diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
index 7b23121c5..1eb3a2ea8 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_channel.erl
@@ -1137,7 +1137,7 @@ handle_call(
         conninfo = #{proto_ver := ProtoVer}
     }
 ) ->
-    Channel0 = maybe_publish_will_msg(Channel),
+    Channel0 = maybe_publish_will_msg(kick, Channel),
     Channel1 =
         case ConnState of
             connected -> ensure_disconnected(kicked, Channel0);
@@ -1230,8 +1230,9 @@ handle_info(
 ) when
     ConnState =:= connected orelse ConnState =:= reauthenticating
 ->
+
     {Intent, Session1} = session_disconnect(ClientInfo, ConnInfo, Session),
-    Channel1 = ensure_disconnected(Reason, maybe_publish_will_msg(Channel)),
+    Channel1 = ensure_disconnected(Reason, maybe_publish_will_msg(sock_closed, Channel)),
     Channel2 = Channel1#channel{session = Session1},
     case maybe_shutdown(Reason, Intent, Channel2) of
         {ok, Channel3} -> {ok, ?REPLY_EVENT(disconnected), Channel3};
@@ -1425,7 +1426,7 @@ terminate(normal, Channel) ->
 terminate({shutdown, kicked}, Channel) ->
     run_terminate_hook(kicked, Channel);
 terminate(Reason, Channel) ->
-    Channel1 = maybe_publish_will_msg(Channel),
+    Channel1 = maybe_publish_will_msg(Reason, Channel),
     run_terminate_hook(Reason, Channel1).
 
 run_terminate_hook(_Reason, #channel{session = undefined}) ->
@@ -2217,16 +2218,43 @@ session_disconnect(_ClientInfo, _ConnInfo, undefined) ->
 
 %%--------------------------------------------------------------------
 %% Maybe Publish will msg
-
-maybe_publish_will_msg(Channel = #channel{will_msg = undefined}) ->
+-spec maybe_publish_will_msg(Reason, channel()) -> channel() when
+    Reason :: kick | sock_closed | {shutdown, atom()}.
+maybe_publish_will_msg(_Reason, Channel = #channel{will_msg = undefined}) ->
     Channel;
-maybe_publish_will_msg(Channel = #channel{clientinfo = ClientInfo, will_msg = WillMsg}) ->
-    case will_delay_interval(WillMsg) of
-        0 ->
-            ok = publish_will_msg(ClientInfo, WillMsg),
-            Channel#channel{will_msg = undefined};
-        I ->
-            ensure_timer(will_message, timer:seconds(I), Channel)
+maybe_publish_will_msg(
+    _Reason,
+    Channel = #channel{conninfo = #{proto_ver := ?MQTT_PROTO_V3}, will_msg = WillMsg}
+) ->
+    %% Unconditionally publish will message for MQTT 3.1.1
+    ok = publish_will_msg(Channel#channel.clientinfo, WillMsg),
+    Channel#channel{will_msg = undefined};
+maybe_publish_will_msg(
+    Reason, Channel = #channel{clientinfo = ClientInfo, will_msg = WillMsg, timers = Timers}
+) when
+    Reason =:= {shutdown, expired}
+->
+    %% Must publish now without delay and cancel the will message timer.
+    DelayedWillTimer = maps:get(will_message, Timers, undefined),
+    DelayedWillTimer =/= undefined andalso erlang:cancel_timer(DelayedWillTimer, [{async, true}]),
+    _ = publish_will_msg(ClientInfo, WillMsg),
+    Channel#channel{will_msg = undefined, timers = maps:remove(will_message, Timers)};
+maybe_publish_will_msg(
+    _OtherReasons, Channel = #channel{clientinfo = ClientInfo, will_msg = WillMsg, timers = Timers}
+) ->
+    case maps:get(will_message, Timers, undefined) of
+        undefined ->
+            %% May defer the will message publishing
+            case will_delay_interval(WillMsg) of
+                0 ->
+                    ok = publish_will_msg(ClientInfo, WillMsg),
+                    Channel#channel{will_msg = undefined};
+                I ->
+                    ensure_timer(will_message, timer:seconds(I), Channel)
+            end;
+        %% Will message is already scheduled
+        _ ->
+            Channel
     end.
 
 will_delay_interval(WillMsg) ->