diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttClientOptions.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttClientOptions.java
index f3ebe3ed..a6a68a2f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttClientOptions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttClientOptions.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import io.vertx.codegen.annotations.GenIgnore;
 import io.vertx.codegen.json.annotations.JsonGen;
 import io.vertx.core.buffer.Buffer;
-import io.vertx.core.impl.Arguments;
 import io.vertx.core.json.JsonObject;
 import io.vertx.core.net.*;
 
@@ -456,8 +455,9 @@ public int getMaxMessageSize() {
   @Override
   public MqttClientOptions setReceiveBufferSize(int receiveBufferSize) {
     if ((this.maxMessageSize > 0) && (receiveBufferSize > 0)) {
-      Arguments.require(receiveBufferSize >= this.maxMessageSize,
-        "Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      if (receiveBufferSize < this.maxMessageSize) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      }
     }
     super.setReceiveBufferSize(receiveBufferSize);
     return this;
@@ -470,10 +470,13 @@ public MqttClientOptions setReceiveBufferSize(int receiveBufferSize) {
    * @return  MQTT client options instance
    */
   public MqttClientOptions setMaxMessageSize(int maxMessageSize) {
-    Arguments.require(maxMessageSize > 0 || maxMessageSize == DEFAULT_MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE, "maxMessageSize must be > 0");
+    if (maxMessageSize <= 0 && maxMessageSize != DEFAULT_MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException( "maxMessageSize must be > 0");
+    }
     if ((maxMessageSize > 0) && (this.getReceiveBufferSize() > 0)) {
-      Arguments.require(this.getReceiveBufferSize() >= maxMessageSize,
-        "Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      if (this.getReceiveBufferSize() < maxMessageSize) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      }
     }
     this.maxMessageSize = maxMessageSize;
     return this;
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttServerOptions.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttServerOptions.java
index c7d478e4..f7860bfe 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttServerOptions.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/MqttServerOptions.java
@@ -20,7 +20,6 @@
 import io.vertx.codegen.json.annotations.JsonGen;
 import io.vertx.core.buffer.Buffer;
 import io.vertx.core.http.ClientAuth;
-import io.vertx.core.impl.Arguments;
 import io.vertx.core.json.JsonObject;
 import io.vertx.core.net.JksOptions;
 import io.vertx.core.net.KeyCertOptions;
@@ -115,8 +114,9 @@ public MqttServerOptions(JsonObject json) {
     MqttServerOptionsConverter.fromJson(json, this);
 
     if ((this.maxMessageSize > 0) && (this.getReceiveBufferSize() > 0)) {
-      Arguments.require(this.getReceiveBufferSize() >= this.maxMessageSize,
-        "Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      if (this.getReceiveBufferSize() < this.maxMessageSize) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      }
     }
   }
 
@@ -204,8 +204,9 @@ public MqttServerOptions addCrlValue(Buffer crlValue) throws NullPointerExceptio
   @Override
   public MqttServerOptions setReceiveBufferSize(int receiveBufferSize) {
     if ((this.maxMessageSize > 0) && (receiveBufferSize > 0)) {
-      Arguments.require(receiveBufferSize >= this.maxMessageSize,
-        "Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      if (receiveBufferSize < this.maxMessageSize) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      }
     }
     super.setReceiveBufferSize(receiveBufferSize);
     return this;
@@ -224,10 +225,13 @@ public MqttServerOptions setSni(boolean sni) {
    * @return  MQTT server options instance
    */
   public MqttServerOptions setMaxMessageSize(int maxMessageSize) {
-    Arguments.require(maxMessageSize > 0, "maxMessageSize must be > 0");
-    if (this.getReceiveBufferSize() > 0) {
-      Arguments.require(this.getReceiveBufferSize() >= maxMessageSize,
-        "Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+    if (maxMessageSize <= 0 && maxMessageSize != DEFAULT_MAX_MESSAGE_SIZE) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException( "maxMessageSize must be > 0");
+    }
+    if ((maxMessageSize > 0) && (this.getReceiveBufferSize() > 0)) {
+      if (this.getReceiveBufferSize() < maxMessageSize) {
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Receiver buffer size can't be lower than max message size");
+      }
     }
     this.maxMessageSize = maxMessageSize;
     return this;
@@ -272,7 +276,9 @@ public int getMaxClientIdLength() {
    * @return  MQTT server options instance
    */
   public MqttServerOptions setMaxClientIdLength(int maxClientIdLength) {
-    Arguments.require(maxClientIdLength > 0, "maxClientIdLength must be > 0");
+    if (maxClientIdLength <= 0) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("maxClientIdLength must be > 0");
+    }
     this.maxClientIdLength = maxClientIdLength;
     return this;
   }
@@ -362,7 +368,9 @@ public int getWebSocketMaxFrameSize() {
    * @param webSocketMaxFrameSize the new frame size
    */
   public void setWebSocketMaxFrameSize(int webSocketMaxFrameSize) {
-    Arguments.require(webSocketMaxFrameSize > 0, "WebSocket max frame size must be > 0");
+    if (webSocketMaxFrameSize <= 0) {
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("WebSocket max frame size must be > 0");
+    }
     this.webSocketMaxFrameSize = webSocketMaxFrameSize;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttEndpointImpl.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttEndpointImpl.java
index d540696e..61ab1bb9 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttEndpointImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttEndpointImpl.java
@@ -410,7 +410,7 @@ public MqttEndpointImpl accept(boolean sessionPresent) {
   public MqttEndpointImpl accept(boolean sessionPresent, MqttProperties properties) {
     synchronized (conn) {
       if (this.isConnected) {
-        throw new IllegalStateException("Connection already accepted");
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Connection already accepted");
       }
 
       return this.connack(MqttConnectReturnCode.CONNECTION_ACCEPTED, sessionPresent, properties);
@@ -889,7 +889,7 @@ private Future<Void> write(io.netty.handler.codec.mqtt.MqttMessage mqttMessage)
   private void checkClosed() {
 
     if (this.isClosed) {
-      throw new IllegalStateException("MQTT endpoint is closed");
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("MQTT endpoint is closed");
     }
   }
 
@@ -899,7 +899,7 @@ private void checkClosed() {
   private void checkConnected() {
 
     if (!this.isConnected) {
-      throw new IllegalStateException("Connection not accepted yet");
+      throw new IllegalArgumentException("Connection not accepted yet");
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttServerConnection.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttServerConnection.java
index 0b048d8a..bfc89c6b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttServerConnection.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/impl/MqttServerConnection.java
@@ -457,7 +457,7 @@ private boolean checkConnected() {
         return true;
       } else {
         so.close();
-        throw new IllegalStateException("Received an MQTT packet from a not connected client (CONNECT not sent yet)");
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Received an MQTT packet from a not connected client (CONNECT not sent yet)");
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/messages/impl/MqttPublishMessageImpl.java b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/messages/impl/MqttPublishMessageImpl.java
index bb79f413..d3f6e9b0 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/messages/impl/MqttPublishMessageImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/vertx/mqtt/messages/impl/MqttPublishMessageImpl.java
@@ -96,9 +96,9 @@ public void setAckCallback(MqttPubAckCallback ackCallback) {
   public void ack() {
     if (this.qosLevel == MqttQoS.AT_LEAST_ONCE || this.qosLevel == MqttQoS.EXACTLY_ONCE) {
       if (ackCallback == null) {
-        throw new IllegalStateException("Callback not present. Check that Auto Ack is disabled.");
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Callback not present. Check that Auto Ack is disabled.");
       } else if (isAcked) {
-        throw new IllegalStateException("Ack of message " + messageId + " altready sent.");
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("Ack of message " + messageId + " altready sent.");
       } else {
         isAcked = true;
         ackCallback.ack();