dbus2mqtt

dbus2mqtt is a Python application that bridges DBus with MQTT. It lets you forward Linux D-Bus signals and properties to MQTT topics, call D-Bus methods via MQTT messages, and shape payloads using flexible Jinja2 templating.

This makes it easy to integrate Linux desktop services or system signals into MQTT-based workflows - including Home Assistant.

Features

• 🔗 Forward D-Bus signals to MQTT topics.
• 🧠 Enrich or transform MQTT payloads using Jinja2 templates and additional D-Bus calls.
• ⚡ Trigger message publishing via signals, timers, property changes, or startup events.
• 📡 Expose D-Bus methods for remote control via MQTT messages.
• 🏠 Includes example configurations for MPRIS and Home Assistant Media Player integration.

Project status

dbus2mqtt is considered stable for the use-cases it has been tested against, and is actively being developed. Documentation is continuously being improved.

Initial testing has focused on MPRIS integration. A table of tested MPRIS players and their supported methods can be found here: Mediaplayer integration with Home Assistant

Getting started with dbus2mqtt

Create a config.yaml file with the contents shown below. This configuration will expose all bus properties from the org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Player interface to MQTT on the dbus2mqtt/org.mpris.MediaPlayer2/state topic.

dbus:
  subscriptions:
    - bus_name: org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.*
      path: /org/mpris/MediaPlayer2
      interfaces:
        - interface: org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties
          methods:
            - method: GetAll

      flows:
        - name: "Publish MPRIS state"
          triggers:
            - type: object_added
            - type: schedule
              interval: {seconds: 5}
          actions:
            - type: context_set
              context:
                mpris_bus_name: '{{ dbus_list("org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.*") | first }}'
                path: /org/mpris/MediaPlayer2
            - type: mqtt_publish
              topic: dbus2mqtt/org.mpris.MediaPlayer2/state
              payload_type: json
              payload_template: |
                {{ dbus_call(mpris_bus_name, path, 'org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties', 'GetAll', ['org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Player']) }}

MQTT connection details can be configured in that same config.yaml file or via environment variables. For now create a .env file with the following contents.

MQTT__HOST=localhost
MQTT__PORT=1883
MQTT__USERNAME=
MQTT__PASSWORD=

Install and run dbus2mqtt

python -m pip install dbus2mqtt
dbus2mqtt --config config.yaml

Run using docker with auto start behavior

To build and run dbus2mqtt using Docker with the home_assistant_media_player.yaml example from this repository.

# setup configuration
mkdir -p $HOME/.config/dbus2mqtt
cp docs/examples/home_assistant_media_player.yaml $HOME/.config/dbus2mqtt/config.yaml
cp .env.example $HOME/.config/dbus2mqtt/.env

# run image and automatically start on reboot
sudo docker pull jwnmulder/dbus2mqtt
sudo docker run --detach --name dbus2mqtt \
  --volume "$HOME"/.config/dbus2mqtt:"$HOME"/.config/dbus2mqtt \
  --volume /run/user:/run/user \
  --env DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS="$DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS" \
  --env-file "$HOME"/.config/dbus2mqtt/.env \
  --user $(id -u):$(id -g) \
  --privileged \
  --restart unless-stopped \
  jwnmulder/dbus2mqtt \
  --config "$HOME"/.config/dbus2mqtt/config.yaml

# view logs
sudo docker logs dbus2mqtt -f

Examples

More dbus2mqtt examples can be found here: examples. The most complete one being MPRIS to Home Assistant Media Player integration

Configuration reference

dbus2mqtt leverages jsonargparse which allows configuration via either yaml configuration, CLI or environment variables. Until this is fully documented have a look at the examples in this repository.

MQTT and D-Bus connection details

# dbus_fast configuration
export DBUS_SESSION_BUS_ADDRESS=unix:path=/run/user/1000/bus

# dbus2mqtt configuration
MQTT__HOST=localhost
MQTT__PORT=1883
MQTT__USERNAME=
MQTT__PASSWORD=

or

mqtt:
  host: localhost
  port: 1883
  subscription_topics:
    - dbus2mqtt/#

Exposing dbus methods

dbus:
  subscriptions:
    - bus_name: org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.*
      path: /org/mpris/MediaPlayer2
      interfaces:
        - interface: org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.Player
          mqtt_command_topic: dbus2mqtt/org.mpris.MediaPlayer2/command
          methods:
            - method: Pause
            - method: Play

This configuration will expose 2 methods. Triggering methods can be done by publishing json messages to the dbus2mqtt/org.mpris.MediaPlayer2/command MQTT topic. Arguments can be passed along in args.

Some examples that call methods on all bus_names matching the configured pattern

{
    "method": "Play",
}

{
    "method": "OpenUri",
    "args": []
}

To specifically target objects the properties bus_name and/or path can be used. Both properties support wildcards

{
    "method": "Play",
    "bus_name": "*.firefox",
    "path": "/org/mpris/MediaPlayer2"
}

Exposing dbus signals

Publishing signals to MQTT topics works by subscribing to the relevant signal and using flows for publishing

dbus:
  subscriptions:
    - bus_name: org.mpris.MediaPlayer2.*
      path: /org/mpris/MediaPlayer2
      interfaces:
        - interface: org.freedesktop.DBus.Properties
           signals:
             - signal: PropertiesChanged

      flows:
        - name: "Property Changed flow"
          triggers:
            - type: on_signal
          actions:
            - type: mqtt_publish
              topic: dbus2mqtt/org.mpris.MediaPlayer2/signals/PropertiesChanged
              payload_type: json

Flows

A reference of all supported flow triggers and actions can be found on Flows

Jinja templating

TODO: Document Jinja templating, for now see the MPRIS to Home Assistant Media Player integration example