diff --git a/client/client.go b/client/client.go
index 1c0f92b..a8af149 100644
--- a/client/client.go
+++ b/client/client.go
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ type QueueMessage struct {
 	RetryAttempts int32
 }
 
-func (m QueueMessage) IncrementRetryAttempts() int32 {
+func (m *QueueMessage) IncrementRetryAttempts() int32 {
 	m.RetryAttempts++
 	return m.RetryAttempts
 }
 
-func (m QueueMessage) GetRetryAttempts() int32 {
+func (m *QueueMessage) GetRetryAttempts() int32 {
 	return m.RetryAttempts
 }
 
diff --git a/client/client_test.go b/client/client_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8d49465
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/client_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+package client_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/babylonlabs-io/staking-queue-client/client"
+)
+
+func TestIncrementRetryAttempts(t *testing.T) {
+	const expected int32 = 1
+
+	msg := client.QueueMessage{}
+	assert.Equal(t, expected, msg.IncrementRetryAttempts())
+	assert.Equal(t, expected, msg.GetRetryAttempts())
+}
diff --git a/queuemngr/queue_manager.go b/queuemngr/queue_manager.go
index 04bcb62..5624227 100644
--- a/queuemngr/queue_manager.go
+++ b/queuemngr/queue_manager.go
@@ -124,9 +124,9 @@ func (qc *QueueManager) Ping() error {
 
 	for _, queue := range queues {
 		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), timeout)
-		defer cancel()
 
 		err := queue.Ping(ctx)
+		cancel()
 		if err != nil {
 			qc.logger.Error("ping failed", zap.String("queue", queue.GetQueueName()), zap.Error(err))
 			return err