diff --git a/examples/mqtt-client/mqtt-client.c b/examples/mqtt-client/mqtt-client.c
index 258660459..3183c878d 100644
--- a/examples/mqtt-client/mqtt-client.c
+++ b/examples/mqtt-client/mqtt-client.c
@@ -49,22 +49,61 @@
 #define LOG_MODULE "mqtt-client"
 #define LOG_LEVEL LOG_LEVEL_NONE
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
-/*
- * IBM server: messaging.quickstart.internetofthings.ibmcloud.com
- * (184.172.124.189) mapped in an NAT64 (prefix 64:ff9b::/96) IPv6 address
- * Note: If not able to connect; lookup the IP address again as it may change.
- *
- * Alternatively, publish to a local MQTT broker (e.g. mosquitto) running on
- * the node that hosts your border router
- */
-#ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_BROKER_IP_ADDR
-static const char *broker_ip = MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_BROKER_IP_ADDR;
-#define DEFAULT_ORG_ID              "contiki-ng"
+/* Controls whether the example will work in IBM Watson IoT platform mode */
+#ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_WITH_IBM_WATSON
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_WITH_IBM_WATSON MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_WITH_IBM_WATSON
 #else
-static const char *broker_ip = "0064:ff9b:0000:0000:0000:0000:b8ac:7cbd";
-#define DEFAULT_ORG_ID              "quickstart"
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_WITH_IBM_WATSON 0
 #endif
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+/* MQTT broker address. Ignored in Watson mode */
+#ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_BROKER_IP_ADDR
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_BROKER_IP_ADDR MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_BROKER_IP_ADDR
+#else
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_BROKER_IP_ADDR "fd00::1"
+#endif
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+/*
+ * MQTT Org ID.
+ *
+ * If it equals "quickstart", the client will connect without authentication.
+ * In all other cases, the client will connect with authentication mode.
+ *
+ * In Watson mode, the username will be "use-token-auth". In non-Watson mode
+ * the username will be MQTT_CLIENT_USERNAME.
+ *
+ * In all cases, the password will be MQTT_CLIENT_AUTH_TOKEN.
+ */
+#ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_ORG_ID
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_ORG_ID MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_ORG_ID
+#else
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_ORG_ID "quickstart"
+#endif
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+/* MQTT token */
+#ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_AUTH_TOKEN
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_AUTH_TOKEN MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_AUTH_TOKEN
+#else
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_AUTH_TOKEN "AUTHTOKEN"
+#endif
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
+#if MQTT_CLIENT_WITH_IBM_WATSON
+/* With IBM Watson support */
+static const char *broker_ip = "0064:ff9b:0000:0000:0000:0000:b8ac:7cbd";
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_USERNAME "use-token-auth"
+
+#else /* MQTT_CLIENT_WITH_IBM_WATSON */
+/* Without IBM Watson support. To be used with other brokers, e.g. Mosquitto */
+static const char *broker_ip = MQTT_CLIENT_BROKER_IP_ADDR;
+
+#ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_USERNAME
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_USERNAME MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_USERNAME
+#else
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_USERNAME "use-token-auth"
+#endif
+
+#endif /* MQTT_CLIENT_WITH_IBM_WATSON */
+/*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 #ifdef MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_STATUS_LED
 #define MQTT_CLIENT_STATUS_LED MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_STATUS_LED
 #else
@@ -133,7 +172,6 @@ static uint8_t state;
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* Default configuration values */
 #define DEFAULT_TYPE_ID             "mqtt-client"
-#define DEFAULT_AUTH_TOKEN          "AUTHZ"
 #define DEFAULT_EVENT_TYPE_ID       "status"
 #define DEFAULT_SUBSCRIBE_CMD_TYPE  "+"
 #define DEFAULT_BROKER_PORT         1883
@@ -423,9 +461,10 @@ init_config()
   /* Populate configuration with default values */
   memset(&conf, 0, sizeof(mqtt_client_config_t));
 
-  memcpy(conf.org_id, DEFAULT_ORG_ID, strlen(DEFAULT_ORG_ID));
+  memcpy(conf.org_id, MQTT_CLIENT_ORG_ID, strlen(MQTT_CLIENT_ORG_ID));
   memcpy(conf.type_id, DEFAULT_TYPE_ID, strlen(DEFAULT_TYPE_ID));
-  memcpy(conf.auth_token, DEFAULT_AUTH_TOKEN, strlen(DEFAULT_AUTH_TOKEN));
+  memcpy(conf.auth_token, MQTT_CLIENT_AUTH_TOKEN,
+         strlen(MQTT_CLIENT_AUTH_TOKEN));
   memcpy(conf.event_type_id, DEFAULT_EVENT_TYPE_ID,
          strlen(DEFAULT_EVENT_TYPE_ID));
   memcpy(conf.broker_ip, broker_ip, strlen(broker_ip));
@@ -568,7 +607,7 @@ state_machine(void)
         state = STATE_ERROR;
         break;
       } else {
-        mqtt_set_username_password(&conn, "use-token-auth",
+        mqtt_set_username_password(&conn, MQTT_CLIENT_USERNAME,
                                    conf.auth_token);
       }
     }
diff --git a/examples/mqtt-client/project-conf.h b/examples/mqtt-client/project-conf.h
index 7b041ae38..66ba909ce 100644
--- a/examples/mqtt-client/project-conf.h
+++ b/examples/mqtt-client/project-conf.h
@@ -35,8 +35,40 @@
 /* Enable TCP */
 #define UIP_CONF_TCP 1
 
-/* If undefined, the demo will attempt to connect to IBM's quickstart */
+/* Change to 1 to use with the IBM Watson IoT platform */
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_WITH_IBM_WATSON 0
+
+/*
+ * The IPv6 address of the MQTT broker to connect to.
+ * Ignored if MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_WITH_IBM_WATSON is 1
+ */
 #define MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_BROKER_IP_ADDR "fd00::1"
+
+/*
+ * The Organisation ID.
+ *
+ * When in Watson mode, the example will default to Org ID "quickstart" and
+ * will connect using non-authenticated mode. If you want to use registered
+ * devices, set your Org ID here and then make sure you set the correct token
+ * through MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_AUTH_TOKEN.
+ */
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_ORG_ID "quickstart"
+
+/*
+ * The MQTT username.
+ *
+ * Ignored in Watson mode: In this mode the username is always "use-token-auth"
+ */
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_USERNAME "mqtt-client-username"
+
+/*
+ * The MQTT auth token (password) used when connecting to the MQTT broker.
+ *
+ * Used with as well as without Watson.
+ *
+ * Transported in cleartext!
+ */
+#define MQTT_CLIENT_CONF_AUTH_TOKEN "AUTHTOKEN"
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/
 #endif /* PROJECT_CONF_H_ */
 /*---------------------------------------------------------------------------*/