diff --git a/examples/InMemoryUnitTest/SampleEventConsumerTests.cs b/examples/InMemoryUnitTest/SampleEventConsumerTests.cs
index 6145aa83..2d3eb5f3 100644
--- a/examples/InMemoryUnitTest/SampleEventConsumerTests.cs
+++ b/examples/InMemoryUnitTest/SampleEventConsumerTests.cs
@@ -38,8 +38,6 @@ public async Task ConsumerWorksAsync()
 
                 // Get the publisher and publish the event
                 var publisher = provider.GetRequiredService<IEventPublisher>();
-                var id = Guid.NewGuid().ToString();
-                var processedOn = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow;
                 await publisher.PublishAsync(new SampleEvent
                 {
                     Make = "TESLA",
diff --git a/src/Tingle.EventBus/EventBus.cs b/src/Tingle.EventBus/EventBus.cs
index dd383322..23a7db14 100644
--- a/src/Tingle.EventBus/EventBus.cs
+++ b/src/Tingle.EventBus/EventBus.cs
@@ -84,6 +84,11 @@ public async Task<string> PublishAsync<TEvent>(EventContext<TEvent> @event,
                                                        CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
             where TEvent : class
         {
+            if (scheduled != null && scheduled <= DateTimeOffset.UtcNow)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException("Scheduled time cannot be in the past.");
+            }
+
             // Instrumentation
             using var activity = EventBusActivitySource.StartActivity(ActivityNames.Publish, ActivityKind.Producer);
             activity?.AddTag(ActivityTagNames.EventBusEventType, typeof(TEvent).FullName);
@@ -128,6 +133,11 @@ public async Task<IList<string>> PublishAsync<TEvent>(IList<EventContext<TEvent>
                                                               CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
             where TEvent : class
         {
+            if (scheduled != null && scheduled <= DateTimeOffset.UtcNow)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException("Scheduled time cannot be in the past.");
+            }
+
             // Instrumentation
             using var activity = EventBusActivitySource.StartActivity(ActivityNames.Publish, ActivityKind.Producer);
             activity?.AddTag(ActivityTagNames.EventBusEventType, typeof(TEvent).FullName);