diff --git a/internal/integration/mtest/mongotest.go b/internal/integration/mtest/mongotest.go
index 3967bf7f82..239074db6d 100644
--- a/internal/integration/mtest/mongotest.go
+++ b/internal/integration/mtest/mongotest.go
@@ -364,7 +364,9 @@ func (t *T) ResetClient(opts *options.ClientOptions) {
 		t.clientOpts = opts
 	}
 
-	_ = t.Client.Disconnect(context.Background())
+	if t.Client != nil {
+		_ = t.Client.Disconnect(context.Background())
+	}
 	t.createTestClient()
 	t.DB = t.Client.Database(t.dbName)
 	t.Coll = t.DB.Collection(t.collName, t.collOpts)
diff --git a/internal/integration/sessions_test.go b/internal/integration/sessions_test.go
index 02a345fd38..f0fcd21eb6 100644
--- a/internal/integration/sessions_test.go
+++ b/internal/integration/sessions_test.go
@@ -13,10 +13,12 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"reflect"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/bson"
+	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/event"
 	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/internal/assert"
 	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/internal/integration/mtest"
 	"go.mongodb.org/mongo-driver/v2/internal/mongoutil"
@@ -508,6 +510,78 @@ func TestSessionsProse(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.True(mt, limitedSessionUse, limitedSessMsg, len(ops))
 
 	})
+
+	mt.ResetClient(options.Client())
+	client := mt.Client
+	heartbeatStarted := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	heartbeatSucceeded := make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	var clusterTimeAdvanced uint32
+	serverMonitor := &event.ServerMonitor{
+		ServerHeartbeatStarted: func(*event.ServerHeartbeatStartedEvent) {
+			if atomic.LoadUint32(&clusterTimeAdvanced) == 1 {
+				select {
+				case heartbeatStarted <- struct{}{}:
+					// NOOP
+				default:
+					// NOOP
+				}
+			}
+		},
+		ServerHeartbeatSucceeded: func(*event.ServerHeartbeatSucceededEvent) {
+			if atomic.LoadUint32(&clusterTimeAdvanced) == 1 {
+				select {
+				case heartbeatSucceeded <- struct{}{}:
+					// NOOP
+				default:
+					// NOOP
+				}
+			}
+		},
+	}
+	pingOpts := mtest.NewOptions().
+		CreateCollection(false).
+		ClientOptions(options.Client().
+			SetServerMonitor(serverMonitor).
+			SetHeartbeatInterval(500 * time.Millisecond). // Minimum interval
+			SetDirect(true)).
+		ClientType(mtest.Pinned)
+	mt.RunOpts("20 Drivers do not gossip $clusterTime on SDAM commands", pingOpts, func(mt *mtest.T) {
+		wait := func(mt *mtest.T, ch <-chan struct{}, label string) {
+			mt.Helper()
+
+			select {
+			case <-ch:
+			case <-time.After(5 * time.Second):
+				mt.Fatalf("timed out waiting for %s", label)
+			}
+		}
+
+		err := mt.Client.Ping(context.Background(), readpref.Primary())
+		assert.NoError(mt, err, "expected no error, got: %v", err)
+
+		_, err = client.Database("test").Collection("test").InsertOne(context.Background(), bson.D{{"advance", "$clusterTime"}})
+		require.NoError(mt, err, "expected no error inserting document, got: %v", err)
+
+		atomic.StoreUint32(&clusterTimeAdvanced, 1)
+		wait(mt, heartbeatStarted, "ServerHeartbeatStartedEvent")
+		wait(mt, heartbeatSucceeded, "ServerHeartbeatSucceededEvent")
+
+		err = mt.Client.Ping(context.Background(), readpref.Primary())
+		require.NoError(mt, err, "expected no error, got: %v", err)
+
+		succeededEvents := mt.GetAllSucceededEvents()
+		require.Len(mt, succeededEvents, 2, "expected 2 succeeded events, got: %v", len(succeededEvents))
+		require.Equal(mt, "ping", succeededEvents[0].CommandName, "expected first command to be ping, got: %v", succeededEvents[0].CommandName)
+		initialClusterTime, err := succeededEvents[0].Reply.LookupErr("$clusterTime")
+		require.NoError(mt, err, "$clusterTime not found in response")
+
+		startedEvents := mt.GetAllStartedEvents()
+		require.Len(mt, startedEvents, 2, "expected 2 started events, got: %v", len(startedEvents))
+		require.Equal(mt, "ping", startedEvents[1].CommandName, "expected second command to be ping, got: %v", startedEvents[1].CommandName)
+		currentClusterTime, err := startedEvents[1].Command.LookupErr("$clusterTime")
+		require.NoError(mt, err, "$clusterTime not found in command")
+		assert.Equal(mt, initialClusterTime, currentClusterTime, "expected same cluster time, got %v and %v", initialClusterTime, currentClusterTime)
+	})
 }
 
 type sessionFunction struct {
diff --git a/x/mongo/driver/operation.go b/x/mongo/driver/operation.go
index 50136456e4..b3a36d79a3 100644
--- a/x/mongo/driver/operation.go
+++ b/x/mongo/driver/operation.go
@@ -1103,9 +1103,11 @@ func (op Operation) readWireMessage(ctx context.Context, conn *mnet.Connection)
 
 	// decode
 	res, err := op.decodeResult(opcode, rem)
-	// Update cluster/operation time and recovery tokens before handling the error to ensure we're properly updating
-	// everything.
-	op.updateClusterTimes(res)
+	// When a cluster clock is given, update cluster/operation time and recovery tokens before handling the error
+	// to ensure we're properly updating everything.
+	if op.Clock != nil {
+		op.updateClusterTimes(res)
+	}
 	op.updateOperationTime(res)
 	op.Client.UpdateRecoveryToken(bson.Raw(res))
 
@@ -1699,7 +1701,10 @@ func (op Operation) addClusterTime(dst []byte, desc description.SelectedServer)
 	if (clock == nil && client == nil) || !sessionsSupported(desc.WireVersion) {
 		return dst
 	}
-	clusterTime := clock.GetClusterTime()
+	var clusterTime bson.Raw
+	if clock != nil {
+		clusterTime = clock.GetClusterTime()
+	}
 	if client != nil {
 		clusterTime = session.MaxClusterTime(clusterTime, client.ClusterTime)
 	}
@@ -1711,7 +1716,6 @@ func (op Operation) addClusterTime(dst []byte, desc description.SelectedServer)
 		return dst
 	}
 	return append(bsoncore.AppendHeader(dst, bsoncore.Type(val.Type), "$clusterTime"), val.Value...)
-	// return bsoncore.AppendDocumentElement(dst, "$clusterTime", clusterTime)
 }
 
 // calculateMaxTimeMS calculates the value of the 'maxTimeMS' field to potentially append
diff --git a/x/mongo/driver/topology/server.go b/x/mongo/driver/topology/server.go
index 7fab1136f8..2d870809bf 100644
--- a/x/mongo/driver/topology/server.go
+++ b/x/mongo/driver/topology/server.go
@@ -842,7 +842,6 @@ func (s *Server) setupHeartbeatConnection(ctx context.Context) error {
 func (s *Server) createBaseOperation(conn *mnet.Connection) *operation.Hello {
 	return operation.
 		NewHello().
-		ClusterClock(s.cfg.clock).
 		Deployment(driver.SingleConnectionDeployment{C: conn}).
 		ServerAPI(s.cfg.serverAPI)
 }