diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
index fc25490c4..7a5edbb48 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
@@ -1179,14 +1179,13 @@ terminate(_, #channel{conn_state = idle}) -> ok;
 terminate(normal, Channel) ->
     run_terminate_hook(normal, Channel);
 terminate({shutdown, kicked}, Channel) ->
-    persist_if_session(Channel),
     run_terminate_hook(kicked, Channel);
 terminate({shutdown, Reason}, Channel) when Reason =:= discarded;
                                             Reason =:= takeovered ->
     run_terminate_hook(Reason, Channel);
 terminate(Reason, Channel = #channel{will_msg = WillMsg}) ->
     (WillMsg =/= undefined) andalso publish_will_msg(WillMsg),
-    persist_if_session(Channel),
+    (Reason =:= expired) andalso persist_if_session(Channel),
     run_terminate_hook(Reason, Channel).
 
 persist_if_session(#channel{session = Session} = Channel) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_cm.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_cm.erl
index dbd8dfa63..890dce60a 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_cm.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_cm.erl
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@
         , lookup_channels/2
         ]).
 
+%% Test/debug interface
 -export([ all_channels/0
         , all_client_ids/0
         ]).
@@ -397,11 +398,12 @@ with_channel(ClientId, Fun) ->
         Pids  -> Fun(lists:last(Pids))
     end.
 
-%% @doc Get all channels registed.
+%% @doc Get all registed channel pids. Debugg/test interface
 all_channels() ->
     Pat = [{{'_', '$1'}, [], ['$1']}],
     ets:select(?CHAN_TAB, Pat).
 
+%% @doc Get all registed clientIDs. Debugg/test interface
 all_client_ids() ->
     Pat = [{{'$1', '_'}, [], ['$1']}],
     ets:select(?CHAN_TAB, Pat).
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_persistent_session_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_persistent_session_SUITE.erl
index d5637cad2..bcc8d5e69 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_persistent_session_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_persistent_session_SUITE.erl
@@ -113,8 +113,9 @@ init_per_group(snabbkaffe, Config) ->
     [ {kill_connection_process, true} | Config];
 init_per_group(gc_tests, Config) ->
     %% We need to make sure the system does not interfere with this test group.
-    [maybe_kill_connection_process(ClientId, [{kill_connection_process, true}])
-     || ClientId <- emqx_cm:all_client_ids()],
+    lists:foreach(fun(ClientId) ->
+                          maybe_kill_connection_process(ClientId, [{kill_connection_process, true}])
+                  end, emqx_cm:all_client_ids()),
     emqx_common_test_helpers:stop_apps([]),
     SessionMsgEts = gc_tests_session_store,
     MsgEts = gc_tests_msg_store,