diff --git a/pkg/paho-mqtt/contrib/riot_iface.c b/pkg/paho-mqtt/contrib/riot_iface.c
index 154ffb1e2e..3df9223c9d 100644
--- a/pkg/paho-mqtt/contrib/riot_iface.c
+++ b/pkg/paho-mqtt/contrib/riot_iface.c
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #ifdef MODULE_IPV4_ADDR
 #include "net/ipv4/addr.h"
 #endif
+#include "net/dns.h"
 #include "net/sock/tcp.h"
 #include "paho_mqtt.h"
 #include "MQTTClient.h"
@@ -121,6 +122,12 @@ int NetworkConnect(Network *n, char *addr_ip, int port)
     int ret =-1;
     sock_tcp_ep_t remote = SOCK_IPV4_EP_ANY;
 
+    ret = dns_query(addr_ip, &remote.addr, AF_UNSPEC);
+    if (ret > 0) {
+        remote.port = port;
+        remote.family = ret == 4 ? AF_INET : AF_INET6;
+    }
+
     if (IS_USED(MODULE_IPV4_ADDR) && (remote.port == 0) &&
         ipv4_addr_from_str((ipv4_addr_t *)&remote.addr, addr_ip)) {
             remote.port = port;