diff --git a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl
index 9da2a4373..524078153 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_retainer/src/emqx_retainer.erl
@@ -304,11 +304,11 @@ do_deliver([], _, _, _) ->
 require_semaphore(Semaphore, Id) ->
     Remained = ets:update_counter(?SHARED_CONTEXT_TAB,
                                   Semaphore,
-                                  {#shared_context.value, -1, 0, 0}),
+                                  {#shared_context.value, -1, -1, -1}),
     wait_semaphore(Remained, Id).
 
 -spec wait_semaphore(non_neg_integer(), pos_integer()) -> boolean().
-wait_semaphore(0, Id) ->
+wait_semaphore(X, Id) when X < 0 ->
     gen_server:call(?MODULE, {?FUNCTION_NAME, Id}, infinity);
 wait_semaphore(_, _) ->
     true.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_retainer/test/emqx_retainer_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_retainer/test/emqx_retainer_SUITE.erl
index 3fa6b8abd..de2481580 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_retainer/test/emqx_retainer_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_retainer/test/emqx_retainer_SUITE.erl
@@ -40,12 +40,18 @@ end_per_suite(_Config) ->
 
 init_per_testcase(TestCase, Config) ->
     emqx_retainer:clean(),
-    Interval = case TestCase of
-                   t_message_expiry_2 -> 2000;
-                   _ -> 0
-               end,
-    OldCfg = emqx_config:get([?APP]),
-    emqx_config:put([?APP], OldCfg#{msg_expiry_interval := Interval}),
+    DefaultCfg = new_emqx_retainer_conf(),
+    NewCfg = case TestCase of
+                 t_message_expiry_2 ->
+                     DefaultCfg#{msg_expiry_interval := 2000};
+                 t_flow_control ->
+                     DefaultCfg#{flow_control := #{max_read_number => 1,
+                                                   msg_deliver_quota => 1,
+                                                   quota_release_interval => timer:seconds(1)}};
+                 _ ->
+                     DefaultCfg
+             end,
+    emqx_retainer:update_config(NewCfg),
     application:ensure_all_started(emqx_retainer),
     Config.
 
@@ -55,18 +61,20 @@ set_special_configs(_) ->
     ok.
 
 init_emqx_retainer_conf() ->
-    emqx_config:put([?APP],
-                    #{enable => true,
-                      msg_expiry_interval => 0,
-                      msg_clear_interval => 0,
-                      connector => [#{type => mnesia,
-                                      config =>
-                                          #{max_retained_messages => 0,
-                                            storage_type => ram}}],
-                      flow_control => #{max_read_number => 0,
-                                        msg_deliver_quota => 0,
-                                        quota_release_interval => 0},
-                      max_payload_size => 1024 * 1024}).
+    emqx_config:put([?APP], new_emqx_retainer_conf()).
+
+new_emqx_retainer_conf() ->
+    #{enable => true,
+      msg_expiry_interval => 0,
+      msg_clear_interval => 0,
+      connector => [#{type => mnesia,
+                      config =>
+                          #{max_retained_messages => 0,
+                            storage_type => ram}}],
+      flow_control => #{max_read_number => 0,
+                        msg_deliver_quota => 0,
+                        quota_release_interval => 0},
+                      max_payload_size => 1024 * 1024}.
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Test Cases
@@ -94,18 +102,35 @@ t_retain_handling(_) ->
     {ok, C1} = emqtt:start_link([{clean_start, true}, {proto_ver, v5}]),
     {ok, _} = emqtt:connect(C1),
 
+    %% rh = 0, no wildcard, and with empty retained message
+    {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 0}]),
+    ?assertEqual(0, length(receive_messages(1))),
+    {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:unsubscribe(C1, <<"retained">>),
+
+    %% rh = 0, has wildcard, and with empty retained message
+    {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained/#">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 0}]),
+    ?assertEqual(0, length(receive_messages(1))),
+    {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:unsubscribe(C1, <<"retained/#">>),
+
     emqtt:publish(C1, <<"retained">>, <<"this is a retained message">>, [{qos, 0}, {retain, true}]),
 
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 0}]),
     ?assertEqual(1, length(receive_messages(1))),
+
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 0}]),
     ?assertEqual(1, length(receive_messages(1))),
+
+    {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained/#">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 0}]),
+    ?assertEqual(1, length(receive_messages(1))),
+
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:unsubscribe(C1, <<"retained">>),
 
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 1}]),
     ?assertEqual(1, length(receive_messages(1))),
+
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 1}]),
     ?assertEqual(0, length(receive_messages(1))),
+
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:unsubscribe(C1, <<"retained">>),
 
     {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 2}]),
@@ -191,6 +216,24 @@ t_clean(_) ->
 
     ok = emqtt:disconnect(C1).
 
+t_flow_control(_) ->
+    {ok, C1} = emqtt:start_link([{clean_start, true}, {proto_ver, v5}]),
+    {ok, _} = emqtt:connect(C1),
+    emqtt:publish(C1, <<"retained/0">>, <<"this is a retained message 0">>, [{qos, 0}, {retain, true}]),
+    emqtt:publish(C1, <<"retained/1">>, <<"this is a retained message 1">>, [{qos, 0}, {retain, true}]),
+    emqtt:publish(C1, <<"retained/3">>, <<"this is a retained message 3">>, [{qos, 0}, {retain, true}]),
+    Begin = erlang:system_time(millisecond),
+    {ok, #{}, [0]} = emqtt:subscribe(C1, <<"retained/#">>, [{qos, 0}, {rh, 0}]),
+    ?assertEqual(3, length(receive_messages(3))),
+    End = erlang:system_time(millisecond),
+    Diff = End - Begin,
+
+    %% msg_deliver_quota = 1 and quota_release_interval = 1, and there has three message
+    %% so total wait time is between in 1 ~ 2s(may be timer will delay, so plus 0.5s to maximum)
+    ?assert(Diff > timer:seconds(1) andalso Diff < timer:seconds(2.5)),
+
+    ok = emqtt:disconnect(C1).
+
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Helper functions
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------