diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index ce7f502bb..0bec55ccf 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -227,40 +227,14 @@ func (s *Session) dial(host *HostInfo, cfg *ConnConfig, errorHandler ConnErrorHa
 	}
 	defer cancel()
 
-	frameTicker := make(chan struct{}, 1)
-	startupErr := make(chan error)
-	go func() {
-		for range frameTicker {
-			err := c.recv()
-			if err != nil {
-				select {
-				case startupErr <- err:
-				case <-ctx.Done():
-				}
-
-				return
-			}
-		}
-	}()
-
-	go func() {
-		defer close(frameTicker)
-		err := c.startup(ctx, frameTicker)
-		select {
-		case startupErr <- err:
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-		}
-	}()
+	startup := &startupCoordinator{
+		frameTicker: make(chan struct{}),
+		conn:        c,
+	}
 
-	select {
-	case err := <-startupErr:
-		if err != nil {
-			c.Close()
-			return nil, err
-		}
-	case <-ctx.Done():
-		c.Close()
-		return nil, errors.New("gocql: no response to connection startup within timeout")
+	if err := startup.setupConn(ctx); err != nil {
+		c.close()
+		return nil, err
 	}
 
 	// dont coalesce startup frames
@@ -300,27 +274,98 @@ func (c *Conn) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-func (c *Conn) startup(ctx context.Context, frameTicker chan struct{}) error {
-	m := map[string]string{
-		"CQL_VERSION": c.cfg.CQLVersion,
-	}
+type startupCoordinator struct {
+	conn        *Conn
+	frameTicker chan struct{}
+}
 
-	if c.compressor != nil {
-		m["COMPRESSION"] = c.compressor.Name()
+func (s *startupCoordinator) setupConn(ctx context.Context) error {
+	startupErr := make(chan error)
+	go func() {
+		for range s.frameTicker {
+			err := s.conn.recv()
+			if err != nil {
+				select {
+				case startupErr <- err:
+				case <-ctx.Done():
+				}
+
+				return
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
+	go func() {
+		defer close(s.frameTicker)
+		err := s.options(ctx)
+		select {
+		case startupErr <- err:
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+		}
+	}()
+
+	select {
+	case err := <-startupErr:
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return errors.New("gocql: no response to connection startup within timeout")
 	}
 
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *startupCoordinator) write(ctx context.Context, frame frameWriter) (frame, error) {
 	select {
-	case frameTicker <- struct{}{}:
+	case s.frameTicker <- struct{}{}:
 	case <-ctx.Done():
-		return ctx.Err()
+		return nil, ctx.Err()
 	}
 
-	framer, err := c.exec(ctx, &writeStartupFrame{opts: m}, nil)
+	framer, err := s.conn.exec(ctx, frame, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return framer.parseFrame()
+}
+
+func (s *startupCoordinator) options(ctx context.Context) error {
+	frame, err := s.write(ctx, &writeOptionsFrame{})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	frame, err := framer.parseFrame()
+	supported, ok := frame.(*supportedFrame)
+	if !ok {
+		return NewErrProtocol("Unknown type of response to startup frame: %T", frame)
+	}
+
+	return s.startup(ctx, supported.supported)
+}
+
+func (s *startupCoordinator) startup(ctx context.Context, supported map[string][]string) error {
+	m := map[string]string{
+		"CQL_VERSION": s.conn.cfg.CQLVersion,
+	}
+
+	if s.conn.compressor != nil {
+		comp := supported["COMPRESSION"]
+		name := s.conn.compressor.Name()
+		for _, compressor := range comp {
+			if compressor == name {
+				m["COMPRESSION"] = compressor
+				break
+			}
+		}
+
+		if _, ok := m["COMPRESSION"]; !ok {
+			s.conn.compressor = nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	frame, err := s.write(ctx, &writeStartupFrame{opts: m})
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -331,37 +376,25 @@ func (c *Conn) startup(ctx context.Context, frameTicker chan struct{}) error {
 	case *readyFrame:
 		return nil
 	case *authenticateFrame:
-		return c.authenticateHandshake(ctx, v, frameTicker)
+		return s.authenticateHandshake(ctx, v)
 	default:
 		return NewErrProtocol("Unknown type of response to startup frame: %s", v)
 	}
 }
 
-func (c *Conn) authenticateHandshake(ctx context.Context, authFrame *authenticateFrame, frameTicker chan struct{}) error {
-	if c.auth == nil {
+func (s *startupCoordinator) authenticateHandshake(ctx context.Context, authFrame *authenticateFrame) error {
+	if s.conn.auth == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("authentication required (using %q)", authFrame.class)
 	}
 
-	resp, challenger, err := c.auth.Challenge([]byte(authFrame.class))
+	resp, challenger, err := s.conn.auth.Challenge([]byte(authFrame.class))
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 
 	req := &writeAuthResponseFrame{data: resp}
-
 	for {
-		select {
-		case frameTicker <- struct{}{}:
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			return ctx.Err()
-		}
-
-		framer, err := c.exec(ctx, req, nil)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		frame, err := framer.parseFrame()
+		frame, err := s.write(ctx, req)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
diff --git a/conn_test.go b/conn_test.go
index efa6b8e81..1a2adcbf2 100644
--- a/conn_test.go
+++ b/conn_test.go
@@ -940,18 +940,17 @@ func TestFrameHeaderObserver(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	frames := observer.getFrames()
-
-	if len(frames) != 2 {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected to receive 2 frames, instead received %d", len(frames))
-	}
-	readyFrame := frames[0]
-	if readyFrame.Opcode != frameOp(opReady) {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected to receive ready frame, instead received frame of opcode %d", readyFrame.Opcode)
+	expFrames := []frameOp{opSupported, opReady, opResult}
+	if len(frames) != len(expFrames) {
+		t.Fatalf("Expected to receive %d frames, instead received %d", len(expFrames), len(frames))
 	}
-	voidResultFrame := frames[1]
-	if voidResultFrame.Opcode != frameOp(opResult) {
-		t.Fatalf("Expected to receive result frame, instead received frame of opcode %d", voidResultFrame.Opcode)
+
+	for i, op := range expFrames {
+		if op != frames[i].Opcode {
+			t.Fatalf("expected frame %d to be %v got %v", i, op, frames[i])
+		}
 	}
+	voidResultFrame := frames[2]
 	if voidResultFrame.Length != int32(4) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected to receive frame with body length 4, instead received body length %d", voidResultFrame.Length)
 	}