diff --git a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py
index 6a75ccd..e717e03 100644
--- a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py
+++ b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/rabbitmq_utils.py
@@ -437,6 +437,7 @@ def __init__(
         conn_params: Conn,
         exch_params: Exch,
         *args,
+        channel: Channel | None = None,
         **kwargs,
     ):
         super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)
@@ -446,8 +447,28 @@ def __init__(
         self._exch = exch_params
         self._queue = None
 
-        self.connection = BlockingConnection(conn_params.connection_parameters)
-        self.channel = self.connection.channel()
+        # establish RabbitMQ connection/channel and initialize exchange (or reuse provided channel)
+        self.setup(channel if channel is not None else conn_params)
+
+    def setup(self, channel_args: Conn | Channel):
+        """
+        Method that initializes the RabbitMQ connection, channel, exchange, and queue to be used
+        to publish messages in a threadsafe way.
+        Can be overridden to customize how Publisher establishes these RMQ resources.
+
+        Args:
+            rmq_args (Conn | None)
+        """
+        if isinstance(channel_args, Channel):
+            # reuse the existing RabbitMQ Connection and Channel passed to setup()
+            self.connection = channel_args.connection
+            self.channel = channel_args
+        elif isinstance(channel_args, Conn):
+            # create new RabbitMQ Connection and Channel using the provided params
+            self.connection = BlockingConnection(channel_args.connection_parameters)
+            self.channel = self.connection.channel()
+        else:
+            raise ValueError('Publisher expects RabbitMQ params (Conn) or existing Channel to run setup')
 
         # if delivery is mandatory there must be a queue attach to the exchange
         if self._exch.mandatory:
@@ -457,7 +478,7 @@ def __init__(
                                 exclusive=True,
                                 auto_delete=False,
                                 arguments={'x-queue-type': 'classic',
-                                           'x-message-ttl': 10 * 1000})
+                                            'x-message-ttl': 10 * 1000})
 
             _setup_exch_and_queue(self.channel, self._exch, self._queue)
         else:
diff --git a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/utils.py b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/utils.py
index ea12da6..c35e97d 100644
--- a/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/utils.py
+++ b/python/idsse_common/idsse/common/utils.py
@@ -117,7 +117,6 @@ def exec_cmd(commands: Sequence[str], timeout: int | None = None) -> Sequence[st
 
 def to_iso(date_time: datetime) -> str:
     """Format a datetime instance to an ISO string"""
-    logger.debug('Datetime (%s) to iso', datetime)
     return (f'{date_time.strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M")}:'
             f'{(date_time.second + date_time.microsecond / 1e6):06.3f}'
             'Z' if date_time.tzname() in [None, str(timezone.utc)]
@@ -126,7 +125,6 @@ def to_iso(date_time: datetime) -> str:
 
 def to_compact(date_time: datetime) -> str:
     """Format a datetime instance to a compact string"""
-    logger.debug('Datetime (%s) to compact -- %s', datetime, __name__)
     return date_time.strftime('%Y%m%d%H%M%S')
 
 
diff --git a/python/idsse_common/test/test_rabbitmq_utils.py b/python/idsse_common/test/test_rabbitmq_utils.py
index bf8ec32..1f7a2e8 100644
--- a/python/idsse_common/test/test_rabbitmq_utils.py
+++ b/python/idsse_common/test/test_rabbitmq_utils.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 
 from pytest import fixture, raises, MonkeyPatch
 from pika.adapters import blocking_connection
+from pika.channel import Channel
 
 from idsse.common.rabbitmq_utils import (
     Conn, Exch, Queue, Publisher, RabbitMqParams, subscribe_to_queue
@@ -154,9 +155,7 @@ def test_passing_connection_does_not_create_new(mock_connection, monkeypatch):
         'idsse.common.rabbitmq_utils.BlockingConnection', mock_blocking_connection
     )
 
-    new_connection, new_channel = subscribe_to_queue(
-        CONN, RMQ_PARAMS, mock_callback_function
-    )
+    new_connection, new_channel = subscribe_to_queue(CONN, RMQ_PARAMS, mock_callback_function)
 
     mock_connection.assert_not_called()
     assert new_connection == mock_connection
@@ -237,3 +236,17 @@ def test_simple_publisher(monkeypatch: MonkeyPatch, mock_connection: Mock):
 
     publisher.stop()
     assert 'MockChannel.close' in str(mock_threadsafe.call_args[0][1])
+
+
+def test_simple_publisher_existing_channel(
+    monkeypatch: MonkeyPatch, mock_connection: Mock, mock_channel: Mock
+):
+    mock_blocking_connection = Mock(return_value=mock_connection)
+    monkeypatch.setattr('idsse.common.rabbitmq_utils.BlockingConnection', mock_blocking_connection)
+    mock_channel.__class__ = Channel  # make mock look like real pika.Channel
+
+    publisher = Publisher(CONN, RMQ_PARAMS.exchange, channel=mock_channel)
+
+    mock_blocking_connection.assert_not_called()  # should not have created new Connection/Channel
+    assert publisher.channel == mock_channel
+    assert publisher.connection == mock_channel.connection