diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_mqtt.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_mqtt.erl
index 71ed81dda..585122539 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_mqtt.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/emqx_connector_mqtt.erl
@@ -198,10 +198,7 @@ on_query_async(
     #{name := InstanceId}
 ) ->
     ?TRACE("QUERY", "async_send_msg_to_remote_node", #{message => Msg, connector => InstanceId}),
-    %% this is a cast, currently.
-    ok = emqx_connector_mqtt_worker:send_to_remote_async(InstanceId, Msg, {ReplyFun, Args}),
-    WorkerPid = get_worker_pid(InstanceId),
-    {ok, WorkerPid}.
+    emqx_connector_mqtt_worker:send_to_remote_async(InstanceId, Msg, {ReplyFun, Args}).
 
 on_get_status(_InstId, #{name := InstanceId}) ->
     case emqx_connector_mqtt_worker:status(InstanceId) of
@@ -215,12 +212,6 @@ ensure_mqtt_worker_started(InstanceId, BridgeConf) ->
         {error, Reason} -> {error, Reason}
     end.
 
-%% mqtt workers, when created and called via bridge callbacks, are
-%% registered.
--spec get_worker_pid(atom()) -> pid().
-get_worker_pid(InstanceId) ->
-    whereis(InstanceId).
-
 make_sub_confs(EmptyMap, _Conf, _) when map_size(EmptyMap) == 0 ->
     undefined;
 make_sub_confs(undefined, _Conf, _) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_mod.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_mod.erl
index afe173985..6acbe3bb4 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_mod.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_mod.erl
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
     ping/1
 ]).
 
+-export([info/2]).
+
 -export([
     ensure_subscribed/3,
     ensure_unsubscribed/2
@@ -90,6 +92,9 @@ ping(undefined) ->
 ping(#{client_pid := Pid}) ->
     emqtt:ping(Pid).
 
+info(pid, #{client_pid := Pid}) ->
+    Pid.
+
 ensure_subscribed(#{client_pid := Pid, subscriptions := Subs} = Conn, Topic, QoS) when
     is_pid(Pid)
 ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_worker.erl b/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_worker.erl
index 00b45789e..776d2d8d9 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_worker.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_connector/src/mqtt/emqx_connector_mqtt_worker.erl
@@ -168,9 +168,9 @@ send_to_remote(Name, Msg) ->
     gen_statem:call(name(Name), {send_to_remote, Msg}).
 
 send_to_remote_async(Pid, Msg, Callback) when is_pid(Pid) ->
-    gen_statem:cast(Pid, {send_to_remote_async, Msg, Callback});
+    gen_statem:call(Pid, {send_to_remote_async, Msg, Callback});
 send_to_remote_async(Name, Msg, Callback) ->
-    gen_statem:cast(name(Name), {send_to_remote_async, Msg, Callback}).
+    gen_statem:call(name(Name), {send_to_remote_async, Msg, Callback}).
 
 %% @doc Return all forwards (local subscriptions).
 -spec get_forwards(id()) -> [topic()].
@@ -270,12 +270,14 @@ maybe_destroy_session(_State) ->
 idle({call, From}, ensure_started, State) ->
     case do_connect(State) of
         {ok, State1} ->
-            {next_state, connected, State1, [{reply, From, ok}, {state_timeout, 0, connected}]};
+            {next_state, connected, State1, {reply, From, ok}};
         {error, Reason, _State} ->
             {keep_state_and_data, {reply, From, {error, Reason}}}
     end;
 idle({call, From}, {send_to_remote, _}, _State) ->
     {keep_state_and_data, {reply, From, {error, {recoverable_error, not_connected}}}};
+idle({call, From}, {send_to_remote_async, _, _}, _State) ->
+    {keep_state_and_data, {reply, From, {error, {recoverable_error, not_connected}}}};
 %% @doc Standing by for manual start.
 idle(info, idle, #{start_type := manual}) ->
     keep_state_and_data;
@@ -290,14 +292,11 @@ idle(Type, Content, State) ->
 connecting(#{reconnect_interval := ReconnectDelayMs} = State) ->
     case do_connect(State) of
         {ok, State1} ->
-            {next_state, connected, State1, {state_timeout, 0, connected}};
+            {next_state, connected, State1};
         _ ->
             {keep_state_and_data, {state_timeout, ReconnectDelayMs, reconnect}}
     end.
 
-connected(state_timeout, connected, State) ->
-    %% nothing to do
-    {keep_state, State};
 connected({call, From}, {send_to_remote, Msg}, State) ->
     case do_send(State, Msg) of
         {ok, NState} ->
@@ -305,9 +304,13 @@ connected({call, From}, {send_to_remote, Msg}, State) ->
         {error, Reason} ->
             {keep_state_and_data, {reply, From, {error, Reason}}}
     end;
-connected(cast, {send_to_remote_async, Msg, Callback}, State) ->
+connected(
+    {call, From},
+    {send_to_remote_async, Msg, Callback},
+    State = #{connection := Connection}
+) ->
     _ = do_send_async(State, Msg, Callback),
-    {keep_state, State};
+    {keep_state, State, {reply, From, {ok, emqx_connector_mqtt_mod:info(pid, Connection)}}};
 connected(
     info,
     {disconnected, Conn, Reason},