diff --git a/src/emqx_channel.erl b/src/emqx_channel.erl
index 1e780eb08..224965fde 100644
--- a/src/emqx_channel.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_channel.erl
@@ -542,9 +542,6 @@ handle_out({deliver, Delivers}, Channel = #channel{session = Session}) ->
             {ok, Channel#channel{session = NSession}}
     end;
 
-handle_out({publish, [Publish]}, Channel) ->
-    handle_out(Publish, Channel);
-
 handle_out({publish, Publishes}, Channel) when is_list(Publishes) ->
     Packets = lists:foldl(
                 fun(Publish, Acc) ->
diff --git a/src/emqx_packet.erl b/src/emqx_packet.erl
index b06f526af..1113c15d7 100644
--- a/src/emqx_packet.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_packet.erl
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ check(#mqtt_packet{variable = SubPkt}) when is_record(SubPkt, mqtt_packet_subscr
 check(#mqtt_packet{variable = UnsubPkt}) when is_record(UnsubPkt, mqtt_packet_unsubscribe) ->
     check(UnsubPkt);
 
+check(#mqtt_packet_publish{topic_name = <<>>, properties = #{'Topic-Alias':= _TopicAlias}}) ->
+    ok;
+check(#mqtt_packet_publish{topic_name = <<>>, properties = #{}}) ->
+    {error, ?RC_PROTOCOL_ERROR};
 check(#mqtt_packet_publish{topic_name = TopicName, properties = Props}) ->
     try emqx_topic:validate(name, TopicName) of
         true -> check_pub_props(Props)
diff --git a/test/emqx_msg_expiry_interval_SUITE.erl b/test/emqx_msg_expiry_interval_SUITE.erl
index 555da9dd7..f3170b718 100644
--- a/test/emqx_msg_expiry_interval_SUITE.erl
+++ b/test/emqx_msg_expiry_interval_SUITE.erl
@@ -39,24 +39,24 @@ t_message_expiry_interval_2(_) ->
 	[message_expiry_interval_not_exipred(ClientA, QoS) || QoS <- [0,1,2]].
 
 message_expiry_interval_init() ->
-	{ok, ClientA} = emqx_client:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-a">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
-	{ok, ClientB} = emqx_client:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-b">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
-	{ok, _} = emqx_client:connect(ClientA),
-	{ok, _} = emqx_client:connect(ClientB),
+	{ok, ClientA} = emqtt:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-a">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
+	{ok, ClientB} = emqtt:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-b">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
+	{ok, _} = emqtt:connect(ClientA),
+	{ok, _} = emqtt:connect(ClientB),
 		%% subscribe and disconnect client-b
-	emqx_client:subscribe(ClientB, <<"t/a">>, 1),
-	emqx_client:stop(ClientB),
+	emqtt:subscribe(ClientB, <<"t/a">>, 1),
+	emqtt:stop(ClientB),
 	ClientA.
 
 message_expiry_interval_exipred(ClientA, QoS) ->
 	ct:pal("~p ~p", [?FUNCTION_NAME, QoS]),
 	%% publish to t/a and waiting for the message expired
-	emqx_client:publish(ClientA, <<"t/a">>, #{'Message-Expiry-Interval' => 1}, <<"this will be purged in 1s">>, [{qos, QoS}]),
+	emqtt:publish(ClientA, <<"t/a">>, #{'Message-Expiry-Interval' => 1}, <<"this will be purged in 1s">>, [{qos, QoS}]),
 	ct:sleep(1000),
 
 	%% resume the session for client-b
-	{ok, ClientB1} = emqx_client:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-b">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
-	{ok, _} = emqx_client:connect(ClientB1),
+	{ok, ClientB1} = emqtt:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-b">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
+	{ok, _} = emqtt:connect(ClientB1),
 
 	%% verify client-b could not receive the publish message
 	receive
@@ -65,18 +65,18 @@ message_expiry_interval_exipred(ClientA, QoS) ->
 	after 300 ->
 		ok
 	end,
-	emqx_client:stop(ClientB1).
+	emqtt:stop(ClientB1).
 
 message_expiry_interval_not_exipred(ClientA, QoS) ->
 	ct:pal("~p ~p", [?FUNCTION_NAME, QoS]),
 	%% publish to t/a
-	emqx_client:publish(ClientA, <<"t/a">>, #{'Message-Expiry-Interval' => 20}, <<"this will be purged in 1s">>, [{qos, QoS}]),
+	emqtt:publish(ClientA, <<"t/a">>, #{'Message-Expiry-Interval' => 20}, <<"this will be purged in 1s">>, [{qos, QoS}]),
 
 	%% wait for 1s and then resume the session for client-b, the message should not expires
 	%% as Message-Expiry-Interval = 20s
 	ct:sleep(1000),
-	{ok, ClientB1} = emqx_client:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-b">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
-	{ok, _} = emqx_client:connect(ClientB1),
+	{ok, ClientB1} = emqtt:start_link([{proto_ver,v5}, {client_id, <<"client-b">>}, {clean_start, false},{properties, #{'Session-Expiry-Interval' => 360}}]),
+	{ok, _} = emqtt:connect(ClientB1),
 
 	%% verify client-b could receive the publish message and the Message-Expiry-Interval is set
 	receive
@@ -88,4 +88,4 @@ message_expiry_interval_not_exipred(ClientA, QoS) ->
 	after 300 ->
 		ct:fail(no_publish_received)
 	end,
-	emqx_client:stop(ClientB1).
+	emqtt:stop(ClientB1).