diff --git a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/sqlserver/server.go b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/sqlserver/server.go
index 0f2eabc84f..34539696f7 100644
--- a/go/cmd/dolt/commands/sqlserver/server.go
+++ b/go/cmd/dolt/commands/sqlserver/server.go
@@ -266,11 +266,18 @@ func Serve(
 					clusterRemoteSrv.Serve(listeners)
 				}()
 			}
+
+			clusterController.ManageQueryConnections(
+				mySQLServer.SessionManager().Iter,
+				sqlEngine.GetUnderlyingEngine().ProcessList.Kill,
+				mySQLServer.SessionManager().KillConnection,
+			)
 		} else {
 			lgr.Errorf("error creating SQL engine context for remotesapi server: %v", err)
 			startError = err
 			return
 		}
+
 	}
 
 	if ok, f := mrEnv.IsLocked(); ok {
diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/assume_role.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/assume_role.go
index 52ea6cf7e6..8291dc1141 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/assume_role.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/assume_role.go
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ func newAssumeRoleProcedure(controller *Controller) sql.ExternalStoredProcedureD
 			},
 		},
 		Function: func(ctx *sql.Context, role string, epoch int) (sql.RowIter, error) {
-			err := controller.setRoleAndEpoch(role, epoch)
+			err := controller.setRoleAndEpoch(role, epoch, true /* graceful */)
 			if err != nil {
 				return nil, err
 			}
diff --git a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/controller.go b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/controller.go
index 9014fb56c7..0f5c26c06f 100644
--- a/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/controller.go
+++ b/go/libraries/doltcore/sqle/cluster/controller.go
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ type Controller struct {
 	sinterceptor  serverinterceptor
 	cinterceptor  clientinterceptor
 	lgr           *logrus.Logger
+
+	iterSessions   IterSessions
+	killQuery      func(uint32)
+	killConnection func(uint32) error
 }
 
 type sqlvars interface {
@@ -122,6 +126,16 @@ func (c *Controller) ApplyStandbyReplicationConfig(ctx context.Context, bt *sql.
 	return nil
 }
 
+type IterSessions func(func(sql.Session) (bool, error)) error
+
+func (c *Controller) ManageQueryConnections(iterSessions IterSessions, killQuery func(uint32), killConnection func(uint32) error) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+	c.iterSessions = iterSessions
+	c.killQuery = killQuery
+	c.killConnection = killConnection
+}
+
 func (c *Controller) applyCommitHooks(ctx context.Context, name string, bt *sql.BackgroundThreads, denv *env.DoltEnv) ([]*commithook, error) {
 	ttfdir, err := denv.TempTableFilesDir()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -246,7 +260,7 @@ func applyBootstrapClusterConfig(lgr *logrus.Logger, cfg Config, pCfg config.Rea
 	return Role(persistentRole), epochi, nil
 }
 
-func (c *Controller) setRoleAndEpoch(role string, epoch int) error {
+func (c *Controller) setRoleAndEpoch(role string, epoch int, graceful bool) error {
 	c.mu.Lock()
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 	if epoch == c.epoch && role == string(c.role) {
@@ -269,7 +283,21 @@ func (c *Controller) setRoleAndEpoch(role string, epoch int) error {
 	c.epoch = epoch
 
 	if changedrole {
-		// TODO: Role is transitioning...lots of stuff to do.
+		var err error
+		if c.role == RoleStandby {
+			if graceful {
+				err = c.gracefulTransitionToStandby()
+			} else {
+				err = c.immediateTransitionToStandby()
+				// TODO: this should not fail; if it does, we still prevent transition for now.
+			}
+		} else {
+			err = c.transitionToPrimary()
+			// TODO: this should not fail; if it does, we still prevent transition for now.
+		}
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
 	}
 
 	c.refreshSystemVars()
@@ -339,3 +367,43 @@ func (c *Controller) RemoteSrvServerArgs(ctx *sql.Context, args remotesrv.Server
 	args.DBCache = remotesrvStoreCache{args.DBCache, c}
 	return args
 }
+
+// The order of operations is:
+// * Set all databases in database_provider to read-only.
+// * Kill all running queries in GMS.
+// * Replicate all databases to their standby remotes.
+//   * If success, return success.
+//   * If failure, set all databases in database_provider back to their original state. Return failure.
+func (c *Controller) gracefulTransitionToStandby() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// The order of operations is:
+// * Set all databases in database_provider to read-only.
+// * Kill all running queries in GMS.
+// * Return success. NOTE: we do not attempt to replicate to the standby.
+func (c *Controller) immediateTransitionToStandby() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// The order of operations is:
+// * Set all databases in database_provider back to their original mode: read-write or read only.
+// * Kill all running queries in GMS.
+// * Return success.
+func (c *Controller) transitionToPrimary() error {
+	return nil
+}
+
+// Kills all running queries in the managed GMS engine.
+func (c *Controller) killRunningQueries() {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	iterSessions, killQuery, killConnection := c.iterSessions, c.killQuery, c.killConnection
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+	if c.iterSessions != nil {
+		iterSessions(func(session sql.Session) (stop bool, err error) {
+			killQuery(session.ID())
+			killConnection(session.ID())
+			return
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/integration-tests/bats/sql-server-cluster.bats b/integration-tests/bats/sql-server-cluster.bats
index 083295b65c..2cf4da1a93 100644
--- a/integration-tests/bats/sql-server-cluster.bats
+++ b/integration-tests/bats/sql-server-cluster.bats
@@ -130,8 +130,9 @@ cluster:
     server_query_with_port "${SERVERONE_MYSQL_PORT}" repo1 1 dolt "" "call dolt_assume_cluster_role('standby', '10');" "status\n0"
     # same role, new epoch
     server_query_with_port "${SERVERONE_MYSQL_PORT}" repo1 1 dolt "" "call dolt_assume_cluster_role('standby', '12'); select @@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role, @@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role_epoch;" "status\n0;@@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role,@@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role_epoch\nstandby,12"
-    # new role, new epoch
-    server_query_with_port "${SERVERONE_MYSQL_PORT}" repo1 1 dolt "" "call dolt_assume_cluster_role('primary', '13'); select @@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role, @@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role_epoch;" "status\n0;@@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role,@@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role_epoch\nprimary,13"
+    # new role, new epoch (this can drop the connection, so check the results in a new connection)
+    run server_query_with_port "${SERVERONE_MYSQL_PORT}" repo1 1 dolt "" "call dolt_assume_cluster_role('primary', '13');" "" 1
+    server_query_with_port "${SERVERONE_MYSQL_PORT}" repo1 1 dolt "" "select @@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role, @@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role_epoch;" "@@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role,@@GLOBAL.dolt_cluster_role_epoch\nprimary,13"
 
     # Server comes back up with latest assumed role.
     kill $SERVER_PID