diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index f6230d2c7..5c0fd0bba 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -101,12 +101,19 @@ rebar-eunit: $(CUTTLEFISH_SCRIPT)
 rebar-compile:
 	@rebar3 compile
 
-rebar-ct: app.config
+rebar-ct-setup: app.config
 	@rebar3 as test compile
 	@ln -s -f '../../../../etc' _build/test/lib/emqx/
 	@ln -s -f '../../../../data' _build/test/lib/emqx/
+
+rebar-ct: rebar-ct-setup
 	@rebar3 ct -v --readable=false --name $(CT_NODE_NAME) --suite=$(shell echo $(foreach var,$(CT_SUITES),test/$(var)_SUITE) | tr ' ' ',')
 
+## Run one single CT with rebar3
+## e.g. make ct-one-suite suite=emqx_portal
+ct-one-suite: rebar-ct-setup
+	@rebar3 ct -v --readable=false --name $(CT_NODE_NAME) --suite=$(suite)_SUITE
+
 rebar-clean:
 	@rebar3 clean
 
diff --git a/src/portal/emqx_portal.erl b/src/portal/emqx_portal.erl
index 238b6681f..a0f954e1a 100644
--- a/src/portal/emqx_portal.erl
+++ b/src/portal/emqx_portal.erl
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@
 -export([connecting/3, connected/3]).
 
 %% management APIs
--export([get_forwards/1]). %, add_forward/2, del_forward/2]).
+-export([get_forwards/1, ensure_forward_present/2]). %, del_forward/2]).
 -export([get_subscriptions/1]). %, add_subscription/3, del_subscription/2]).
 
 -export_type([config/0,
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@
 -type config() :: map().
 -type batch() :: [emqx_portal_msg:exp_msg()].
 -type ack_ref() :: term().
+-type topic() :: emqx_topic:topic().
 
 -include("logger.hrl").
 -include("emqx_mqtt.hrl").
@@ -137,8 +138,13 @@ handle_ack(Pid, Ref) when node() =:= node(Pid) ->
     Pid ! {batch_ack, Ref},
     ok.
 
--spec get_forwards(id()) -> [emqx_topic:topic()].
-get_forwards(Id) -> gen_statem:call(id(Id), get_forwards).
+%% @doc Return all forwards (local subscriptions).
+-spec get_forwards(id()) -> [topic()].
+get_forwards(Id) -> gen_statem:call(id(Id), get_forwards, timer:seconds(1000)).
+
+%% @doc Add a new forward (local topic subscription).
+-spec ensure_forward_present(id(), topic()) -> ok | {error, any()}.
+ensure_forward_present(Id, Topic) -> gen_statem:call(id(Id), {ensure_forward_present, topic(Topic)}).
 
 -spec get_subscriptions(id()) -> [{emqx_topic:topic(), qos()}].
 get_subscriptions(Id) -> gen_statem:call(id(Id), get_subscriptions).
@@ -185,7 +191,7 @@ init(Config) ->
        batch_count_limit => GetQ(batch_count_limit, ?DEFAULT_BATCH_COUNT),
        max_inflight_batches => Get(max_inflight_batches, ?DEFAULT_SEND_AHEAD),
        mountpoint => format_mountpoint(Get(mountpoint, undefined)),
-       topics => Topics,
+       forwards => Topics,
        subscriptions => Subs,
        replayq => Queue,
        inflight => []
@@ -274,6 +280,16 @@ connected(Type, Content, State) ->
 %% Common handlers
 common(_StateName, {call, From}, get_forwards, #{forwards := Forwards}) ->
     {keep_state_and_data, [{reply, From, Forwards}]};
+common(_StateName, {call, From}, {ensure_forward_present, Topic},
+       #{forwards := Forwards} = State) ->
+    case lists:member(Topic, Forwards) of
+        true ->
+            {keep_state_and_data, [{reply, From, ok}]};
+        false ->
+            ok = subscribe_local_topic(Topic),
+            {keep_state, State#{forwards := lists:usort([Topic | Forwards])},
+             [{reply, From, ok}]}
+    end;
 common(_StateName, {call, From}, get_subscriptions, #{subscriptions := Subs}) ->
     {keep_state_and_data, [{reply, From, Subs}]};
 common(_StateName, info, {dispatch, _, Msg},
@@ -281,8 +297,8 @@ common(_StateName, info, {dispatch, _, Msg},
     NewQ = replayq:append(Q, collect([Msg])),
     {keep_state, State#{replayq => NewQ}, ?maybe_send};
 common(StateName, Type, Content, State) ->
-    ?DEBUG("Portal ~p discarded ~p type event at state ~p:~p",
-           [name(), Type, StateName, Content]),
+    ?INFO("Portal ~p discarded ~p type event at state ~p:~p",
+          [name(), Type, StateName, Content]),
     {keep_state, State}.
 
 collect(Acc) ->
@@ -346,13 +362,19 @@ do_ack(#{inflight := Inflight}, Ref) ->
         false -> stale
     end.
 
-subscribe_local_topics(Topics) ->
-    lists:foreach(
-      fun(Topic0) ->
-              Topic = iolist_to_binary(Topic0),
-              emqx_topic:validate({filter, Topic}) orelse erlang:error({bad_topic, Topic}),
-              emqx_broker:subscribe(Topic, #{qos => ?QOS_1, subid => name()})
-      end, Topics).
+subscribe_local_topics(Topics) -> lists:foreach(fun subscribe_local_topic/1, Topics).
+
+subscribe_local_topic(Topic0) ->
+    Topic = topic(Topic0),
+    try
+        emqx_topic:validate({filter, Topic})
+    catch
+        error : Reason ->
+            erlang:error({bad_topic, Topic, Reason})
+    end,
+    ok = emqx_broker:subscribe(Topic, #{qos => ?QOS_1, subid => name()}).
+
+topic(T) -> iolist_to_binary(T).
 
 disconnect(#{connection := Conn,
              conn_ref := ConnRef,
diff --git a/test/emqx_ct_broker_helpers.erl b/test/emqx_ct_broker_helpers.erl
index 1ef5b1fa3..0e0bfa3a4 100644
--- a/test/emqx_ct_broker_helpers.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_ct_broker_helpers.erl
@@ -54,10 +54,17 @@
                          "ECDH-RSA-AES128-SHA","AES128-SHA"]}]).
 
 run_setup_steps() ->
+    _ = run_setup_steps([]),
+    %% return ok to be backward compatible
+    ok.
+
+run_setup_steps(Config) ->
     NewConfig = generate_config(),
     lists:foreach(fun set_app_env/1, NewConfig),
     set_bridge_env(),
-    application:ensure_all_started(?APP).
+    {ok, _} = application:ensure_all_started(?APP),
+    set_log_level(Config),
+    Config.
 
 run_teardown_steps() ->
     ?APP:shutdown().
@@ -67,6 +74,12 @@ generate_config() ->
     Conf = conf_parse:file([local_path(["etc", "gen.emqx.conf"])]),
     cuttlefish_generator:map(Schema, Conf).
 
+set_log_level(Config) ->
+    case proplists:get_value(log_level, Config) of
+        undefined -> ok;
+        Level -> emqx_logger:set_log_level(Level)
+    end.
+
 get_base_dir(Module) ->
     {file, Here} = code:is_loaded(Module),
     filename:dirname(filename:dirname(Here)).
diff --git a/test/emqx_portal_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_portal_SUITE.erl
index 50d438f16..2c92afd94 100644
--- a/test/emqx_portal_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_portal_SUITE.erl
@@ -39,8 +39,7 @@ init_per_suite(Config) ->
         _ ->
             ok
     end,
-    emqx_ct_broker_helpers:run_setup_steps(),
-    Config.
+    emqx_ct_broker_helpers:run_setup_steps(Config).
 
 end_per_suite(_Config) ->
     emqx_ct_broker_helpers:run_teardown_steps().
@@ -57,12 +56,14 @@ t_forwards_mngr(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
     {ok, Pid} = emqx_portal:start_link(Name, Cfg),
     try
         ?assertEqual([<<"mngr">>], emqx_portal:get_forwards(Name)),
+        ?assertEqual(ok, emqx_portal:ensure_forward_present(Name, "mngr")),
+        ?assertEqual(ok, emqx_portal:ensure_forward_present(Name, "mngr2")),
+        ?assertEqual([<<"mngr">>, <<"mngr2">>], emqx_portal:get_forwards(Pid)),
         ?assertEqual(Subs, emqx_portal:get_subscriptions(Pid))
     after
         ok = emqx_portal:stop(Pid)
     end.
 
-
 %% A loopback RPC to local node
 t_rpc(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
     Cfg = #{address => node(),