diff --git a/examples/hello_world_util.h b/examples/hello_world_util.h
index 51cff49c830..30d0e2d88c7 100644
--- a/examples/hello_world_util.h
+++ b/examples/hello_world_util.h
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 
 #include <ucs/memory/memory_type.h>
 
+#include <sys/poll.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
@@ -265,8 +266,10 @@ int client_connect(const char *server, uint16_t server_port)
     return -1;
 }
 
-static inline int barrier(int oob_sock)
+static inline int
+barrier(int oob_sock, void (*progress_cb)(void *arg), void *arg)
 {
+    struct pollfd pfd = { .fd = oob_sock, .events = POLLIN };
     int dummy = 0;
     ssize_t res;
 
@@ -275,6 +278,11 @@ static inline int barrier(int oob_sock)
         return res;
     }
 
+    do {
+        res = poll(&pfd, 1, 1);
+        progress_cb(arg);
+    } while (res != 1);
+
     res = recv(oob_sock, &dummy, sizeof(dummy), MSG_WAITALL);
 
     /* number of received bytes should be the same as sent */
diff --git a/examples/ucp_hello_world.c b/examples/ucp_hello_world.c
index 01a79af533a..c45e5ae2bbb 100644
--- a/examples/ucp_hello_world.c
+++ b/examples/ucp_hello_world.c
@@ -506,6 +506,11 @@ static int run_test(const char *client_target_name, ucp_worker_h ucp_worker)
     }
 }
 
+static void progress_worker(void *arg)
+{
+    ucp_worker_progress((ucp_worker_h)arg);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     /* UCP temporary vars */
@@ -602,7 +607,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     if (!ret && (err_handling_opt.failure_mode == FAILURE_MODE_NONE)) {
         /* Make sure remote is disconnected before destroying local worker */
-        ret = barrier(oob_sock);
+        ret = barrier(oob_sock, progress_worker, ucp_worker);
     }
     close(oob_sock);
 
diff --git a/examples/uct_hello_world.c b/examples/uct_hello_world.c
index 66a51d81f39..237d46a09b2 100644
--- a/examples/uct_hello_world.c
+++ b/examples/uct_hello_world.c
@@ -561,6 +561,11 @@ int sendrecv(int sock, const void *sbuf, size_t slen, void **rbuf)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static void progress_worker(void *arg)
+{
+    uct_worker_progress((uct_worker_h)arg);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     uct_device_addr_t   *peer_dev   = NULL;
@@ -660,7 +665,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
         /* Connect endpoint to a remote endpoint */
         status = uct_ep_connect_to_ep(ep, peer_dev, peer_ep);
-        if (barrier(oob_sock)) {
+        if (barrier(oob_sock, progress_worker, if_info.worker)) {
             status = UCS_ERR_IO_ERROR;
             goto out_free_ep;
         }
@@ -729,7 +734,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         }
     }
 
-    if (barrier(oob_sock)) {
+    if (barrier(oob_sock, progress_worker, if_info.worker)) {
         status = UCS_ERR_IO_ERROR;
     }