diff --git a/.env b/.env
index 38dc012..3d4bdae 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -11,5 +11,6 @@ MQUSER=<USER OF THE MQTT BROKER>
 MQPWD=<PASSWORD OF THE MQTT BROKER>
 MQTOPIC_CUR=<TOPIC WHERE THE CURRENT STATUS SHALL BE WRITTEN TO>
 MQTOPIC_SUM=<TOPIC WHERE THE TOTAL STATUS SHALL BE WRITTEN TO>
+BLOCK_ZERO_READS=<BLOCK WRITING DATA TO MQTT WHEN THE FEEDIN or CONSUMPTION COUNTERS ARE READ AS 0 (HAPPENS WHEN THE READ HEAD IS TAKEN FROM THE SMARTMETER)>
 PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
 
diff --git a/lge320reader.py b/lge320reader.py
index da72efd..632d10c 100755
--- a/lge320reader.py
+++ b/lge320reader.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/local/bin/python3
 import sys
 import serial
+from time import sleep
 
 class bcolors:
     HEADER = '\033[95m'
@@ -68,6 +69,11 @@ class LGE320:
             "T2": read_buffer[read_buffer.find(b'\x07\x01\x00\x02\x08\x00\xFF'):read_buffer.find(b'\x01\x77\x07\x01\x00\x10\x07\x00')], # 2.8.0
             "P": read_buffer[read_buffer.find(b'\x07\x01\x00\x10\x07\x00\xFF'):read_buffer.find(b'\x01\x01\x01\x63')],                  # current power 
         }
+
+        if block_zero_reads and (float(energy_values["T1"]) == 0.0 or float(energy_values["T2"]) == 0.0):  # zero reads may happen when the read head is taken from the meter
+            sleep(1)
+            return self.read()
+
         return self._get_energy_value(energy_values)
 
 
@@ -105,7 +111,8 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":  # if run from cli (not imported as a module)
         port = "/dev/ttyUSB0"  # default to /dev/ttyUSB0 if READER_PORT env var is not set, and print a warning
         print(bcolors.WARNING + f"No serial port specified, trying {port}" + bcolors.ENDC)
     lge320 = LGE320(port)
-    
+
+    block_zero_reads = os.getenv('BLOCK_ZERO_READS', False)
     
     ## define the clients
     def on_connect(client, userdata, flags, reason_code, properties):