diff --git a/apps/emqx/i18n/emqx_schema_i18n.conf b/apps/emqx/i18n/emqx_schema_i18n.conf
index e7c4890f7..750c0c2cd 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/i18n/emqx_schema_i18n.conf
+++ b/apps/emqx/i18n/emqx_schema_i18n.conf
@@ -1078,11 +1078,13 @@ Supported configurations are the following:
 
     broker_shared_dispatch_ack_enabled {
         desc {
-            en: """Enable/disable shared dispatch acknowledgement for QoS 1 and QoS 2 messages.
+            en: """Deprecated, will be removed in 5.1.
+Enable/disable shared dispatch acknowledgement for QoS 1 and QoS 2 messages.
 This should allow messages to be dispatched to a different subscriber in the group in case the picked (based on `shared_subscription_strategy`) subscriber is offline.
 """
 
-            zh: """启用/禁用 QoS 1 和 QoS 2 消息的共享派发确认。
+            zh: """该配置项已废弃，会在 5.1 中移除。
+启用/禁用 QoS 1 和 QoS 2 消息的共享派发确认。
 开启后，允许将消息从未及时回复 ACK 的订阅者 （例如，客户端离线）重新派发给另外一个订阅者。
 """
         }
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
index 171b6dc42..b1afcac7f 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_schema.erl
@@ -1198,6 +1198,10 @@ fields("broker") ->
             sc(
                 boolean(),
                 #{
+                    %% TODO: deprecated => {since, "5.1.0"}
+                    %% in favor of session message re-dispatch at termination
+                    %% we will stop supporting dispatch acks for shared
+                    %% subscriptions.
                     default => false,
                     desc => ?DESC(broker_shared_dispatch_ack_enabled)
                 }
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_shared_sub.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_shared_sub.erl
index 975b403b9..e20297703 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_shared_sub.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_shared_sub.erl
@@ -81,8 +81,6 @@
     | round_robin_per_group
     | sticky
     | local
-    %% same as hash_clientid, backward compatible
-    | hash
     | hash_clientid
     | hash_topic.
 
@@ -97,6 +95,7 @@
 -define(NACK(Reason), {shared_sub_nack, Reason}).
 -define(NO_ACK, no_ack).
 -define(REDISPATCH_TO(GROUP, TOPIC), {GROUP, TOPIC}).
+-define(SUBSCRIBER_DOWN, noproc).
 
 -type redispatch_to() :: ?REDISPATCH_TO(emqx_topic:group(), emqx_topic:topic()).
 
@@ -139,7 +138,7 @@ record(Group, Topic, SubPid) ->
 -spec dispatch(emqx_types:group(), emqx_types:topic(), emqx_types:delivery()) ->
     emqx_types:deliver_result().
 dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery) ->
-    dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery, _FailedSubs = []).
+    dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery, _FailedSubs = #{}).
 
 dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery = #delivery{message = Msg}, FailedSubs) ->
     #message{from = ClientId, topic = SourceTopic} = Msg,
@@ -151,9 +150,9 @@ dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery = #delivery{message = Msg}, FailedSubs) ->
             case do_dispatch(SubPid, Group, Topic, Msg1, Type) of
                 ok ->
                     {ok, 1};
-                {error, _Reason} ->
+                {error, Reason} ->
                     %% Failed to dispatch to this sub, try next.
-                    dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery, [SubPid | FailedSubs])
+                    dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery, FailedSubs#{SubPid => Reason})
             end
     end.
 
@@ -262,7 +261,9 @@ redispatch_shared_message(#message{} = Msg) ->
     %% Note that dispatch is called with self() in failed subs
     %% This is done to avoid dispatching back to caller
     Delivery = #delivery{sender = self(), message = Msg},
-    dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery, [self()]).
+    %% Self is terminating, it makes no sense to loop-back the dispatch
+    FailedSubs = #{self() => ?SUBSCRIBER_DOWN},
+    dispatch(Group, Topic, Delivery, FailedSubs).
 
 %% @hidden Return the `redispatch_to` group-topic in the message header.
 %% `false` is returned if the message is not a shared dispatch.
@@ -307,27 +308,33 @@ maybe_ack(Msg) ->
 
 pick(sticky, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs) ->
     Sub0 = erlang:get({shared_sub_sticky, Group, Topic}),
-    case is_active_sub(Sub0, FailedSubs) of
+    All = subscribers(Group, Topic, FailedSubs),
+    case is_active_sub(Sub0, FailedSubs, All) of
         true ->
             %% the old subscriber is still alive
             %% keep using it for sticky strategy
             {fresh, Sub0};
         false ->
             %% randomly pick one for the first message
-            {Type, Sub} = do_pick(random, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, [Sub0 | FailedSubs]),
-            %% stick to whatever pick result
-            erlang:put({shared_sub_sticky, Group, Topic}, Sub),
-            {Type, Sub}
+            FailedSubs1 = FailedSubs#{Sub0 => ?SUBSCRIBER_DOWN},
+            Res = do_pick(All, random, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs1),
+            case Res of
+                {_, Sub} ->
+                    %% stick to whatever pick result
+                    erlang:put({shared_sub_sticky, Group, Topic}, Sub);
+                _ ->
+                    ok
+            end,
+            Res
     end;
 pick(Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs) ->
-    do_pick(Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs).
+    All = subscribers(Group, Topic, FailedSubs),
+    do_pick(All, Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs).
 
-do_pick(Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs) ->
-    All = subscribers(Group, Topic),
-    case All -- FailedSubs of
-        [] when All =:= [] ->
-            %% Genuinely no subscriber
-            false;
+do_pick([], _Strategy, _ClientId, _SourceTopic, _Group, _Topic, _FailedSubs) ->
+    false;
+do_pick(All, Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, Group, Topic, FailedSubs) ->
+    case lists:filter(fun(Sub) -> not maps:is_key(Sub, FailedSubs) end, All) of
         [] ->
             %% All offline? pick one anyway
             {retry, pick_subscriber(Group, Topic, Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, All)};
@@ -351,9 +358,6 @@ pick_subscriber(Group, Topic, Strategy, ClientId, SourceTopic, Subs) ->
 
 do_pick_subscriber(_Group, _Topic, random, _ClientId, _SourceTopic, Count) ->
     rand:uniform(Count);
-do_pick_subscriber(Group, Topic, hash, ClientId, SourceTopic, Count) ->
-    %% backward compatible
-    do_pick_subscriber(Group, Topic, hash_clientid, ClientId, SourceTopic, Count);
 do_pick_subscriber(_Group, _Topic, hash_clientid, ClientId, _SourceTopic, Count) ->
     1 + erlang:phash2(ClientId) rem Count;
 do_pick_subscriber(_Group, _Topic, hash_topic, _ClientId, SourceTopic, Count) ->
@@ -374,6 +378,16 @@ do_pick_subscriber(Group, Topic, round_robin_per_group, _ClientId, _SourceTopic,
         {Group, Topic}, 0
     }).
 
+%% Select ETS table to get all subscriber pids which are not down.
+subscribers(Group, Topic, FailedSubs) ->
+    lists:filter(
+        fun(P) ->
+            ?SUBSCRIBER_DOWN =/= maps:get(P, FailedSubs, false)
+        end,
+        subscribers(Group, Topic)
+    ).
+
+%% Select ETS table to get all subscriber pids.
 subscribers(Group, Topic) ->
     ets:select(?TAB, [{{emqx_shared_subscription, Group, Topic, '$1'}, [], ['$1']}]).
 
@@ -427,6 +441,7 @@ handle_info(
     {mnesia_table_event, {write, #emqx_shared_subscription{subpid = SubPid}, _}},
     State = #state{pmon = PMon}
 ) ->
+    ok = maybe_insert_alive_tab(SubPid),
     {noreply, update_stats(State#state{pmon = emqx_pmon:monitor(SubPid, PMon)})};
 %% The subscriber may have subscribed multiple topics, so we need to keep monitoring the PID until
 %% it `unsubscribed` the last topic.
@@ -512,8 +527,10 @@ update_stats(State) ->
     State.
 
 %% Return 'true' if the subscriber process is alive AND not in the failed list
-is_active_sub(Pid, FailedSubs) ->
-    is_alive_sub(Pid) andalso not lists:member(Pid, FailedSubs).
+is_active_sub(Pid, FailedSubs, All) ->
+    lists:member(Pid, All) andalso
+        (not maps:is_key(Pid, FailedSubs)) andalso
+        is_alive_sub(Pid).
 
 %% erlang:is_process_alive/1 does not work with remote pid.
 is_alive_sub(Pid) when ?IS_LOCAL_PID(Pid) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_session_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_session_SUITE.erl
index c171382c7..91bf4659b 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_session_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_session_SUITE.erl
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ t_publish_qos2_with_error_return(_) ->
 
     begin
         Msg2 = emqx_message:make(clientid, ?QOS_2, <<"t">>, <<"payload2">>),
-        {ok, [], Session1} = emqx_session:publish(clientinfo(), PacketId2 = 2, Msg2, Session),
+        {ok, [], Session1} = emqx_session:publish(clientinfo(), _PacketId2 = 2, Msg2, Session),
         ?assertEqual(2, emqx_session:info(awaiting_rel_cnt, Session1)),
         {error, RC2 = ?RC_RECEIVE_MAXIMUM_EXCEEDED} = emqx_session:publish(
             clientinfo(), _PacketId3 = 3, Msg2, Session1
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
index a428a6fa9..3455c41f9 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_shared_sub_SUITE.erl
@@ -344,9 +344,42 @@ t_sticky(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
     ok = ensure_config(sticky, true),
     test_two_messages(sticky).
 
+%% two subscribers in one shared group
+%% one unsubscribe after receiving a message
+%% the other one in the group should receive the next message
+t_sticky_unsubscribe(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
+    ok = ensure_config(sticky, false),
+    Topic = <<"foo/bar/sticky-unsub">>,
+    ClientId1 = <<"c1-sticky-unsub">>,
+    ClientId2 = <<"c2-sticky-unsub">>,
+    Group = <<"gsu">>,
+    {ok, ConnPid1} = emqtt:start_link([{clientid, ClientId1}]),
+    {ok, ConnPid2} = emqtt:start_link([{clientid, ClientId2}]),
+    {ok, _} = emqtt:connect(ConnPid1),
+    {ok, _} = emqtt:connect(ConnPid2),
+
+    ShareTopic = <<"$share/", Group/binary, "/", Topic/binary>>,
+    emqtt:subscribe(ConnPid1, {ShareTopic, 0}),
+    emqtt:subscribe(ConnPid2, {ShareTopic, 0}),
+
+    Message1 = emqx_message:make(ClientId1, 0, Topic, <<"hello1">>),
+    Message2 = emqx_message:make(ClientId2, 0, Topic, <<"hello2">>),
+    ct:sleep(100),
+
+    emqx:publish(Message1),
+    {true, UsedSubPid1} = last_message(<<"hello1">>, [ConnPid1, ConnPid2]),
+    emqtt:unsubscribe(UsedSubPid1, ShareTopic),
+    emqx:publish(Message2),
+    {true, UsedSubPid2} = last_message(<<"hello2">>, [ConnPid1, ConnPid2]),
+    ?assertNotEqual(UsedSubPid1, UsedSubPid2),
+
+    kill_process(ConnPid1, fun(_) -> emqtt:stop(ConnPid1) end),
+    kill_process(ConnPid2, fun(_) -> emqtt:stop(ConnPid2) end),
+    ok.
+
 t_hash(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
-    ok = ensure_config(hash, false),
-    test_two_messages(hash).
+    ok = ensure_config(hash_clientid, false),
+    test_two_messages(hash_clientid).
 
 t_hash_clinetid(Config) when is_list(Config) ->
     ok = ensure_config(hash_clientid, false),
@@ -453,7 +486,7 @@ test_two_messages(Strategy, Group) ->
         sticky -> ?assertEqual(UsedSubPid1, UsedSubPid2);
         round_robin -> ?assertNotEqual(UsedSubPid1, UsedSubPid2);
         round_robin_per_group -> ?assertNotEqual(UsedSubPid1, UsedSubPid2);
-        hash -> ?assertEqual(UsedSubPid1, UsedSubPid2);
+        hash_clientid -> ?assertEqual(UsedSubPid1, UsedSubPid2);
         _ -> ok
     end,
     ok.
diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt.erl
index 3dc39c675..c5cd54cb9 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt.erl
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 
 -module(emqx_connector_jwt).
 
--include("emqx_connector_tables.hrl").
+-include_lib("emqx_connector/include/emqx_connector_tables.hrl").
 -include_lib("emqx_resource/include/emqx_resource.hrl").
 
 %% API
diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt_sup.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt_sup.erl
index 611e152bd..ac1d22b71 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt_sup.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_jwt_sup.erl
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 
 -behaviour(supervisor).
 
--include("emqx_connector_tables.hrl").
+-include_lib("emqx_connector/include/emqx_connector_tables.hrl").
 
 -export([
     start_link/0,
diff --git a/changes/v5.0.13-en.md b/changes/v5.0.13-en.md
index 1691e3b81..acd210e71 100644
--- a/changes/v5.0.13-en.md
+++ b/changes/v5.0.13-en.md
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@
 ## Bug fixes
 
 - Trigger `message.dropped` hook when QoS2 message is resend by client with a same packet id, or 'awaiting_rel' queue is full [#9487](https://github.com/emqx/emqx/pull/9487).
+
+- Fix shared subscription 'sticky' strategy [#9578](https://github.com/emqx/emqx/pull/9578).
+  Prior to this change, a 'sticky' subscriber may continue to receive messages after unsubscribing.
diff --git a/changes/v5.0.13-zh.md b/changes/v5.0.13-zh.md
index 3f5d5b3a0..9b74dc5f0 100644
--- a/changes/v5.0.13-zh.md
+++ b/changes/v5.0.13-zh.md
@@ -17,3 +17,6 @@
 ## 修复
 
 - 当 QoS2 消息被重发(使用相同 Packet ID)，或当 'awaiting_rel' 队列已满时，触发消息丢弃钩子(`message.dropped`)及计数器 [#9487](https://github.com/emqx/emqx/pull/9487)。
+
+- 修复共享订阅的 'sticky' 策略 [#9578](https://github.com/emqx/emqx/pull/9578)。
+  在此修复前，使用 'sticky' 策略的订阅客户端可能在取消订阅后继续收到消息。