diff --git a/src/connection.cpp b/src/connection.cpp
index 6d412b1..91dfd32 100644
--- a/src/connection.cpp
+++ b/src/connection.cpp
@@ -9,18 +9,19 @@
 
 std::unique_ptr<Connection>
 Connection::createForServer(struct sockaddr_storage addr, int fd, int64_t id,
-                            ConnectionHandler *handler,
+                            size_t epoll_index, ConnectionHandler *handler,
                             std::weak_ptr<Server> server) {
   // Use unique_ptr constructor with private access (friend function)
   // We can't use make_unique here because constructor is private
   return std::unique_ptr<Connection>(
-      new Connection(addr, fd, id, handler, server));
+      new Connection(addr, fd, id, epoll_index, handler, server));
 }
 
 Connection::Connection(struct sockaddr_storage addr, int fd, int64_t id,
-                       ConnectionHandler *handler, std::weak_ptr<Server> server)
-    : fd_(fd), id_(id), addr_(addr), arena_(), handler_(handler),
-      server_(server) {
+                       size_t epoll_index, ConnectionHandler *handler,
+                       std::weak_ptr<Server> server)
+    : fd_(fd), id_(id), epoll_index_(epoll_index), addr_(addr), arena_(),
+      handler_(handler), server_(server) {
   if (auto server_ptr = server_.lock()) {
     server_ptr->active_connections_.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed);
   }
diff --git a/src/connection.hpp b/src/connection.hpp
index 37b2802..060075c 100644
--- a/src/connection.hpp
+++ b/src/connection.hpp
@@ -323,7 +323,8 @@ private:
    * @param server Weak reference to the server for safe cleanup
    */
   Connection(struct sockaddr_storage addr, int fd, int64_t id,
-             ConnectionHandler *handler, std::weak_ptr<Server> server);
+             size_t epoll_index, ConnectionHandler *handler,
+             std::weak_ptr<Server> server);
 
   /**
    * @brief Server-only factory method for creating connections.
@@ -345,7 +346,8 @@ private:
    */
   static std::unique_ptr<Connection>
   createForServer(struct sockaddr_storage addr, int fd, int64_t id,
-                  ConnectionHandler *handler, std::weak_ptr<Server> server);
+                  size_t epoll_index, ConnectionHandler *handler,
+                  std::weak_ptr<Server> server);
 
   // Networking interface - only accessible by Server
   int readBytes(char *buf, size_t buffer_size);
@@ -357,8 +359,10 @@ private:
   int getFd() const { return fd_; }
   bool hasMessages() const { return !messages_.empty(); }
   bool shouldClose() const { return closeConnection_; }
+  size_t getEpollIndex() const { return epoll_index_; }
   const int fd_;
   const int64_t id_;
+  const size_t epoll_index_; // Index of the epoll instance this connection uses
   struct sockaddr_storage addr_; // sockaddr_storage handles IPv4/IPv6
   ArenaAllocator arena_;
   ConnectionHandler *handler_;
diff --git a/src/server.cpp b/src/server.cpp
index 6775c93..337d348 100644
--- a/src/server.cpp
+++ b/src/server.cpp
@@ -100,16 +100,19 @@ void Server::releaseBackToServer(std::unique_ptr<Connection> connection) {
 
   // Try to get the server from the connection's weak_ptr
   if (auto server = connection->server_.lock()) {
-    // Server still exists - release raw pointer and let server take over
-    Connection *raw_conn = connection.release();
-    server->receiveConnectionBack(raw_conn);
+    // Server still exists - pass unique_ptr directly
+    server->receiveConnectionBack(std::move(connection));
   }
 
   // If server is gone, connection will be automatically cleaned up when
   // unique_ptr destructs
 }
 
-void Server::receiveConnectionBack(Connection *connection) {
+void Server::receiveConnectionBack(std::unique_ptr<Connection> connection) {
+  if (!connection) {
+    return; // Nothing to process
+  }
+
   // Re-add the connection to epoll for continued processing
   struct epoll_event event{};
 
@@ -120,17 +123,19 @@ void Server::receiveConnectionBack(Connection *connection) {
   }
 
   connection->tsan_release();
-  event.data.fd = connection->getFd();
+  int fd = connection->getFd();
+  event.data.fd = fd;
 
-  // Distribute connections round-robin across epoll instances
-  size_t epoll_index =
-      connection_distribution_counter_.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed) %
-      epoll_fds_.size();
+  // Store connection in registry before adding to epoll
+  // This mirrors the pattern used in process_connection_batch
+  size_t epoll_index = connection->getEpollIndex();
   int epollfd = epoll_fds_[epoll_index];
+  connection_registry_.store(fd, std::move(connection));
 
-  if (epoll_ctl(epollfd, EPOLL_CTL_ADD, connection->getFd(), &event) == -1) {
-    perror("epoll_ctl ADD in receiveConnectionBack");
-    delete connection; // Clean up on failure
+  if (epoll_ctl(epollfd, EPOLL_CTL_MOD, fd, &event) == -1) {
+    perror("epoll_ctl MOD in receiveConnectionBack");
+    // Remove from registry and clean up on failure
+    (void)connection_registry_.remove(fd);
   }
 }
 
@@ -417,10 +422,11 @@ void Server::start_io_threads(std::vector<std::thread> &threads) {
             }
 
             // Transfer ownership from registry to batch processing
+            size_t epoll_index = thread_id % epoll_fds_.size();
             batch[batch_count] = std::unique_ptr<Connection>(new Connection(
                 addr, fd,
                 connection_id_.fetch_add(1, std::memory_order_relaxed),
-                &handler_, weak_from_this()));
+                epoll_index, &handler_, weak_from_this()));
             batch_events[batch_count] =
                 EPOLLIN; // New connections always start with read
             batch_count++;
diff --git a/src/server.hpp b/src/server.hpp
index 6073f7f..373a7b3 100644
--- a/src/server.hpp
+++ b/src/server.hpp
@@ -142,9 +142,9 @@ private:
    * This method is thread-safe and can be called from any thread.
    * The connection will be re-added to the epoll for continued processing.
    *
-   * @param connection Raw pointer to the connection being released back
+   * @param connection Unique pointer to the connection being released back
    */
-  void receiveConnectionBack(Connection *connection);
+  void receiveConnectionBack(std::unique_ptr<Connection> connection);
 
   // Make non-copyable and non-movable
   Server(const Server &) = delete;