diff --git a/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/internal/mqtt/message/publish/MqttPublishBuilder.java b/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/internal/mqtt/message/publish/MqttPublishBuilder.java
index fe603468a..dfb8becf2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/internal/mqtt/message/publish/MqttPublishBuilder.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/internal/mqtt/message/publish/MqttPublishBuilder.java
@@ -104,7 +104,11 @@ public abstract class MqttPublishBuilder<B extends MqttPublishBuilder<B>> {
     }
 
     public @NotNull B messageExpiryInterval(final long messageExpiryInterval) {
-        this.messageExpiryInterval = Checks.unsignedInt(messageExpiryInterval, "Message expiry interval");
+        if (messageExpiryInterval == -1) {
+            this.messageExpiryInterval = MqttPublish.NO_MESSAGE_EXPIRY;
+        } else {
+            this.messageExpiryInterval = Checks.unsignedInt(messageExpiryInterval, "Message expiry interval");
+        }
         return self();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/connect/Mqtt5ConnectBuilderBase.java b/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/connect/Mqtt5ConnectBuilderBase.java
index 98e585141..195f4ef73 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/connect/Mqtt5ConnectBuilderBase.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/connect/Mqtt5ConnectBuilderBase.java
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ public interface Mqtt5ConnectBuilderBase<B extends Mqtt5ConnectBuilderBase<B>> {
     /**
      * Sets the {@link Mqtt5Connect#getSessionExpiryInterval() session expiry interval} in seconds.
      * <p>
-     * The value must be in the range of an unsigned int: [0, 4_294_967_295].
+     * The value must be in the range of an unsigned int: [0, 4_294_967_295]. 4_294_967_295 disables session expiry.
      *
      * @param sessionExpiryInterval the session expiry interval in seconds.
      * @return the builder.
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/publish/Mqtt5PublishBuilderBase.java b/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/publish/Mqtt5PublishBuilderBase.java
index 93717c410..34104873e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/publish/Mqtt5PublishBuilderBase.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/hivemq/client/mqtt/mqtt5/message/publish/Mqtt5PublishBuilderBase.java
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ interface Complete<C extends Mqtt5PublishBuilderBase.Complete<C>> extends Mqtt5P
         /**
          * Sets the {@link Mqtt5Publish#getMessageExpiryInterval() message expiry interval} in seconds.
          * <p>
-         * The value must be in the range of an unsigned int: [0, 4_294_967_295].
+         * The value must be in the range of an unsigned int: [0, 4_294_967_295] or -1 to disable message expiry.
          *
          * @param messageExpiryInterval the message expiry interval in seconds.
          * @return the builder.