The present invention is directed to an apparatus, system, methods, and computer-program product for message delivery in a publish/subscribe network is provided. According to one embodiment of the invention, a method for message delivery in a publish/subscribe network includes defining a group of publish/subscribe engines as a subset of a set of fully connectable publish/subscribe engines, wherein the group provides a function which can be carried out by any one of the publish/subscribe engines in the group. Each of the publish/subscribe engines in the group sends a group proxy subscription including a topic, an indication of the publish/subscribe engine sending the group proxy subscription, and an indication of the group. A publish/subscribe engine outside the group sends a single publish message to one of the group of publish/subscribe engines with a group proxy subscription for a topic. If the one of the group of publish/subscribe engines to which the single publish message is being sent also has an individual proxy subscription, the publish message for the group is included in the publish message for the individual proxy subscription.