diff --git a/mosaic/core/task.py b/mosaic/core/task.py
index 34829d26..3e70aa33 100644
--- a/mosaic/core/task.py
+++ b/mosaic/core/task.py
@@ -693,7 +693,11 @@ def __init__(self, proxy, method, *args, **kwargs):
         self._remote = None
 
         self.state_changed('pending')
-        self.remote_runtime
+
+        try:
+            self.remote_runtime
+        except ValueError:
+            pass
 
     async def init(self):
         """
diff --git a/stride_examples/examples/homogeneous_elastic/forward_2D.py b/stride_examples/examples/homogeneous_elastic/forward_2D.py
index 3c1fb4d2..d85d58a8 100644
--- a/stride_examples/examples/homogeneous_elastic/forward_2D.py
+++ b/stride_examples/examples/homogeneous_elastic/forward_2D.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ async def main(runtime):
         sub_problem = problem.sub_problem(shot.id)
         shot_wavelets = sub_problem.shot.wavelets
 
-        pde.clear_operators()
+        await pde.clear_operators()
         traces = await pde(shot_wavelets, vp, vs, rho, problem=sub_problem, **config)
 
         data_stride = traces.data.copy()