diff --git a/src/emqx_ws_channel.erl b/src/emqx_ws_channel.erl
index 096e3261f..74a5e2a71 100644
--- a/src/emqx_ws_channel.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_ws_channel.erl
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ terminate_session(Reason, ProtoState) ->
         undefined ->
             ok;
         SessionPid ->
+            unlink(SessionPid),
             SessionPid ! {'EXIT', self(), Reason}
     end.