diff --git a/connection.go b/connection.go
index a387d07..26386fd 100644
--- a/connection.go
+++ b/connection.go
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ func (c *conn) ExecContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.Name
 
 	ctx = driverctx.NewContextWithConnId(ctx, c.id)
 
+	if len(args) > 0 && c.session.ServerProtocolVersion < cli_service.TProtocolVersion_SPARK_CLI_SERVICE_PROTOCOL_V8 {
+		return nil, dbsqlerrint.NewDriverError(ctx, dbsqlerr.ErrParametersNotSupported, nil)
+	}
+
 	exStmtResp, opStatusResp, err := c.runQuery(ctx, query, args)
 
 	if exStmtResp != nil && exStmtResp.OperationHandle != nil {
@@ -141,6 +145,10 @@ func (c *conn) QueryContext(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver.Nam
 
 	ctx = driverctx.NewContextWithConnId(ctx, c.id)
 
+	if len(args) > 0 && c.session.ServerProtocolVersion < cli_service.TProtocolVersion_SPARK_CLI_SERVICE_PROTOCOL_V8 {
+		return nil, dbsqlerrint.NewDriverError(ctx, dbsqlerr.ErrParametersNotSupported, nil)
+	}
+
 	// first we try to get the results synchronously.
 	// at any point in time that the context is done we must cancel and return
 	exStmtResp, opStatusResp, err := c.runQuery(ctx, query, args)
@@ -274,7 +282,7 @@ func (c *conn) executeStatement(ctx context.Context, query string, args []driver
 	req := cli_service.TExecuteStatementReq{
 		SessionHandle: c.session.SessionHandle,
 		Statement:     query,
-		RunAsync:      c.cfg.RunAsync,
+		RunAsync:      true,
 		QueryTimeout:  int64(c.cfg.QueryTimeout / time.Second),
 		GetDirectResults: &cli_service.TSparkGetDirectResults{
 			MaxRows: int64(c.cfg.MaxRows),
diff --git a/errors/errors.go b/errors/errors.go
index 600f887..6a71245 100644
--- a/errors/errors.go
+++ b/errors/errors.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ const (
 	ErrTransactionsNotSupported = "transactions are not supported"
 	ErrReadQueryStatus          = "could not read query status"
 	ErrSentinelTimeout          = "sentinel timed out waiting for operation to complete"
+	ErrParametersNotSupported   = "query parameters are not supported by this server"
 
 	// Request error messages (connection, authentication, network error)
 	ErrCloseConnection = "failed to close connection"
diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index b6ccace..d5ede1c 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ type Config struct {
 	UserConfig
 	TLSConfig *tls.Config // nil disables TLS
 	ArrowConfig
-	RunAsync                  bool // TODO
 	PollInterval              time.Duration
 	ClientTimeout             time.Duration // max time the http request can last
 	PingTimeout               time.Duration // max time allowed for ping
@@ -68,7 +67,6 @@ func (c *Config) DeepCopy() *Config {
 		UserConfig:                c.UserConfig.DeepCopy(),
 		TLSConfig:                 c.TLSConfig.Clone(),
 		ArrowConfig:               c.ArrowConfig.DeepCopy(),
-		RunAsync:                  c.RunAsync,
 		PollInterval:              c.PollInterval,
 		ClientTimeout:             c.ClientTimeout,
 		PingTimeout:               c.PingTimeout,
@@ -188,7 +186,6 @@ func WithDefaults() *Config {
 		UserConfig:                UserConfig{}.WithDefaults(),
 		TLSConfig:                 &tls.Config{MinVersion: tls.VersionTLS12},
 		ArrowConfig:               ArrowConfig{}.WithDefaults(),
-		RunAsync:                  true,
 		PollInterval:              1 * time.Second,
 		ClientTimeout:             900 * time.Second,
 		PingTimeout:               60 * time.Second,
@@ -196,7 +193,7 @@ func WithDefaults() *Config {
 		DriverName:                "godatabrickssqlconnector", // important. Do not change
 		ThriftProtocol:            "binary",
 		ThriftTransport:           "http",
-		ThriftProtocolVersion:     cli_service.TProtocolVersion_SPARK_CLI_SERVICE_PROTOCOL_V7,
+		ThriftProtocolVersion:     cli_service.TProtocolVersion_SPARK_CLI_SERVICE_PROTOCOL_V8,
 		ThriftDebugClientProtocol: false,
 	}
 
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index df5e4bd..3def76b 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -640,7 +640,6 @@ func TestConfig_DeepCopy(t *testing.T) {
 		cfg := &Config{
 			UserConfig:                UserConfig{}.WithDefaults(),
 			TLSConfig:                 &tls.Config{MinVersion: tls.VersionTLS12},
-			RunAsync:                  true,
 			PollInterval:              1 * time.Second,
 			ClientTimeout:             900 * time.Second,
 			PingTimeout:               15 * time.Second,