diff --git a/src/sdam/topology.ts b/src/sdam/topology.ts
index 4da824d059a..02077a4f069 100644
--- a/src/sdam/topology.ts
+++ b/src/sdam/topology.ts
@@ -46,7 +46,6 @@ import {
   makeStateMachine,
   noop,
   now,
-  ns,
   promiseWithResolvers,
   shuffle
 } from '../utils';
@@ -459,7 +458,7 @@ export class Topology extends TypedEventEmitter<TopologyEvents> {
       waitQueueTimeoutMS: this.client.s.options.waitQueueTimeoutMS
     });
     const selectServerOptions = {
-      operationName: 'ping',
+      operationName: 'handshake',
       ...options,
       timeoutContext
     };
@@ -469,9 +468,11 @@ export class Topology extends TypedEventEmitter<TopologyEvents> {
         readPreferenceServerSelector(readPreference),
         selectServerOptions
       );
+
       const skipPingOnConnect = this.s.options.__skipPingOnConnect === true;
       if (!skipPingOnConnect && this.s.credentials) {
-        await server.command(ns('admin.$cmd'), { ping: 1 }, { timeoutContext });
+        const connection = await server.pool.checkOut({ timeoutContext: timeoutContext });
+        server.pool.checkIn(connection);
         stateTransition(this, STATE_CONNECTED);
         this.emit(Topology.OPEN, this);
         this.emit(Topology.CONNECT, this);
diff --git a/test/integration/node-specific/abort_signal.test.ts b/test/integration/node-specific/abort_signal.test.ts
index 40ad3b3414d..c128156f2e2 100644
--- a/test/integration/node-specific/abort_signal.test.ts
+++ b/test/integration/node-specific/abort_signal.test.ts
@@ -631,7 +631,7 @@ describe('AbortSignal support', () => {
             mongodbLogComponentSeverities: { serverSelection: 'debug' },
             mongodbLogPath: {
               write: log => {
-                if (log.c === 'serverSelection' && log.operation === 'ping') {
+                if (log.c === 'serverSelection' && log.operation === 'handshake') {
                   controller.abort();
                   promise.resolve();
                 }
@@ -676,7 +676,7 @@ describe('AbortSignal support', () => {
           mongodbLogComponentSeverities: { serverSelection: 'debug' },
           mongodbLogPath: {
             write: log => {
-              if (log.c === 'serverSelection' && log.operation === 'ping') {
+              if (log.c === 'serverSelection' && log.operation === 'handshake') {
                 controller.abort();
                 promise.resolve();
               }
diff --git a/test/integration/node-specific/auto_connect.test.ts b/test/integration/node-specific/auto_connect.test.ts
index 3e56b69fbef..f0850049632 100644
--- a/test/integration/node-specific/auto_connect.test.ts
+++ b/test/integration/node-specific/auto_connect.test.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import {
   Topology,
   TopologyType
 } from '../../mongodb';
-import { type FailPoint, sleep } from '../../tools/utils';
+import { sleep } from '../../tools/utils';
 
 describe('When executing an operation for the first time', () => {
   let client: MongoClient;
@@ -842,32 +842,6 @@ describe('When executing an operation for the first time', () => {
       });
     });
 
-    describe(
-      'when the server requires auth and ping is delayed',
-      { requires: { auth: 'enabled', mongodb: '>=4.4' } },
-      function () {
-        beforeEach(async function () {
-          // set failpoint to delay ping
-          // create new util client to avoid affecting the test client
-          const utilClient = this.configuration.newClient();
-          await utilClient.db('admin').command({
-            configureFailPoint: 'failCommand',
-            mode: { times: 1 },
-            data: { failCommands: ['ping'], blockConnection: true, blockTimeMS: 1000 }
-          } as FailPoint);
-          await utilClient.close();
-        });
-
-        it('timeoutMS from the client is not used for the internal `ping`', async function () {
-          const start = performance.now();
-          const returnedClient = await client.connect();
-          const end = performance.now();
-          expect(returnedClient).to.equal(client);
-          expect(end - start).to.be.within(1000, 1500); // timeoutMS is 1000, did not apply.
-        });
-      }
-    );
-
     describe(
       'when server selection takes longer than the timeout',
       { requires: { auth: 'enabled', mongodb: '>=4.4' } },
diff --git a/test/integration/node-specific/mongo_client.test.ts b/test/integration/node-specific/mongo_client.test.ts
index dd3d012fdb8..9e0394013cd 100644
--- a/test/integration/node-specific/mongo_client.test.ts
+++ b/test/integration/node-specific/mongo_client.test.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import {
   ServerDescription,
   Topology
 } from '../../mongodb';
-import { clearFailPoint, configureFailPoint, runLater } from '../../tools/utils';
+import { clearFailPoint, configureFailPoint } from '../../tools/utils';
 import { setupDatabase } from '../shared';
 
 describe('class MongoClient', function () {
@@ -588,30 +588,27 @@ describe('class MongoClient', function () {
     });
 
     it(
-      'creates topology and send ping when auth is enabled',
+      'creates topology and checks out connection when auth is enabled',
       { requires: { auth: 'enabled' } },
       async function () {
-        const commandToBeStarted = once(client, 'commandStarted');
+        const checkoutStarted = once(client, 'connectionCheckOutStarted');
         await client.connect();
-        const [pingOnConnect] = await commandToBeStarted;
-        expect(pingOnConnect).to.have.property('commandName', 'ping');
+        const checkout = await checkoutStarted;
+        expect(checkout).to.exist;
         expect(client).to.have.property('topology').that.is.instanceOf(Topology);
       }
     );
 
     it(
-      'does not send ping when authentication is disabled',
+      'does not checkout connection when authentication is disabled',
       { requires: { auth: 'disabled' } },
       async function () {
-        const commandToBeStarted = once(client, 'commandStarted');
+        const checkoutStartedEvents = [];
+        client.on('connectionCheckOutStarted', event => {
+          checkoutStartedEvents.push(event);
+        });
         await client.connect();
-        const delayedFind = runLater(async () => {
-          await client.db().collection('test').findOne();
-        }, 300);
-        const [findOneOperation] = await commandToBeStarted;
-        // Proves that the first command started event that is emitted is a find and not a ping
-        expect(findOneOperation).to.have.property('commandName', 'find');
-        await delayedFind;
+        expect(checkoutStartedEvents).to.be.empty;
         expect(client).to.have.property('topology').that.is.instanceOf(Topology);
       }
     );
@@ -620,15 +617,15 @@ describe('class MongoClient', function () {
       'permits operations to be run after connect is called',
       { requires: { auth: 'enabled' } },
       async function () {
-        const pingCommandToBeStarted = once(client, 'commandStarted');
+        const checkoutStarted = once(client, 'connectionCheckOutStarted');
         await client.connect();
-        const [pingOnConnect] = await pingCommandToBeStarted;
+        const checkout = await checkoutStarted;
+        expect(checkout).to.exist;
 
         const findCommandToBeStarted = once(client, 'commandStarted');
         await client.db('test').collection('test').findOne();
         const [findCommandStarted] = await findCommandToBeStarted;
 
-        expect(pingOnConnect).to.have.property('commandName', 'ping');
         expect(findCommandStarted).to.have.property('commandName', 'find');
         expect(client).to.have.property('topology').that.is.instanceOf(Topology);
       }
@@ -1186,14 +1183,18 @@ describe('class MongoClient', function () {
 
       const tests = [
         // only skipInitialPing=true will have no events upon connect
-        { description: 'should skip ping command when set to true', value: true, expectEvents: 0 },
         {
-          description: 'should not skip ping command when set to false',
+          description: 'should skip connection checkout when set to true',
+          value: true,
+          expectEvents: 0
+        },
+        {
+          description: 'should not skip connection checkout when set to false',
           value: false,
           expectEvents: 1
         },
         {
-          description: 'should not skip ping command when unset',
+          description: 'should not skip connection checkout command when unset',
           value: undefined,
           expectEvents: 1
         }
@@ -1201,9 +1202,9 @@ describe('class MongoClient', function () {
       for (const { description, value, expectEvents } of tests) {
         it(description, async function () {
           const options = value === undefined ? {} : { __skipPingOnConnect: value };
-          const client = this.configuration.newClient({}, { ...options, monitorCommands: true });
+          const client = this.configuration.newClient({}, { ...options });
           const events = [];
-          client.on('commandStarted', event => events.push(event));
+          client.on('connectionCheckOutStarted', event => events.push(event));
 
           try {
             await client.connect();
@@ -1212,11 +1213,6 @@ describe('class MongoClient', function () {
           }
 
           expect(events).to.have.lengthOf(expectEvents);
-          if (expectEvents > 1) {
-            for (const event of events) {
-              expect(event).to.have.property('commandName', 'ping');
-            }
-          }
         });
       }
     });
diff --git a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/load-balanced.json b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/load-balanced.json
index df30a43ebb5..125766ad1e4 100644
--- a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/load-balanced.json
+++ b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/load-balanced.json
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
diff --git a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/replica-set.json b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/replica-set.json
index 304688bc054..b462f3b80e3 100644
--- a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/replica-set.json
+++ b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/replica-set.json
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
diff --git a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/sharded.json b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/sharded.json
index ee8094be4e3..345fc84bc00 100644
--- a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/sharded.json
+++ b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/sharded.json
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -278,7 +278,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
diff --git a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/standalone.json b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/standalone.json
index c79a1f1f65c..2b5ee88338b 100644
--- a/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/standalone.json
+++ b/test/integration/server-selection/unified-server-selection-node-specs-logging/standalone.json
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -241,7 +241,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 }
@@ -255,7 +255,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@
                 "selector": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },
-                "operation": "ping",
+                "operation": "handshake",
                 "topologyDescription": {
                   "$$exists": true
                 },