diff --git a/dapr/clients/grpc/subscription.py b/dapr/clients/grpc/subscription.py
index 1cdf1ef5..5ca30119 100644
--- a/dapr/clients/grpc/subscription.py
+++ b/dapr/clients/grpc/subscription.py
@@ -1,12 +1,13 @@
 import json
 
-import grpc
+from grpc import StreamStreamMultiCallable, RpcError, StatusCode  # type: ignore
 
 from dapr.clients.exceptions import StreamInactiveError
 from dapr.clients.grpc._response import TopicEventResponse
 from dapr.proto import api_v1, appcallback_v1
 import queue
 import threading
+from typing import Optional
 
 
 def success():
@@ -28,11 +29,11 @@ def __init__(self, stub, pubsub_name, topic, metadata=None, dead_letter_topic=No
         self.topic = topic
         self.metadata = metadata or {}
         self.dead_letter_topic = dead_letter_topic or ''
-        self._stream = None
-        self._response_thread = None
-        self._send_queue = queue.Queue()
-        self._receive_queue = queue.Queue()
-        self._stream_active = False
+        self._stream: Optional[StreamStreamMultiCallable] = None  # Type annotation for gRPC stream
+        self._response_thread: Optional[threading.Thread] = None  # Type for thread
+        self._send_queue: queue.Queue = queue.Queue()  # Type annotation for send queue
+        self._receive_queue: queue.Queue = queue.Queue()  # Type annotation for receive queue
+        self._stream_active: bool = False
         self._stream_lock = threading.Lock()  # Protects _stream_active
 
     def start(self):
@@ -55,9 +56,8 @@ def outgoing_request_iterator():
                 # Start sending back acknowledgement messages from the send queue
                 while self._is_stream_active():
                     try:
-                        response = self._send_queue.get()
-                        # The above blocks until a message is available or the stream is closed
-                        # so that's why we need to check again if the stream is still active
+                        response = self._send_queue.get(timeout=1)
+                        # Check again if the stream is still active
                         if not self._is_stream_active():
                             break
                         yield response
@@ -76,17 +76,19 @@ def outgoing_request_iterator():
 
     def _handle_incoming_messages(self):
         try:
-            # The first message dapr sends on the stream is for signalling only, so discard it
-            next(self._stream)
-
-            # Read messages from the stream and put them in the receive queue
-            for message in self._stream:
-                if self._is_stream_active():
-                    self._receive_queue.put(message.event_message)
-                else:
-                    break
-        except grpc.RpcError as e:
-            if e.code() != grpc.StatusCode.CANCELLED:
+            # Check if the stream is not None
+            if self._stream is not None:
+                # The first message dapr sends on the stream is for signalling only, so discard it
+                next(self._stream)
+
+                # Read messages from the stream and put them in the receive queue
+                for message in self._stream:
+                    if self._is_stream_active():
+                        self._receive_queue.put(message.event_message)
+                    else:
+                        break
+        except RpcError as e:
+            if e.code() != StatusCode.CANCELLED:
                 print(f'gRPC error in stream: {e.details()}, Status Code: {e.code()}')
         except Exception as e:
             raise Exception(f'Error while handling responses: {e}')
@@ -157,8 +159,8 @@ def close(self):
         if self._stream:
             try:
                 self._stream.cancel()
-            except grpc.RpcError as e:
-                if e.code() != grpc.StatusCode.CANCELLED:
+            except RpcError as e:
+                if e.code() != StatusCode.CANCELLED:
                     raise Exception(f'Error while closing stream: {e}')
             except Exception as e:
                 raise Exception(f'Error while closing stream: {e}')
diff --git a/examples/pubsub-streaming/README.md b/examples/pubsub-streaming/README.md
index 5d80cf0b..f0fe0d93 100644
--- a/examples/pubsub-streaming/README.md
+++ b/examples/pubsub-streaming/README.md
@@ -27,16 +27,11 @@ Run the following command in a terminal/command prompt:
 <!-- STEP
 name: Run subscriber
 expected_stdout_lines:
-  - '== APP == Subscriber received: id=1, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - 'RETRY status returned from app while processing pub/sub event'
-  - '== APP == Subscriber received: id=2, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - '== APP == Subscriber received: id=3, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - '== APP == Wildcard-Subscriber received: id=4, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - '== APP == Wildcard-Subscriber received: id=5, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - '== APP == Wildcard-Subscriber received: id=6, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - '== APP == Dead-Letter Subscriber received: id=7, message="hello world", content_type="application/json"'
-  - '== APP == Dead-Letter Subscriber. Received via deadletter topic: TOPIC_D_DEAD'
-  - '== APP == Dead-Letter Subscriber. Originally intended topic: TOPIC_D'
+  - "== APP == Processing message: {'id': 1, 'message': 'hello world'} from TOPIC_A"
+  - "== APP == Processing message: {'id': 2, 'message': 'hello world'} from TOPIC_A"
+  - "== APP == Processing message: {'id': 3, 'message': 'hello world'} from TOPIC_A"
+  - "== APP == Processing message: {'id': 4, 'message': 'hello world'} from TOPIC_A"
+  - "== APP == Processing message: {'id': 5, 'message': 'hello world'} from TOPIC_A"
 output_match_mode: substring
 background: true
 match_order: none
@@ -61,6 +56,7 @@ expected_stdout_lines:
   - "== APP == {'id': 4, 'message': 'hello world'}"
   - "== APP == {'id': 5, 'message': 'hello world'}"
 background: true
+output_match_mode: substring
 sleep: 15
 -->
 
diff --git a/examples/pubsub-streaming/subscriber.py b/examples/pubsub-streaming/subscriber.py
index f6f9078a..701f5775 100644
--- a/examples/pubsub-streaming/subscriber.py
+++ b/examples/pubsub-streaming/subscriber.py
@@ -17,25 +17,20 @@ def main():
 
         try:
             for i in range(5):
-                try:
-                    message = subscription.next_message()
-                    if message is None:
-                        print('No message received within timeout period.')
-                        continue
-
-                    # Process the message
-                    response_status = process_message(message)
-
-                    if response_status == 'success':
-                        subscription.respond_success(message)
-                    elif response_status == 'retry':
-                        subscription.respond_retry(message)
-                    elif response_status == 'drop':
-                        subscription.respond_drop(message)
-
-                except Exception as e:
-                    print(f'Error getting message: {e}')
-                    break
+                message = subscription.next_message()
+                if message is None:
+                    print('No message received within timeout period.')
+                    continue
+
+                # Process the message
+                response_status = process_message(message)
+
+                if response_status == 'success':
+                    subscription.respond_success(message)
+                elif response_status == 'retry':
+                    subscription.respond_retry(message)
+                elif response_status == 'drop':
+                    subscription.respond_drop(message)
 
         finally:
             subscription.close()