diff --git a/src/emqx_channel.erl b/src/emqx_channel.erl
index 71b89f153..cc5394cd9 100644
--- a/src/emqx_channel.erl
+++ b/src/emqx_channel.erl
@@ -1540,15 +1540,20 @@ mabye_publish_will_msg(Channel = #channel{will_msg = undefined}) ->
     Channel;
 mabye_publish_will_msg(Channel = #channel{will_msg = WillMsg}) ->
     case will_delay_interval(WillMsg) of
-        0 -> publish_will_msg(WillMsg),
-             Channel#channel{will_msg = undefined};
-        I -> ensure_timer(will_timer, timer:seconds(I), Channel)
+        0 ->
+            ok = publish_will_msg(WillMsg),
+            Channel#channel{will_msg = undefined};
+        I ->
+            ensure_timer(will_timer, timer:seconds(I), Channel)
     end.
 
 will_delay_interval(WillMsg) ->
     maps:get('Will-Delay-Interval', emqx_message:get_header(properties, WillMsg), 0).
 
-publish_will_msg(Msg) -> emqx_broker:publish(Msg).
+publish_will_msg(Msg) ->
+    %% TODO check if we should discard result here
+    _ = emqx_broker:publish(Msg),
+    ok.
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Disconnect Reason