diff --git a/example/mqtt/testing_utils.py b/example/mqtt/testing_utils.py
index f483ca94..d564d6f4 100644
--- a/example/mqtt/testing_utils.py
+++ b/example/mqtt/testing_utils.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 def message_says_hello(msg):
     """Make sure that the response was friendly"""
-    assert msg.payload.get("message") == "hello world"
+    assert msg.msg.payload.get("message") == "hello world"
 
 
 def return_hello(_=None):
diff --git a/tavern/response.py b/tavern/response.py
index 8bee7a6a..9b3b8a58 100644
--- a/tavern/response.py
+++ b/tavern/response.py
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@ def check_ext_functions(verify_block):
                     "Badly formatted 'verify_response_with' block"
                 )
 
-        check_ext_functions(response_block.get("verify_response_with", None))
+        if mqtt_responses := response_block.get("mqtt_responses"):
+            for mqtt_response in mqtt_responses:
+                check_ext_functions(mqtt_response.get("verify_response_with", None))
+        else:
+            check_ext_functions(response_block.get("verify_response_with", None))
 
         def check_deprecated_validate(name):
             nfuncs = len(self.validate_functions)