diff --git a/image_transport/src/republish.cpp b/image_transport/src/republish.cpp
index f7cfba61..ea8f2b30 100644
--- a/image_transport/src/republish.cpp
+++ b/image_transport/src/republish.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ using namespace std::chrono_literals;
 namespace image_transport
 {
 
+std::mutex pub_matched_mutex;
+
 Republisher::Republisher(const rclcpp::NodeOptions & options)
 : Node("image_republisher", options)
 {
@@ -111,18 +113,30 @@ void Republisher::initialize()
   if (out_transport.empty()) {
     // Use all available transports for output
 
-    this->pub = image_transport::create_publisher(
-      this, out_topic,
-      rmw_qos_profile_default, pub_options);
-
     // Use Publisher::publish as the subscriber callback
     typedef void (image_transport::Publisher::* PublishMemFn)(
       const sensor_msgs::msg::Image::ConstSharedPtr &) const;
     PublishMemFn pub_mem_fn = &image_transport::Publisher::publish;
 
-    this->sub = image_transport::create_subscription(
-      this, in_topic, std::bind(pub_mem_fn, &pub, std::placeholders::_1),
-      in_transport, rmw_qos_profile_default, sub_options);
+    pub_options.event_callbacks.matched_callback =
+      [this, in_topic, in_transport, pub_mem_fn, sub_options](rclcpp::MatchedInfo &)
+      {
+        std::scoped_lock<std::mutex> lock(pub_matched_mutex);
+        if (this->pub.getNumSubscribers() == 0) {
+          this->sub.shutdown();
+        } else if (!this->sub) {
+          this->sub = image_transport::create_subscription(
+            this, in_topic,
+            std::bind(pub_mem_fn, &this->pub, std::placeholders::_1),
+            in_transport,
+            rmw_qos_profile_default,
+            sub_options);
+        }
+      };
+
+    this->pub = image_transport::create_publisher(
+      this, out_topic,
+      rmw_qos_profile_default, pub_options);
   } else {
     // Use one specific transport for output
     // Load transport plugin
@@ -132,17 +146,28 @@ void Republisher::initialize()
       "image_transport::PublisherPlugin");
     std::string lookup_name = Plugin::getLookupName(out_transport);
 
-    instance = loader->createUniqueInstance(lookup_name);
-    instance->advertise(this, out_topic, rmw_qos_profile_default, pub_options);
-
-    // Use PublisherPlugin::publish as the subscriber callback
+    // Use PublisherPlugin::publishPtr as the subscriber callback
     typedef void (Plugin::* PublishMemFn)(const sensor_msgs::msg::Image::ConstSharedPtr &) const;
     PublishMemFn pub_mem_fn = &Plugin::publishPtr;
-    this->sub = image_transport::create_subscription(
-      this, in_topic,
-      std::bind(
-        pub_mem_fn,
-        instance.get(), std::placeholders::_1), in_transport, rmw_qos_profile_default, sub_options);
+
+    this->instance = loader->createUniqueInstance(lookup_name);
+
+    pub_options.event_callbacks.matched_callback =
+      [this, in_topic, in_transport, pub_mem_fn, sub_options](rclcpp::MatchedInfo & matched_info)
+      {
+        if (matched_info.current_count == 0) {
+          this->sub.shutdown();
+        } else if (!this->sub) {
+          this->sub = image_transport::create_subscription(
+            this, in_topic,
+            std::bind(
+              pub_mem_fn,
+              this->instance.get(), std::placeholders::_1), in_transport, rmw_qos_profile_default,
+            sub_options);
+        }
+      };
+
+    this->instance->advertise(this, out_topic, rmw_qos_profile_default, pub_options);
   }
 }