diff --git a/awsimple/__version__.py b/awsimple/__version__.py
index 33a5a69..db2d7f4 100644
--- a/awsimple/__version__.py
+++ b/awsimple/__version__.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 __application_name__ = "awsimple"
 __title__ = __application_name__
 __author__ = "abel"
-__version__ = "4.0.0"
+__version__ = "4.1.0"
 __author_email__ = "j@abel.co"
 __url__ = "https://github.com/jamesabel/awsimple"
 __download_url__ = "https://github.com/jamesabel/awsimple"
diff --git a/awsimple/pubsub.py b/awsimple/pubsub.py
index ce3d21f..5fc0016 100644
--- a/awsimple/pubsub.py
+++ b/awsimple/pubsub.py
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ def __init__(
         :param node_name: Node name (SQS queue name suffix). Defaults to a combination of computer name and username, but can be passed in for customization and/or testing.
         :param sub_callback: Optional thread and process safe callback function to be called when a new message is received. The function should accept a single argument, which will be the message as a dictionary.
         """
-        self.channel = channel
-        self.node_name = node_name  # e.g., computer name
+        self.channel = channel.lower()  # when subscribing SQS queues to SNS topics, the names must all be lowercase (bizarre AWS "gotcha")
+        self.node_name = node_name.lower()  # e.g., computer name or user and computer name
         self.sub_callback = sub_callback
 
         self.profile_name = profile_name
diff --git a/requirements-dev.txt b/requirements-dev.txt
index 00e9dc3..fe1bbdc 100644
--- a/requirements-dev.txt
+++ b/requirements-dev.txt
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # awsimple requirements
 hashy
 boto3
-typeguard<3
+typeguard
 dictim
 appdirs
 tobool
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index 8365e70..85c5b3a 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
     keywords=["aws", "cloud", "storage", "database", "dynamodb", "s3"],
     packages=[__title__],
     package_data={__title__: [readme_file_path, "py.typed"]},
-    install_requires=["boto3", "typeguard<3", "hashy>=0.1.1", "dictim", "appdirs", "tobool", "urllib3", "python-dateutil", "yasf"],
+    install_requires=["boto3", "typeguard", "hashy>=0.1.1", "dictim", "appdirs", "tobool", "urllib3", "python-dateutil", "yasf"],
     project_urls={"Documentation": "https://awsimple.readthedocs.io/"},
     classifiers=[],
     python_requires=">3.10",
diff --git a/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_get_messages.py b/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_get_messages.py
index fb720d5..0bca9ee 100644
--- a/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_get_messages.py
+++ b/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_get_messages.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import time
 
-from awsimple import PubSub, is_mock
+from awsimple import PubSub
 
 
 def test_pubsub_get_messages():
diff --git a/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_mixed_case.py b/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_mixed_case.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ecf58b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test_awsimple/test_pubsub/test_pubsub_mixed_case.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import time
+
+from awsimple import PubSub
+
+
+def test_pubsub_mixed_case():
+
+    test_channel = "MyTestChannel"  # gets converted to lowercase for SNS topic and SQS queue
+    node_name = "MyNodeName"  # gets converted to lowercase for SNS topic and SQS queue
+    sent_message = {"MyNumber": 1, "MyBoolean": True, "MyFloat": 2.0 / 3.0}
+
+    pubsub = PubSub(test_channel, node_name)
+    pubsub.start()
+
+    pubsub.publish(sent_message)
+
+    received_message = None
+    count = 0
+    while count < 600:
+        if len(messages := pubsub.get_messages()) > 0:
+            received_message = messages[0]
+            break
+        time.sleep(0.1)
+
+    pubsub.terminate()
+    pubsub.join(60)
+    assert not pubsub.is_alive()
+
+    assert received_message == sent_message
diff --git a/test_awsimple/test_sns_publish.py b/test_awsimple/test_sns_publish.py
index 426fbcb..dc1d99b 100644
--- a/test_awsimple/test_sns_publish.py
+++ b/test_awsimple/test_sns_publish.py
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
-import json
-
-from awsimple import SNSAccess, SQSPollAccess, is_mock
+from awsimple import SNSAccess, SQSPollAccess
 
 from test_awsimple import test_awsimple_str, drain
 
@@ -19,13 +17,7 @@ def test_sns_publish():
 
     message_string = "This is a test for awsimple."
     subject_string = "awsimple test"
-    # doesn't work with moto :(
-    if not is_mock():
-        message_id = sns_access.publish(message_string, subject_string)
-        print(f"{message_id=}")
-        assert message_id is not None and len(message_id) > 0
-
-        message = json.loads(sqs_access.receive_message().message)
-        returned_message_string = message["Message"]
-        print(f"{returned_message_string=}")
-        assert returned_message_string == message_string
+
+    message_id = sns_access.publish(message_string, subject_string)
+    print(f"{message_id=}")
+    assert message_id is not None and len(message_id) > 0