diff --git a/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/MultiHostConnectionStrategy.java b/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/MultiHostConnectionStrategy.java
index a5ab732c..edd80ea4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/MultiHostConnectionStrategy.java
+++ b/src/main/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/MultiHostConnectionStrategy.java
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public final class MultiHostConnectionStrategy implements ConnectionStrategy {
 
     @Override
     public Mono<Client> connect() {
-        return connect(this.multiHostConfiguration.getTargetServerType());
+        return Mono.defer(() -> connect(this.multiHostConfiguration.getTargetServerType()));
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public String toString() {
     public Mono<Client> connect(TargetServerType targetServerType) {
         AtomicReference<Throwable> exceptionRef = new AtomicReference<>();
 
-        return attemptConnection(targetServerType)
+        return Mono.defer(() -> attemptConnection(targetServerType))
             .onErrorResume(e -> {
                 if (!exceptionRef.compareAndSet(null, e)) {
                     exceptionRef.get().addSuppressed(e);
diff --git a/src/test/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/HighAvailabilityClusterIntegrationTests.java b/src/test/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/HighAvailabilityClusterIntegrationTests.java
index db6d795d..1214e3c3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/HighAvailabilityClusterIntegrationTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/io/r2dbc/postgresql/client/HighAvailabilityClusterIntegrationTests.java
@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.junit.jupiter.api.extension.RegisterExtension;
 import org.testcontainers.containers.PostgreSQLContainer;
+import reactor.core.publisher.Flux;
 import reactor.core.publisher.Mono;
+import reactor.netty.DisposableChannel;
+import reactor.netty.DisposableServer;
+import reactor.netty.tcp.TcpServer;
 import reactor.test.StepVerifier;
 
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
@@ -119,6 +123,53 @@ void testTargetPreferSecondaryConnectedToStandby() {
             .verifyComplete();
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testTargetPreferSecondaryConnectedToMasterOnStandbyFailure() {
+        DisposableServer failingServer = newServer();
+        try {
+            isConnectedToPrimary(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetServerType.PREFER_SECONDARY, SERVERS.getPrimary(), failingServer)
+                .as(StepVerifier::create)
+                .expectNext(true)
+                .verifyComplete();
+        } finally {
+            failingServer.dispose();
+        }
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testMultipleCallsWithTargetPreferSecondaryConnectedToStandby() {
+        PostgresqlConnectionFactory connectionFactory = this.multiHostConnectionFactory(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetServerType.PREFER_SECONDARY, SERVERS.getPrimary(), SERVERS.getStandby());
+
+        Mono<Boolean> allocator = Mono.usingWhen(connectionFactory.create(), this::isPrimary, Connection::close);
+        Flux<Boolean> connectionPool = Flux.merge(allocator, allocator);
+
+        connectionPool
+            .as(StepVerifier::create)
+            .expectNext(false)
+            .expectNext(false)
+            .verifyComplete();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testMultipleCallsWithTargetPreferSecondaryConnectedToMasterOnStandbyFailure() {
+        DisposableServer failingServer = newServer();
+        try {
+            PostgresqlConnectionFactory connectionFactory = this.multiHostConnectionFactoryWithFailingServer(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetServerType.PREFER_SECONDARY, SERVERS.getPrimary(),
+                failingServer);
+
+            Mono<Boolean> allocator = Mono.usingWhen(connectionFactory.create(), this::isPrimary, Connection::close);
+            Flux<Boolean> connectionPool = Flux.merge(allocator, allocator);
+
+            connectionPool
+                .as(StepVerifier::create)
+                .expectNext(true)
+                .expectNext(true)
+                .verifyComplete();
+        } finally {
+            failingServer.dispose();
+        }
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testTargetPrimaryChoosePrimary() {
         isConnectedToPrimary(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetServerType.PRIMARY, SERVERS.getPrimary(), SERVERS.getStandby())
@@ -181,6 +232,12 @@ private Mono<Boolean> isConnectedToPrimary(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetSer
         return Mono.usingWhen(connectionFactory.create(), this::isPrimary, Connection::close);
     }
 
+    private Mono<Boolean> isConnectedToPrimary(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetServerType targetServerType, PostgreSQLContainer<?> primaryServer, DisposableServer failingServer) {
+        PostgresqlConnectionFactory connectionFactory = this.multiHostConnectionFactoryWithFailingServer(targetServerType, primaryServer, failingServer);
+
+        return Mono.usingWhen(connectionFactory.create(), this::isPrimary, Connection::close);
+    }
+
     private Mono<Boolean> isPrimary(PostgresqlConnection connection) {
         return connection.createStatement("SHOW TRANSACTION_READ_ONLY")
             .execute()
@@ -203,4 +260,25 @@ private PostgresqlConnectionFactory multiHostConnectionFactory(MultiHostConnecti
         return new PostgresqlConnectionFactory(configuration);
     }
 
+    private PostgresqlConnectionFactory multiHostConnectionFactoryWithFailingServer(MultiHostConnectionStrategy.TargetServerType targetServerType, PostgreSQLContainer<?> primaryServer,
+                                                                                    DisposableServer failingServer) {
+        PostgresqlConnectionConfiguration.Builder builder = PostgresqlConnectionConfiguration.builder();
+        builder.addHost(primaryServer.getHost(), primaryServer.getMappedPort(5432));
+        builder.addHost(failingServer.host(), failingServer.port());
+
+        PostgresqlConnectionConfiguration configuration = builder
+            .targetServerType(targetServerType)
+            .username(primaryServer.getUsername())
+            .password(primaryServer.getPassword())
+            .build();
+        return new PostgresqlConnectionFactory(configuration);
+    }
+
+    // Simulate server downtime, where connections are accepted and then closed immediately
+    static DisposableServer newServer() {
+        return TcpServer.create()
+            .doOnConnection(DisposableChannel::dispose)
+            .bindNow();
+    }
+
 }