A technique manages operation of a host computer having access to a storage volume on a storage system via two or more distinct paths. The technique involves operating a multipathing driver within the host computer, the multipathing driver controlling path access from the host computer to the storage volume. The technique further involves operating a host bus adaptor (HBA) driver within the host computer to interface the host computer to a fabric connecting the host computer to the storage system. The technique further involves conveying fabric topology state change event information from the HBA driver to the multipathing driver to enable the multipathing driver to take action in response to fabric topology state change events. In some arrangements, an event monitoring handler receives fabric event information from registered state change notifications (RSCNs) containing fabric event information from the HBA driver, and forwards that information on to the multipathing driver.