diff --git a/client/trino-client/src/test/java/io/trino/client/uri/TestTrinoUri.java b/client/trino-client/src/test/java/io/trino/client/uri/TestTrinoUri.java
index 1a25e64596a4..bb4e5a63cc1e 100644
--- a/client/trino-client/src/test/java/io/trino/client/uri/TestTrinoUri.java
+++ b/client/trino-client/src/test/java/io/trino/client/uri/TestTrinoUri.java
@@ -199,18 +199,6 @@ public void testInvalidUrls()
                 "Provided connection properties are invalid:\n" +
                         "Connection property assumeLiteralNamesInMetadataCallsForNonConformingClients cannot be set if assumeLiteralUnderscoreInMetadataCallsForNonConformingClients is enabled\n" +
                         "Connection property assumeLiteralUnderscoreInMetadataCallsForNonConformingClients cannot be set if assumeLiteralNamesInMetadataCallsForNonConformingClients is enabled");
-
-        // invalid validateConnection
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=0", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: 0");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=1", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: 1");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=-1", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: -1");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=yes", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: yes");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=no", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: no");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=on", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: on");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=off", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: off");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=T", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: T");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=F", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: F");
-        assertInvalid("trino://localhost:8080?validateConnection=abc", "Connection property validateConnection value is invalid: abc");
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/client/trino-jdbc/src/main/java/io/trino/jdbc/TrinoConnection.java b/client/trino-jdbc/src/main/java/io/trino/jdbc/TrinoConnection.java
index 7a648cd4b750..0c4a3ca86ada 100644
--- a/client/trino-jdbc/src/main/java/io/trino/jdbc/TrinoConnection.java
+++ b/client/trino-jdbc/src/main/java/io/trino/jdbc/TrinoConnection.java
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ public class TrinoConnection
         uri.getExplicitPrepare().ifPresent(value -> this.useExplicitPrepare = value);
         uri.getAssumeNullCatalogMeansCurrentCatalog().ifPresent(value -> this.assumeNullCatalogMeansCurrentCatalog = value);
 
-        validateConnection = uri.isValidateConnection();
+        this.validateConnection = uri.isValidateConnection();
         if (validateConnection) {
             try {
                 if (!validateCredentials(CONNECTION_TIMEOUT_SECONDS)) {
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ public class TrinoConnection
     }
 
     private boolean validateCredentials(int timeout)
-            throws IOException
+            throws IOException, UnsupportedOperationException
     {
         HttpUrl url = HttpUrl.get(httpUri);
         url = url.newBuilder().encodedPath("/v1/statement").build();
@@ -216,18 +216,18 @@ private boolean validateCredentials(int timeout)
                     case HTTP_BAD_METHOD:
                         throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Target server does not support HEAD /v1/statement");
                     default:
-                        throw new IOException(format("Unexpected HTTP status code %d returned from HEAD " +
+                        throw new IOException(format("Unexpected HTTP status code %d returned for HEAD " +
                                 "/v1/statement", response.code()));
                 }
             }
-            catch (IOException ioe) {
-                if (getCausalChain(ioe).stream()
-                        .anyMatch(e -> (e instanceof InterruptedIOException
-                                || e instanceof ProtocolException))) {
-                    lastException = ioe;
+            catch (IOException e) {
+                if (getCausalChain(e).stream()
+                        .anyMatch(th -> th instanceof InterruptedIOException && th.getMessage().equals("timeout")
+                                || th instanceof ProtocolException)) {
+                    lastException = e;
                 }
                 else {
-                    throw ioe;
+                    throw e;
                 }
             }
 
@@ -624,9 +624,8 @@ public boolean isValid(int timeout)
             return validateCredentials(timeout);
         }
         catch (UnsupportedOperationException e) {
-            // Backward compatible with older Trino server
             logger.log(Level.FINE, "Remote server does not support validating connection.", e);
-            return true;
+            return false;
         }
         catch (IOException e) {
             logger.log(Level.FINE, "Validating connection failed.", e);