diff --git a/tests/monitor.cpp b/tests/monitor.cpp
index bb54ca16..dc06670a 100644
--- a/tests/monitor.cpp
+++ b/tests/monitor.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ TEST_CASE("monitor move assign", "[monitor]")
     }
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("monitor init event count", "[monitor]")
+TEST_CASE("monitor init check event count", "[monitor]")
 {
     common_server_client_setup s{false};
     mock_monitor_t monitor;
@@ -92,6 +92,93 @@ TEST_CASE("monitor init event count", "[monitor]")
     CHECK(monitor.total == expected_event_count);
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("monitor init get event count", "[monitor]")
+{
+    common_server_client_setup s{ false };
+    zmq::monitor_t monitor;
+
+    const int expected_event_count = 2;
+    monitor.init(s.client, "inproc://foo");
+
+    int total{ 0 };
+    int connect_delayed{ 0 };
+    int connected{ 0 };
+
+    auto lbd_count_event = [&](const zmq_event_t& event) {
+        switch (event.event)
+        {
+        case ZMQ_EVENT_CONNECT_DELAYED:
+            connect_delayed++;
+            total++;
+            break;
+
+        case ZMQ_EVENT_CONNECTED:
+            connected++;
+            total++;
+            break;
+        }
+    };
+
+    zmq_event_t eventMsg;
+    std::string address;
+    CHECK_FALSE(monitor.get_event(eventMsg, address, zmq::recv_flags::dontwait));
+    s.init();
+
+    SECTION("get_event")
+    {
+        while (total < expected_event_count)
+        {
+            if (!monitor.get_event(eventMsg, address))
+                continue;
+
+            lbd_count_event(eventMsg);
+        }
+
+    }
+
+    SECTION("poll get_event")
+    {
+        while (total < expected_event_count)
+        {
+            zmq::pollitem_t items[] = {
+                { monitor.handle(), 0, ZMQ_POLLIN, 0 },
+            };
+
+            zmq::poll(&items[0], 1, 100);
+
+            if (!(items[0].revents & ZMQ_POLLIN)) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            CHECK(monitor.get_event(eventMsg, address));
+
+            lbd_count_event(eventMsg);
+        }
+    }
+
+    SECTION("poller_t get_event")
+    {
+        zmq::poller_t<> poller;
+        CHECK_NOTHROW(poller.add(monitor, zmq::event_flags::pollin));
+
+        while (total < expected_event_count)
+        {
+            std::vector<zmq::poller_event<>> events(1);
+            if(0 == poller.wait_all(events, std::chrono::milliseconds{ 100 }))
+                continue;
+
+            CHECK(zmq::event_flags::pollin == events[0].events);
+            CHECK(monitor.get_event(eventMsg, address));
+
+            lbd_count_event(eventMsg);
+        }
+    }
+
+    CHECK(connect_delayed == 1);
+    CHECK(connected == 1);
+    CHECK(total == expected_event_count);
+}
+
 TEST_CASE("monitor init abort", "[monitor]")
 {
     class mock_monitor : public mock_monitor_t
diff --git a/zmq.hpp b/zmq.hpp
index 84457d38..82dec4ea 100644
--- a/zmq.hpp
+++ b/zmq.hpp
@@ -2224,6 +2224,63 @@ class monitor_t
         on_monitor_started();
     }
 
+    operator void *() ZMQ_NOTHROW { return handle(); }
+
+    operator void const *() const ZMQ_NOTHROW { return handle(); }
+
+    ZMQ_NODISCARD void *handle() ZMQ_NOTHROW { return _monitor_socket.handle(); }
+
+    ZMQ_NODISCARD const void *handle() const ZMQ_NOTHROW { return _monitor_socket.handle(); }
+
+    operator socket_ref() ZMQ_NOTHROW { return (zmq::socket_ref) _monitor_socket; }
+
+#if ZMQ_VERSION_MAJOR >= 4
+    bool get_event(zmq_event_t& eventMsg, std::string& address, zmq::recv_flags flags = zmq::recv_flags::none)
+    {
+        assert(_monitor_socket);
+
+        eventMsg.event = 0;
+        eventMsg.value = 0;
+        address = std::string();
+
+        {
+            message_t msg;
+            int rc = zmq_msg_recv(msg.handle(), _monitor_socket.handle(),
+                static_cast<int>(flags));
+
+            if (rc == -1)
+            {
+                if (zmq_errno() == ETERM || zmq_errno() == EAGAIN)
+                    return false;
+                else
+                    throw error_t();
+            }
+
+            const char *data = msg.data<char>();
+            memcpy(&eventMsg.event, data, sizeof(uint16_t));
+            data += sizeof(uint16_t);
+            memcpy(&eventMsg.value, data, sizeof(int32_t));
+        }
+
+        message_t addrMsg;
+        int rc = zmq_msg_recv(addrMsg.handle(), _monitor_socket.handle(),
+            static_cast<int>(flags));
+
+        if (rc == -1)
+        {
+            if (zmq_errno() == ETERM)
+                return false;
+            else
+                throw error_t();
+        }
+
+        const char *str = addrMsg.data<char>();
+        address = std::string(str, str + addrMsg.size());
+
+        return true;
+    }
+#endif
+
     bool check_event(int timeout = 0)
     {
         assert(_monitor_socket);
@@ -2357,6 +2414,15 @@ class monitor_t
         _socket = socket_ref();
     }
 #endif
+
+    void close() ZMQ_NOTHROW
+    {
+#ifdef ZMQ_EVENT_MONITOR_STOPPED
+        abort();
+#endif
+        _monitor_socket = socket_t();
+    }
+
     virtual void on_monitor_started() {}
     virtual void on_event_connected(const zmq_event_t &event_, const char *addr_)
     {
@@ -2461,13 +2527,6 @@ class monitor_t
 
     socket_ref _socket;
     socket_t _monitor_socket;
-
-    void close() ZMQ_NOTHROW
-    {
-        if (_socket)
-            zmq_socket_monitor(_socket.handle(), ZMQ_NULLPTR, 0);
-        _monitor_socket.close();
-    }
 };
 
 #if defined(ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API) && defined(ZMQ_CPP11) && defined(ZMQ_HAVE_POLLER)