diff --git a/podman/client.py b/podman/client.py
index 546a7fd9..87c4d17b 100644
--- a/podman/client.py
+++ b/podman/client.py
@@ -61,30 +61,38 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs) -> None:
         super().__init__()
         config = PodmanConfig()
 
-        api_kwargs = kwargs.copy()
+        self.api_kwargs = kwargs.copy()
 
-        if "connection" in api_kwargs:
-            connection = config.services[api_kwargs.get("connection")]
-            api_kwargs["base_url"] = connection.url.geturl()
+        if "connection" in self.api_kwargs:
+            connection = config.services[self.api_kwargs.get("connection")]
+            self.api_kwargs["base_url"] = connection.url.geturl()
 
             # Override configured identity, if provided in arguments
-            api_kwargs["identity"] = kwargs.get("identity", str(connection.identity))
-        elif "base_url" not in api_kwargs:
+            self.api_kwargs["identity"] = kwargs.get("identity", str(connection.identity))
+        elif "base_url" not in self.api_kwargs:
             path = str(Path(get_runtime_dir()) / "podman" / "podman.sock")
-            api_kwargs["base_url"] = "http+unix://" + path
-        self.api = APIClient(**api_kwargs)
+            self.api_kwargs["base_url"] = "http+unix://" + path
 
-        # Check if the connection to the Podman service is successful
         try:
-            SystemManager(client=self.api).version()
+            self.api = APIClient(**self.api_kwargs)
+            response = self.api.get("_ping")
+
+            if response.status_code != 200:
+                raise PodmanConnectionError(
+                    message=f"Unexpected response from Podman service: {response.status_code}",
+                    environment=os.environ,
+                    host=self.api_kwargs.get("base_url"),
+                    original_error=None,
+                )
+        except PodmanConnectionError:
+            raise
         except Exception as e:
-            error_msg = "Failed to connect to Podman service"
             raise PodmanConnectionError(
-                message=error_msg,
+                message=f"Failed to connect to Podman service: {str(e)}",
                 environment=os.environ,
-                host=api_kwargs.get("base_url"),
+                host=self.api_kwargs.get("base_url"),
                 original_error=e,
-            )
+            ) from e
 
     def __enter__(self) -> "PodmanClient":
         return self