diff --git a/nimble/host/mesh/src/cfg_srv.c b/nimble/host/mesh/src/cfg_srv.c
index 5cac1ad29..c1bb6319a 100644
--- a/nimble/host/mesh/src/cfg_srv.c
+++ b/nimble/host/mesh/src/cfg_srv.c
@@ -808,7 +808,7 @@ static void gatt_proxy_set(struct bt_mesh_model *model,
 	bt_mesh_adv_update();
 
 	if (cfg->hb_pub.feat & BT_MESH_FEAT_PROXY) {
-		bt_mesh_heartbeat_send();
+		(void)bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(NULL, NULL);
 	}
 
 send_status:
@@ -928,7 +928,7 @@ static void relay_set(struct bt_mesh_model *model,
 		       BT_MESH_TRANSMIT_INT(cfg->relay_retransmit));
 
 		if ((cfg->hb_pub.feat & BT_MESH_FEAT_RELAY) && change) {
-			bt_mesh_heartbeat_send();
+			(void)bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(NULL, NULL);
 		}
 	} else {
 		BT_WARN("Invalid Relay value 0x%02x", buf->om_data[0]);
@@ -2782,7 +2782,7 @@ static void friend_set(struct bt_mesh_model *model,
 	}
 
 	if (cfg->hb_pub.feat & BT_MESH_FEAT_FRIEND) {
-		bt_mesh_heartbeat_send();
+		(void)bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(NULL, NULL);
 	}
 
 send_status:
@@ -3283,11 +3283,38 @@ const struct bt_mesh_model_op bt_mesh_cfg_srv_op[] = {
 	BT_MESH_MODEL_OP_END,
 };
 
+static void hb_publish_end_cb(int err, void *cb_data)
+{
+	struct bt_mesh_cfg_srv *cfg = cb_data;
+	uint16_t period_ms;
+
+	period_ms = hb_pwr2(cfg->hb_pub.period, 1) * 1000U;
+	if (period_ms && cfg->hb_pub.count > 1) {
+		k_delayed_work_submit(&cfg->hb_pub.timer, K_MSEC(period_ms));
+	}
+
+	if (cfg->hb_pub.count != 0xffff) {
+		cfg->hb_pub.count--;
+	}
+}
+
+static void hb_publish_start_cb(uint16_t duration, int err, void *cb_data)
+{
+	if (err) {
+		hb_publish_end_cb(err, cb_data);
+	}
+}
+
 static void hb_publish(struct ble_npl_event *work)
 {
+	static const struct bt_mesh_send_cb publish_cb = {
+		.start = hb_publish_start_cb,
+		.end = hb_publish_end_cb,
+	};
+
 	struct bt_mesh_cfg_srv *cfg = ble_npl_event_get_arg(work);
 	struct bt_mesh_subnet *sub;
-	u16_t period_ms;
+	int err;
 
 	BT_DBG("hb_pub.count: %u", cfg->hb_pub.count);
 
@@ -3303,15 +3330,9 @@ static void hb_publish(struct ble_npl_event *work)
 		return;
 	}
 
-	period_ms = hb_pwr2(cfg->hb_pub.period, 1) * 1000;
-	if (period_ms && cfg->hb_pub.count > 1) {
-		k_delayed_work_submit(&cfg->hb_pub.timer, period_ms);
-	}
-
-	bt_mesh_heartbeat_send();
-
-	if (cfg->hb_pub.count != 0xffff) {
-		cfg->hb_pub.count--;
+	err = bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(&publish_cb, cfg);
+	if (err) {
+		hb_publish_end_cb(err, cfg);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/nimble/host/mesh/src/lpn.c b/nimble/host/mesh/src/lpn.c
index ec012a5f0..0bfc00a17 100644
--- a/nimble/host/mesh/src/lpn.c
+++ b/nimble/host/mesh/src/lpn.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ static void clear_friendship(bool force, bool disable)
 	lpn->groups_changed = 1;
 
 	if (cfg->hb_pub.feat & BT_MESH_FEAT_LOW_POWER) {
-		bt_mesh_heartbeat_send();
+		(void)bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(NULL, NULL);
 	}
 
 	if (disable) {
@@ -961,7 +961,7 @@ int bt_mesh_lpn_friend_update(struct bt_mesh_net_rx *rx,
 		BT_INFO("Friendship established with 0x%04x", lpn->frnd);
 
 		if (cfg->hb_pub.feat & BT_MESH_FEAT_LOW_POWER) {
-			bt_mesh_heartbeat_send();
+			(void)bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(NULL, NULL);
 		}
 
 		if (lpn_cb) {
diff --git a/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.c b/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.c
index caf1b4f12..e771867cd 100644
--- a/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.c
+++ b/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.c
@@ -1569,7 +1569,7 @@ void bt_mesh_rpl_clear(void)
 	memset(bt_mesh.rpl, 0, sizeof(bt_mesh.rpl));
 }
 
-void bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(void)
+int bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(const struct bt_mesh_send_cb *cb, void *cb_data)
 {
 	struct bt_mesh_cfg_srv *cfg = bt_mesh_cfg_get();
 	u16_t feat = 0U;
@@ -1592,7 +1592,7 @@ void bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(void)
 
 	/* Do nothing if heartbeat publication is not enabled */
 	if (cfg->hb_pub.dst == BT_MESH_ADDR_UNASSIGNED) {
-		return;
+		return 0;
 	}
 
 	hb.init_ttl = cfg->hb_pub.ttl;
@@ -1617,8 +1617,8 @@ void bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(void)
 
 	BT_DBG("InitTTL %u feat 0x%04x", cfg->hb_pub.ttl, feat);
 
-	bt_mesh_ctl_send(&tx, TRANS_CTL_OP_HEARTBEAT, &hb, sizeof(hb),
-			 NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	return bt_mesh_ctl_send(&tx, TRANS_CTL_OP_HEARTBEAT, &hb, sizeof(hb),
+			 NULL, cb, cb_data);
 }
 
 int bt_mesh_app_key_get(const struct bt_mesh_subnet *subnet, u16_t app_idx,
diff --git a/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.h b/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.h
index eff768e9f..8bcbff071 100644
--- a/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.h
+++ b/nimble/host/mesh/src/transport.h
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ void bt_mesh_trans_init(void);
 
 void bt_mesh_rpl_clear(void);
 
-void bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(void);
+int bt_mesh_heartbeat_send(const struct bt_mesh_send_cb *cb, void *cb_data);
 
 int bt_mesh_app_key_get(const struct bt_mesh_subnet *subnet, u16_t app_idx,
 			u16_t addr, const u8_t **key, u8_t *aid);