diff --git a/amqtt/mqtt/packet.py b/amqtt/mqtt/packet.py
index 23fa377..38ad4aa 100644
--- a/amqtt/mqtt/packet.py
+++ b/amqtt/mqtt/packet.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ except ImportError:
     UTC = timezone.utc
 
 from struct import unpack
-from typing import Generic, Self, TypeVar
+from typing_extensions import Generic, Self, TypeVar
 
 from amqtt.adapters import ReaderAdapter, WriterAdapter
 from amqtt.codecs_amqtt import bytes_to_hex_str, decode_packet_id, int_to_bytes, read_or_raise
diff --git a/amqtt/scripts/pub_script.py b/amqtt/scripts/pub_script.py
index 50bd085..656faf3 100644
--- a/amqtt/scripts/pub_script.py
+++ b/amqtt/scripts/pub_script.py
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ def publisher_main(  # pylint: disable=R0914,R0917  # noqa : PLR0913
     ca_data: str | None = typer.Option(None, "--ca-data", help="CA data"),
     will_topic: str | None = typer.Option(None, "--will-topic", help="Last will topic"),
     will_message: str | None = typer.Option(None, "--will-message", help="Last will message"),
-    will_qos: int | None = typer.Option(None, "--will-qos", help="Last will QoS"),
+    will_qos: int | None = typer.Option(0, "--will-qos", help="Last will QoS"),
     will_retain: bool = typer.Option(False, "--will-retain", help="Set retain flag for last will message"),
     extra_headers_json: str | None = typer.Option(
         None, "--extra-headers", help="JSON object with key-value headers for websocket connections"
@@ -171,6 +171,14 @@ def publisher_main(  # pylint: disable=R0914,R0917  # noqa : PLR0913
         typer.echo("❌ You must provide exactly one of --config, --file, or --stdin.", err=True)
         raise typer.Exit(code=1)
 
+    if bool(will_message) != bool(will_topic):
+        typer.echo("❌ must specify both 'will_message' and 'will_topic' ")
+        raise typer.Exit(code=1)
+
+    if will_retain and not (will_message and will_topic):
+        typer.echo("❌ 'will-retain' only valid if 'will_message' and 'will_topic' are specified.", err=True)
+        raise typer.Exit(code=1)
+
     formatter = "[%(asctime)s] :: %(levelname)s - %(message)s"
     level = logging.DEBUG if debug else logging.INFO
     logging.basicConfig(level=level, format=formatter)
@@ -194,11 +202,12 @@ def publisher_main(  # pylint: disable=R0914,R0917  # noqa : PLR0913
     if keep_alive:
         config["keep_alive"] = int(keep_alive)
 
-    if will_topic and will_message and will_qos:
+
+    if will_topic and will_message and will_qos is not None and will_retain:
         config["will"] = {
             "topic": will_topic,
-            "message": will_message.encode("utf-8"),
-            "qos": int(will_qos),
+            "message": will_message.encode(),
+            "qos": will_qos,
             "retain": will_retain,
         }
 
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index 4748627..239c3d8 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -158,8 +158,10 @@ async def test_pub_sub_options(broker):
         [
             "amqtt_pub",
             "--url", "mqtt://127.0.0.1:1884",
-            "-t", "test/retain",
-            "-m", "retained message",
+            "-t", "topic/test",
+            "-m", "standard message",
+            "--will-topic", "topic/retain",
+            "--will-message", "last will message",
             "--will-retain",
         ],
         capture_output=True,
@@ -171,13 +173,13 @@ async def test_pub_sub_options(broker):
         [
             "amqtt_sub",
             "--url", "mqtt://127.0.0.1:1884",
-            "-t", "test/retain",
+            "-t", "topic/retain",
             "-n", "1",
         ],
         capture_output=True,
     )
     assert sub_proc.returncode == 0, "subscriber error code"
-    assert "retained message" in str(sub_proc.stdout)
+    assert "last will message" in str(sub_proc.stdout)
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio