diff --git a/ballerina/Dependencies.toml b/ballerina/Dependencies.toml
index ea731f3..26594f2 100644
--- a/ballerina/Dependencies.toml
+++ b/ballerina/Dependencies.toml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 [ballerina]
 dependencies-toml-version = "2"
-distribution-version = "2201.12.0"
+distribution-version = "2201.12.3"
 
 [[package]]
 org = "ballerina"
diff --git a/build-config/spotbugs-exclude.xml b/build-config/spotbugs-exclude.xml
index 6a9614e..f5c029f 100644
--- a/build-config/spotbugs-exclude.xml
+++ b/build-config/spotbugs-exclude.xml
@@ -24,4 +24,8 @@
         <class name="io.ballerina.lib.cdc.models.Service"/>
         <Bug pattern="EI_EXPOSE_REP2"/>
     </Match>
+    <Match>
+        <class name="io.ballerina.lib.cdc.Listener"/>
+        <Bug pattern="RV_RETURN_VALUE_IGNORED_BAD_PRACTICE"/>
+    </Match>
 </FindBugsFilter>
diff --git a/native/src/main/java/io/ballerina/lib/cdc/Listener.java b/native/src/main/java/io/ballerina/lib/cdc/Listener.java
index 6e27e96..8acd1db 100644
--- a/native/src/main/java/io/ballerina/lib/cdc/Listener.java
+++ b/native/src/main/java/io/ballerina/lib/cdc/Listener.java
@@ -36,8 +36,8 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Properties;
+import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
-import java.util.concurrent.CountDownLatch;
 import java.util.concurrent.ExecutorService;
 import java.util.concurrent.Executors;
 
@@ -172,33 +172,43 @@ public static Object start(Environment environment, BObject listener, BMap<BStri
         ConcurrentHashMap<String, Service> serviceMap = (ConcurrentHashMap<String, Service>) listener
                 .getNativeData(TABLE_TO_SERVICE_MAP_KEY);
 
-        try (ExecutorService executor = Executors.newVirtualThreadPerTaskExecutor()) {
-            EngineResult result = new EngineResult();
+        try {
+            CompletableFuture<EngineResult> comFuture = new CompletableFuture<>();
+            ExecutorService executor = Executors.newVirtualThreadPerTaskExecutor();
             DebeziumEngine<ChangeEvent<String, String>> engine = create(Json.class)
                     .using(engineProperties)
                     .notifying(new BalChangeConsumer(serviceMap, environment.getRuntime()))
+                    .using(new DebeziumEngine.ConnectorCallback() {
+                        @Override
+                        public void taskStarted() {
+                            EngineResult result = new EngineResult();
+                            result.success = true;
+                            comFuture.complete(result);
+                        }
+                    })
                     .using((success, message, error) -> {
+                        EngineResult result = new EngineResult();
                         result.success = success;
                         result.message = message;
                         result.error = error;
-                        result.latch.countDown();
+                        comFuture.complete(result);
                     })
                     .build();
-            executor.execute(engine);
+            executor.submit(engine);
 
-            result.latch.await();
-            if (result.success) {
+            EngineResult engineResult = comFuture.get();
+            if (engineResult.success) {
                 listener.addNativeData(DEBEZIUM_ENGINE_KEY, engine);
                 listener.addNativeData(EXECUTOR_SERVICE_KEY, executor);
             } else {
-                String errorMessage = result.message != null ? result.message
-                        : (result.error != null ? result.error.getMessage() : "Unknown error");
+                String errorMessage = engineResult.message != null ? engineResult.message
+                        : (engineResult.error != null ? engineResult.error.getMessage() : "Unknown error");
                 return createCdcError("Failed to start the Debezium engine: " + errorMessage);
             }
-        } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-            return createCdcError("Failed to start the Debezium engine: " + e.getMessage());
+            return null;
+        } catch (Throwable t) {
+            return createCdcError("Failed to start the Debezium engine: " + t.getMessage());
         }
-        return null;
     }
 
     private static Properties populateEngineProperties(BMap<BString, Object> config) {
@@ -237,9 +247,8 @@ public static Object immediateStop(BObject listener) {
 
     // Helper class to store result
     static class EngineResult {
-        CountDownLatch latch = new CountDownLatch(1);
-        boolean success = false;
-        String message = null;
-        Throwable error = null;
+        volatile boolean success = true;
+        volatile String message = null;
+        volatile Throwable error = null;
     }
 }