ b/rule-listener/script.py
@@ -1,40 +1,20 @@
 import paho.mqtt.client as mqtt
-import sched, time
+import asyncio
 import secrets
-
-s = sched.scheduler(time.time, time.sleep)
+import rules
 
 state = {}
 
-rules = {
-    "main/fan/1": [
-        { # after the fan has been on 2 times, another fan should be turned on
-            "count": 2, # the amount of times
-            "state": "on", # it has had this state
-            "doTopic": "main/fan/2", # i will send to topic
-            "doMessage": "on", # this message
-            "delay": 3, # after this amount of seconds
-            "reset": True # and i should reset my count afterwards
-        },
-        { # 30 seconds after the fan has been turned on, turn it off again.
-            "count": 1, # the amount of times
-            "state": "on", # it has had this state
-            "doTopic": "main/fan/11", # i will send to topic
-            "doMessage": "off", # this message
-            "delay": 30, # after this amount of seconds
-            "reset": False # and i should reset my count afterwards
-        },
-    ]
-}
+mqttc = mqtt.Client(mqtt.CallbackAPIVersion.VERSION2)
 
 def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, reason_code, properties):
     print(f"Connected with result code {reason_code}")
     client.subscribe("main/#")
-    
-def publish_later(topic, msg, delay):
-    print(f"TODO: make this run {delay} seconds later")
-    # s.enter(delay, 1, publish, kwargs={'topic': topic, 'msg': msg})
-    # s.run()
+
+async def publish_later(topic, msg, delay):
+    print(f"publish_later: Processing message with topic {topic} after {delay} seconds delay")
+    await asyncio.sleep(delay)
+    print(f"publish_later: completed delay")    
     publish(topic, msg)
 
 def publish(topic, msg):
@@ -47,47 +27,51 @@ def publish(topic, msg):
 
 def check_against_rules(msg):
     if msg.topic in rules:
-        print(f"Found {len(rules[msg.topic])} rules on this topic")
+        print(f"... ... Found {len(rules[msg.topic])} rules on this topic")
         for rule in rules[msg.topic]:  
-            print(f"Rule is met when the count is above {rule['count']}. Current count is {state[msg.topic]['count']}")
+            print(f"... ... Rule is met when the count is above {rule['count']}. Current count is {state[msg.topic]['count']}")
             
             if state[msg.topic]['count'] > rule['count']:
-                print(f"i matched a rule")
                 if(rule['reset']):
                     state[msg.topic]['count'] = 0
                     
                 if rule['delay']:
-                    publish_later(rule['doMessage'], rule['doMessage'], rule['delay'])
+                    asyncio.run_coroutine_threadsafe(publish_later(rule['doTopic'], rule['doMessage'], rule['delay']), loop)
                 else:
                     publish(rule['doTopic'], rule['doMessage'])
     else:
-        print("i have no rules for this topic")
-        
-    print("finished rule checking")
-
+        print("...  ... i have no rules for this topic")
+    
 # The callback for when a PUBLISH message is received from the server.
 def on_message(client, userdata, msg):
+    print("on_message")
     if msg.retain:
         return False
     
     if msg.topic in state:
-        print("i already exist")
         state[msg.topic]["count"] += 1
     else:
-        print("i do not")
         state[msg.topic] = {}
         state[msg.topic]["count"] = 0
     
     check_against_rules(msg)
 
+async def main():
+    global loop
+    loop = asyncio.get_running_loop()  # Store the main event loop
 
+    mqttc.on_connect = on_connect
+    mqttc.on_message = on_message
 
-mqttc = mqtt.Client(mqtt.CallbackAPIVersion.VERSION2)
-mqttc.on_connect = on_connect
-mqttc.on_message = on_message
+    mqttc.username_pw_set(secrets.mqtt_username, secrets.mqtt_password)
+    print("connect to klank.school")
+    mqttc.connect("mqtt.klank.school", 7000, 60)
 
-mqttc.username_pw_set(secrets.mqtt_username, secrets.mqtt_password)
+    # Start the MQTT loop in a background thread
+    mqttc.loop_start()
 
-mqttc.connect("mqtt.klank.school", 7000, 60)
+    # Keep the asyncio event loop running
+    await asyncio.Event().wait()
 
-mqttc.loop_forever()
\ No newline at end of file
+# Run the main function
+asyncio.run(main())
\ No newline at end of file