diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-check.yaml b/.github/workflows/build-check.yaml
index 37fab7d0b..96545a251 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-check.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-check.yaml
@@ -228,3 +228,17 @@ jobs:
       - name: Kill Zenoh router
         if: always()
         run: kill ${{ steps.run-zenoh.outputs.zenohd-pid }}
+
+  no_routeur:
+    name: Test examples without router
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout code
+        uses: actions/checkout@v4
+
+      - name: Build & test pico
+        run: |
+          sudo apt install -y ninja-build
+          CMAKE_GENERATOR=Ninja make
+          python3 ./build/tests/no_router.py
+        timeout-minutes: 5
diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index edeabe8e6..d564bd435 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ set(Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION 1 CACHE STRING "Toggle subscription feature")
 set(Z_FEATURE_QUERY 1 CACHE STRING "Toggle query feature")
 set(Z_FEATURE_QUERYABLE 1 CACHE STRING "Toggle queryable feature")
 set(Z_FEATURE_RAWETH_TRANSPORT 0 CACHE STRING "Toggle raw ethernet transport feature")
-set(Z_FEATURE_INTEREST 0 CACHE STRING "Toggle interest feature") # Toggle to 1 when protocol changes are merged
+set(Z_FEATURE_INTEREST 1 CACHE STRING "Toggle interest feature")
 add_definition(Z_FEATURE_MULTI_THREAD=${Z_FEATURE_MULTI_THREAD})
 add_definition(Z_FEATURE_PUBLICATION=${Z_FEATURE_PUBLICATION})
 add_definition(Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION=${Z_FEATURE_SUBSCRIPTION})
@@ -405,6 +405,7 @@ if(UNIX OR MSVC)
     configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/fragment.py ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/fragment.py COPYONLY)
     configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/single_thread.py ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/single_thread.py COPYONLY)
     configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/attachment.py ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/attachment.py COPYONLY)
+    configure_file(${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/tests/no_router.py ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/no_router.py COPYONLY)
 
     enable_testing()
     add_test(z_data_struct_test ${CMAKE_RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY}/z_data_struct_test)
diff --git a/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h b/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h
index d4b0d5e4e..8b548fdc9 100644
--- a/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h
+++ b/include/zenoh-pico/collections/refcount.h
@@ -279,6 +279,22 @@ extern "C++" {
         z_free(p->in);                                                                          \
         return true;                                                                            \
     }                                                                                           \
+    static inline _Bool name##_rc_decr(name##_rc_t *p) {                                        \
+        if (_ZP_RC_OP_DECR_AND_CMP_STRONG(1)) {                                                 \
+            if (_ZP_RC_OP_DECR_AND_CMP_WEAK(1)) {                                               \
+                return false;                                                                   \
+            }                                                                                   \
+            _ZP_RC_OP_SYNC                                                                      \
+            z_free(p->in);                                                                      \
+            return true;                                                                        \
+        }                                                                                       \
+        if (_ZP_RC_OP_DECR_AND_CMP_WEAK(1)) {                                                   \
+            return false;                                                                       \
+        }                                                                                       \
+        _ZP_RC_OP_SYNC                                                                          \
+        z_free(p->in);                                                                          \
+        return true;                                                                            \
+    }                                                                                           \
     static inline name##_weak_t name##_weak_null(void) {                                        \
         name##_weak_t p;                                                                        \
         p.in = NULL;                                                                            \
diff --git a/src/api/api.c b/src/api/api.c
index 4ac72ebd0..67baad6d5 100644
--- a/src/api/api.c
+++ b/src/api/api.c
@@ -867,7 +867,7 @@ int8_t z_open(z_owned_session_t *zs, z_owned_config_t *config) {
     // Open session
     int8_t ret = _z_open(&zs->_rc, &config->_val);
     if (ret != _Z_RES_OK) {
-        _z_session_rc_drop(&zs->_rc);
+        _z_session_rc_decr(&zs->_rc);
         z_session_null(zs);
         z_config_drop(config);
         return ret;
diff --git a/tests/no_router.py b/tests/no_router.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0e1d2c5a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/no_router.py
@@ -0,0 +1,155 @@
+import argparse
+import os
+from signal import SIGINT
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import time
+
+# Specify the directory for the binaries
+DIR_EXAMPLES = "build/examples"
+
+
+def test_all():
+    print("*** Pub & sub test ***")
+    test_status = 0
+
+    # Expected output & status
+    z_expected_status = 255
+    z_expected_output = '''Opening session...
+Unable to open session!'''
+
+    print("Start subscriber")
+    # Start z_sub
+    z_sub_command = f"stdbuf -oL -eL ./{DIR_EXAMPLES}/z_sub"
+    z_sub_process = subprocess.Popen(
+        z_sub_command, shell=True, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True
+    )
+    # Wait for z_sub to finish
+    z_sub_process.wait()
+
+    print("Start publisher")
+    # Start z_pub
+    z_pub_command = f"stdbuf -oL -eL ./{DIR_EXAMPLES}/z_pub"
+    z_pub_process = subprocess.Popen(
+        z_pub_command, shell=True, stdin=subprocess.PIPE, stdout=subprocess.PIPE, stderr=subprocess.PIPE, text=True
+    )
+    # Wait for z_pub to finish
+    z_pub_process.wait()
+
+    print("Start queryable")
+    # Start z_queryable
+    z_queryable_command = f"stdbuf -oL -eL ./{DIR_EXAMPLES}/z_queryable"
+    z_queryable_process = subprocess.Popen(
+        z_queryable_command,
+        shell=True,
+        stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        text=True,
+    )
+    # Wait for z_queryable to finish
+    z_queryable_process.wait()
+
+    print("Start query")
+    # Start z_query
+    z_query_command = f"stdbuf -oL -eL ./{DIR_EXAMPLES}/z_get"
+    z_query_process = subprocess.Popen(
+        z_query_command,
+        shell=True,
+        stdin=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stdout=subprocess.PIPE,
+        stderr=subprocess.PIPE,
+        text=True,
+    )
+    # Wait for z_query to finish
+    z_query_process.wait()
+
+    print("Check publisher status & output")
+    # Check the exit status of z_pub
+    z_pub_status = z_pub_process.returncode
+    if z_pub_status == z_expected_status:
+        print("z_pub status valid")
+    else:
+        print(f"z_pub status invalid, expected: {z_expected_status}, received: {z_pub_status}")
+        test_status = 1
+
+    # Check output of z_pub
+    z_pub_output = z_pub_process.stdout.read()
+    if z_expected_output in z_pub_output:
+        print("z_pub output valid")
+    else:
+        print("z_pub output invalid:")
+        print(f"Expected: \"{z_expected_output}\"")
+        print(f"Received: \"{z_pub_output}\"")
+        test_status = 1
+
+    print("Check subscriber status & output")
+    # Check the exit status of z_sub
+    z_sub_status = z_sub_process.returncode
+    if z_sub_status == z_expected_status:
+        print("z_sub status valid")
+    else:
+        print(f"z_sub status invalid, expected: {z_expected_status}, received: {z_sub_status}")
+        test_status = 1
+
+    # Check output of z_sub
+    z_sub_output = z_sub_process.stdout.read()
+    if z_expected_output in z_sub_output:
+        print("z_sub output valid")
+    else:
+        print("z_sub output invalid:")
+        print(f"Expected: \"{z_expected_output}\"")
+        print(f"Received: \"{z_sub_output}\"")
+        test_status = 1
+
+    print("Check query status & output")
+    # Check the exit status of z_query
+    z_query_status = z_query_process.returncode
+    if z_query_status == z_expected_status:
+        print("z_query status valid")
+    else:
+        print(f"z_query status invalid, expected: {z_expected_status}," f" received: {z_query_status}")
+        test_status = 1
+
+    # Check output of z_query
+    z_query_output = z_query_process.stdout.read()
+    if z_expected_output in z_query_output:
+        print("z_query output valid")
+    else:
+        print("z_query output invalid:")
+        print(f'Expected: "{z_expected_output}"')
+        print(f'Received: "{z_query_output}"')
+        test_status = 1
+
+    print("Check queryable status & output")
+    # Check the exit status of z_queryable
+    z_queryable_status = z_queryable_process.returncode
+    if z_queryable_status == z_expected_status:
+        print("z_queryable status valid")
+    else:
+        print(f"z_queryable status invalid, expected: {z_expected_status}," f" received: {z_queryable_status}")
+        test_status = 1
+
+    # Check output of z_queryable
+    z_queryable_output = z_queryable_process.stdout.read()
+    if z_expected_output in z_queryable_output:
+        print("z_queryable output valid")
+    else:
+        print("z_queryable output invalid:")
+        print(f'Expected: "{z_expected_output}"')
+        print(f'Received: "{z_queryable_output}"')
+        test_status = 1
+
+    # Return value
+    return test_status
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    EXIT_STATUS = 0
+
+    # Test all examples
+    if test_all() == 1:
+        EXIT_STATUS = 1
+
+    # Exit
+    sys.exit(EXIT_STATUS)
diff --git a/tests/z_refcount_test.c b/tests/z_refcount_test.c
index e5ad98374..91e7392e3 100644
--- a/tests/z_refcount_test.c
+++ b/tests/z_refcount_test.c
@@ -222,6 +222,13 @@ void test_overflow(void) {
     assert(dwk1.in == NULL);
 }
 
+void test_decr(void) {
+    _dummy_rc_t drc1 = _dummy_rc_new();
+    _dummy_rc_t drc2 = _dummy_rc_clone(&drc1);
+    assert(!_dummy_rc_decr(&drc2));
+    assert(_dummy_rc_decr(&drc1));
+}
+
 int main(void) {
     test_rc_null();
     test_rc_size();
@@ -239,5 +246,6 @@ int main(void) {
     test_weak_copy();
     test_weak_upgrade();
     test_overflow();
+    test_decr();
     return 0;
 }