diff --git a/core/impl/cluster.cxx b/core/impl/cluster.cxx
index c5d149091..6be6e1618 100644
--- a/core/impl/cluster.cxx
+++ b/core/impl/cluster.cxx
@@ -371,18 +371,21 @@ class cluster_impl : public std::enable_shared_from_this<cluster_impl>
     if (event == fork_event::prepare) {
       io_.stop();
       io_thread_.join();
+      io_.notify_fork(fork_event_to_asio(event));
+      if (transactions_) {
+        transactions_->notify_fork(event);
+      }
     } else {
       // TODO(SA): close all sockets in fork_event::child
       io_.restart();
+      io_.notify_fork(fork_event_to_asio(event));
+      if (event == fork_event::parent && transactions_) {
+        transactions_->notify_fork(event);
+      }
       io_thread_ = std::thread{ [&io = io_] {
         io.run();
       } };
     }
-    io_.notify_fork(fork_event_to_asio(event));
-
-    if (event != fork_event::child && transactions_) {
-      transactions_->notify_fork(event);
-    }
   }
 
   void close(core::utils::movable_function<void()> handler)
@@ -599,9 +602,9 @@ cluster::notify_fork(fork_event event) -> void
       if (err.ec()) {
         // TODO(SA): we should fall to background reconnect loop similar to Columnar build
         CB_LOG_ERROR("Unable to reconnect instance after fork: {}", err.ec().message());
-        return;
+      } else {
+        impl_ = new_impl;
       }
-      impl_ = new_impl;
       barrier->set_value();
     });
 
@@ -612,10 +615,11 @@ cluster::notify_fork(fork_event event) -> void
 void
 cluster::close(std::function<void()>&& handler)
 {
-  if (!impl_) {
-    return handler();
+  if (auto impl = std::move(impl_); impl) {
+    impl->close(std::move(handler));
+  } else {
+    handler();
   }
-  impl_->close(std::move(handler));
 }
 
 auto
diff --git a/test/test_integration_examples.cxx b/test/test_integration_examples.cxx
index 6efc5924b..19882635f 100644
--- a/test/test_integration_examples.cxx
+++ b/test/test_integration_examples.cxx
@@ -79,8 +79,8 @@ namespace start_using
 #include <tao/json.hpp>
 #include <tao/json/contrib/traits.hpp>
 
-int
-main(int argc, const char* argv[])
+auto
+main(int argc, const char* argv[]) -> int
 {
   if (argc != 4) {
     fmt::print("USAGE: ./start_using couchbase://127.0.0.1 Administrator password\n");
@@ -284,8 +284,8 @@ class github_actions_configuration_profile : public couchbase::configuration_pro
   }
 };
 
-int
-main(int argc, const char* argv[])
+auto
+main(int argc, const char* argv[]) -> int
 {
   if (argc != 4) {
     fmt::print("USAGE: ./example_search couchbase://127.0.0.1 Administrator password\n");
@@ -594,8 +594,8 @@ namespace example_buckets
 //! [example-buckets]
 #include <couchbase/cluster.hxx>
 
-int
-main(int argc, const char* argv[])
+auto
+main(int argc, const char* argv[]) -> int
 {
   if (argc != 4) {
     fmt::print("USAGE: ./example_buckets couchbase://127.0.0.1 Administrator password\n");
@@ -725,8 +725,8 @@ namespace example_fork
 
 #include <sys/wait.h>
 
-int
-main(int argc, const char* argv[])
+auto
+main(int argc, const char* argv[]) -> int
 {
   if (argc != 4) {
     fmt::print("USAGE: ./example_fork couchbase://127.0.0.1 Administrator password\n");
@@ -747,14 +747,13 @@ main(int argc, const char* argv[])
     return 1;
   }
 
-  auto bucket = cluster.bucket(bucket_name);
-
   cluster.notify_fork(couchbase::fork_event::prepare);
   auto child_pid = fork();
   if (child_pid == 0) {
     cluster.notify_fork(couchbase::fork_event::child);
 
     fmt::print("CHILD(pid={}): continue after fork()\n", getpid());
+    auto bucket = cluster.bucket(bucket_name);
     auto collection = bucket.scope("tenant_agent_00").collection("users");
 
     {
@@ -790,6 +789,7 @@ main(int argc, const char* argv[])
     cluster.notify_fork(couchbase::fork_event::parent);
     fmt::print("PARENT(pid={}): continue after fork() child_pid={}\n", getpid(), child_pid);
 
+    auto bucket = cluster.bucket(bucket_name);
     {
       auto collection = bucket.scope("tenant_agent_00").collection("users");
       std::string doc_id = "tenant_agent_00";