diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 74e1387..2099f47 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ mqtt.host=test.mosquitto.org
 mqtt.port=1883
 # The clientId to use when connecting (random by default).
 mqtt.client-id=test
+# The session expiry interval in seconds, has to be in [0, 4294967295] (0 by default). Only for mqtt 5.
+mqtt.session-expiry=0
 # The username to use when connecting.
 mqtt.username=admin
 # The password to use when connecting.
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttConnector.kt b/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttConnector.kt
index 52ac1bb..228e326 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttConnector.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttConnector.kt
@@ -140,6 +140,7 @@ class Mqtt5Connector(
 
         val connectOptions = Mqtt5Connect.builder()
             .cleanStart(config.clean)
+            .sessionExpiryInterval(config.sessionExpiry)
             .build()
 
         logger.info("Connecting to ${if (username != null) "$username@" else ""}$host:$port using mqtt 5...")
@@ -153,7 +154,10 @@ class Mqtt5Connector(
     }
 
     override fun stop(callback: Runnable) {
-        client.disconnect().thenRun(callback)
+        client.disconnectWith()
+            .sessionExpiryInterval(config.sessionExpiry)
+            .send()
+            .thenRun(callback)
     }
 
     override fun isRunning() = client.state != MqttClientState.DISCONNECTED
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttProperties.kt b/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttProperties.kt
index 7aa9cea..a209ec8 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttProperties.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttProperties.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package de.smartsquare.starter.mqtt
 
+import com.hivemq.client.mqtt.mqtt5.message.connect.Mqtt5Connect
 import jakarta.validation.constraints.Max
 import jakarta.validation.constraints.Min
 import jakarta.validation.constraints.NotEmpty
@@ -71,6 +72,16 @@ data class MqttProperties(
      * The shutdown configuration for the mqtt processor.
      */
     val shutdown: MqttShutdown = MqttShutdown.GRACEFUL,
+
+    /**
+     * The session expiry interval in seconds. Has to be in [0, 4294967295] (0 by default).
+     * Setting the value to 0 means the session will expire immediately after disconnect.
+     * Setting it to 4_294_967_295 means the session will never expire.
+     * This setting is only going into effect for MQTT 5.
+     */
+    @get:Min(0)
+    @get:Max(Mqtt5Connect.NO_SESSION_EXPIRY)
+    val sessionExpiry: Long = Mqtt5Connect.DEFAULT_SESSION_EXPIRY_INTERVAL,
 ) {
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-configuration-metadata.json b/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-configuration-metadata.json
index 21672ef..d644e2e 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-configuration-metadata.json
+++ b/src/main/resources/META-INF/spring-configuration-metadata.json
@@ -74,6 +74,12 @@
       "type": "de.smartsquare.starter.mqtt.MqttProperties.MqttShutdown",
       "description": "The shutdown configuration for the mqtt processor.",
       "defaultValue": "graceful"
+    },
+    {
+      "name": "mqtt.sessionExpiry",
+      "type": "java.lang.Long",
+      "description": "The session expiry configuration for the mqtt processor in seconds. Using 0 expires the session immediately after disconnect. Using the max value of 4294967295 marks the session as never expiring. Has to be in [0..4294967295]. This setting is only going into effect for MQTT 5.",
+      "defaultValue": 0
     }
   ],
   "hints": [
diff --git a/src/test/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttPropertiesTest.kt b/src/test/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttPropertiesTest.kt
index 55ad797..753205d 100644
--- a/src/test/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttPropertiesTest.kt
+++ b/src/test/kotlin/de/smartsquare/starter/mqtt/MqttPropertiesTest.kt
@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
 package de.smartsquare.starter.mqtt
 
+import com.hivemq.client.mqtt.mqtt5.message.connect.Mqtt5Connect
 import org.amshove.kluent.shouldBeEmpty
 import org.amshove.kluent.shouldContain
 import org.amshove.kluent.shouldHaveSize
 import org.amshove.kluent.shouldStartWith
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.ParameterizedTest
+import org.junit.jupiter.params.provider.ValueSource
 import org.springframework.beans.factory.annotation.Autowired
 import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.validation.ValidationAutoConfiguration
 import org.springframework.boot.test.context.SpringBootTest
@@ -36,6 +39,7 @@ class MqttPropertiesTest {
                 clean = false,
                 group = "group",
                 version = 5,
+                sessionExpiry = 1000,
             ),
         )
 
@@ -56,6 +60,14 @@ class MqttPropertiesTest {
         errors.allErrors.shouldHaveSize(1)
     }
 
+    @ParameterizedTest
+    @ValueSource(longs = [-1, Mqtt5Connect.NO_SESSION_EXPIRY + 1])
+    fun `validates session expiry`(expiry: Long) {
+        val errors = validator.validateObject(MqttProperties(host = "localhost", port = 1883, sessionExpiry = expiry))
+
+        errors.allErrors.shouldHaveSize(1)
+    }
+
     @Test
     fun `validates mqtt version`() {
         val errors = validator.validateObject(MqttProperties(host = "localhost", port = 10000, version = 2))