diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.cc
index 7a4b4cf33ef..8f6e77a5395 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.cc
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 #include <sstream>
 #include <iomanip>
 #include <thread>
-
+#include <memory>
 
 namespace hdfs {
 
@@ -73,18 +73,20 @@ int DelimitedPBMessageSize(const ::google::protobuf::MessageLite *msg) {
   return ::google::protobuf::io::CodedOutputStream::VarintSize32(size) + size;
 }
 
-std::string GetRandomClientName() {
+std::shared_ptr<std::string> GetRandomClientName() {
   std::vector<unsigned char>buf(8);
-  RAND_pseudo_bytes(&buf[0], 8);
+  if (RAND_bytes(&buf[0], static_cast<int>(buf.size())) != 1) {
+    return nullptr;
+  }
 
   std::ostringstream oss;
   oss << "DFSClient_"  << getpid() <<  "_" <<
           std::this_thread::get_id() << "_" <<
           std::setw(2) << std::hex << std::uppercase << std::setfill('0');
-  for (unsigned char b: buf)
+  for (auto b : buf) {
     oss << static_cast<unsigned>(b);
-
-  return oss.str();
+  }
+  return std::make_shared<std::string>(oss.str());
 }
 
 std::string Base64Encode(const std::string &src) {
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.h b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.h
index a7f4f958e79..140f66e8482 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.h
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/common/util.h
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 #include "common/logging.h"
 
 #include <mutex>
+#include <memory>
 #include <string>
 
 #include <boost/asio/ip/tcp.hpp>
@@ -61,7 +62,7 @@ std::string SerializeDelimitedProtobufMessage(const ::google::protobuf::MessageL
 std::string Base64Encode(const std::string &src);
 
 // Return a new high-entropy client name
-std::string GetRandomClientName();
+std::shared_ptr<std::string> GetRandomClientName();
 
 // Returns true if _someone_ is holding the lock (not necessarily this thread,
 // but a std::mutex doesn't track which thread is holding the lock)
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.cc
index 169def364b7..7c9e24c0d88 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
 #include "hdfspp/events.h"
 
 #include <future>
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
 #include <tuple>
 
 #include <boost/asio/buffer.hpp>
@@ -38,7 +40,7 @@ FileHandle::~FileHandle() {}
 
 FileHandleImpl::FileHandleImpl(const std::string & cluster_name,
                                const std::string & path,
-                               std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service, const std::string &client_name,
+                               std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service, const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name,
                                const std::shared_ptr<const struct FileInfo> file_info,
                                std::shared_ptr<BadDataNodeTracker> bad_data_nodes,
                                std::shared_ptr<LibhdfsEvents> event_handlers)
@@ -191,6 +193,11 @@ void FileHandleImpl::AsyncPreadSome(
     return;
   }
 
+  if (client_name_ == nullptr) {
+    handler(Status::Error("AsyncPreadSome: Unable to generate random client name"), "", 0);
+    return;
+  }
+
   /**
    *  Note: block and chosen_dn will end up pointing to things inside
    *  the blocks_ vector.  They shouldn't be directly deleted.
@@ -245,7 +252,7 @@ void FileHandleImpl::AsyncPreadSome(
   //    steal the FileHandle's dn and put it back when we're done
   std::shared_ptr<DataNodeConnection> dn = CreateDataNodeConnection(io_service_, chosen_dn, &block->blocktoken());
   std::string dn_id = dn->uuid_;
-  std::string client_name = client_name_;
+  std::string client_name = *client_name_;
 
   // Wrap the DN in a block reader to handle the state and logic of the
   //    block request protocol
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.h b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.h
index 57da237f977..724b1a14bc2 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.h
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filehandle.h
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@
 #include "bad_datanode_tracker.h"
 #include "ClientNamenodeProtocol.pb.h"
 
+#include <memory>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <string>
 
 namespace hdfs {
 
@@ -51,10 +53,11 @@ public:
   MEMCHECKED_CLASS(FileHandleImpl)
   FileHandleImpl(const std::string & cluster_name,
                  const std::string & path,
-                 std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service, const std::string &client_name,
-                  const std::shared_ptr<const struct FileInfo> file_info,
-                  std::shared_ptr<BadDataNodeTracker> bad_data_nodes,
-                  std::shared_ptr<LibhdfsEvents> event_handlers);
+                 std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service,
+                 const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name,
+                 const std::shared_ptr<const struct FileInfo> file_info,
+                 std::shared_ptr<BadDataNodeTracker> bad_data_nodes,
+                 std::shared_ptr<LibhdfsEvents> event_handlers);
 
   /*
    * Reads the file at the specified offset into the buffer.
@@ -129,7 +132,7 @@ private:
   const std::string cluster_name_;
   const std::string path_;
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service_;
-  const std::string client_name_;
+  const std::shared_ptr<std::string> client_name_;
   const std::shared_ptr<const struct FileInfo> file_info_;
   std::shared_ptr<BadDataNodeTracker> bad_node_tracker_;
   bool CheckSeekBounds(ssize_t desired_position);
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filesystem.h b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filesystem.h
index 935e7c96c7b..7fdb6a1e3f2 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filesystem.h
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/filesystem.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include "hdfspp/hdfspp.h"
 #include "reader/fileinfo.h"
 
+#include <memory>
 #include <thread>
 
 namespace hdfs {
@@ -217,7 +218,7 @@ private:
    **/
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service_;
   const Options options_;
-  const std::string client_name_;
+  const std::shared_ptr<std::string> client_name_;
   std::string cluster_name_;
   NameNodeOperations nn_;
   std::shared_ptr<BadDataNodeTracker> bad_node_tracker_;
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/namenode_operations.h b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/namenode_operations.h
index 3470a48b3c7..445aa08653d 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/namenode_operations.h
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/fs/namenode_operations.h
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
 #include "ClientNamenodeProtocol.pb.h"
 #include "ClientNamenodeProtocol.hrpc.inl"
 
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
 
 namespace hdfs {
 
@@ -43,7 +45,7 @@ class NameNodeOperations {
 public:
   MEMCHECKED_CLASS(NameNodeOperations)
   NameNodeOperations(std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service, const Options &options,
-            const std::string &client_name, const std::string &user_name,
+            const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name, const std::string &user_name,
             const char *protocol_name, int protocol_version) :
   io_service_(io_service),
   engine_(std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(io_service, options, client_name, user_name, protocol_name, protocol_version)),
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_connection_impl.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_connection_impl.cc
index 82fdfeb033d..a5de92e61bf 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_connection_impl.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_connection_impl.cc
@@ -306,13 +306,19 @@ std::shared_ptr<std::string> RpcConnection::PrepareContextPacket() {
     return std::make_shared<std::string>();
   }
 
+  const auto& client_name = pinnedEngine->client_name();
+  if (client_name == nullptr) {
+    LOG_ERROR(kRPC, << "RpcConnection@" << this << " unable to generate random client name");
+    return std::make_shared<std::string>();
+  }
+
   std::shared_ptr<std::string> serializedPacketBuffer = std::make_shared<std::string>();
 
   RpcRequestHeaderProto headerProto;
   headerProto.set_rpckind(RPC_PROTOCOL_BUFFER);
   headerProto.set_rpcop(RpcRequestHeaderProto::RPC_FINAL_PACKET);
   headerProto.set_callid(RpcEngine::kCallIdConnectionContext);
-  headerProto.set_clientid(pinnedEngine->client_name());
+  headerProto.set_clientid(*client_name);
 
   IpcConnectionContextProto handshakeContextProto;
   handshakeContextProto.set_protocol(pinnedEngine->protocol_name());
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.cc
index 065dffad96b..e3274cb88aa 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.cc
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 
 #include <algorithm>
 #include <memory>
+#include <string>
 
 #include <boost/date_time/posix_time/posix_time_duration.hpp>
 #include <openssl/rand.h>
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ using optional = std::experimental::optional<T>;
 
 
 RpcEngine::RpcEngine(std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service, const Options &options,
-                     const std::string &client_name, const std::string &user_name,
+                     const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name, const std::string &user_name,
                      const char *protocol_name, int protocol_version)
     : io_service_(io_service),
       options_(options),
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.h b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.h
index 3bf7dcabda0..1445a1860de 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.h
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/lib/rpc/rpc_engine.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include <memory>
 #include <vector>
 #include <mutex>
+#include <string>
 
 namespace hdfs {
 
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ public:
   virtual const RetryPolicy *retry_policy() = 0;
   virtual int NextCallId() = 0;
 
-  virtual const std::string &client_name() = 0;
+  virtual const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name() = 0;
   virtual const std::unique_ptr<std::string> &client_id() = 0;
   virtual const std::string &user_name() = 0;
   virtual const std::string &protocol_name() = 0;
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ class RpcEngine : public LockFreeRpcEngine, public std::enable_shared_from_this<
   };
 
   RpcEngine(std::shared_ptr<IoService> service, const Options &options,
-            const std::string &client_name, const std::string &user_name,
+            const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name, const std::string &user_name,
             const char *protocol_name, int protocol_version);
 
   void Connect(const std::string & cluster_name,
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ class RpcEngine : public LockFreeRpcEngine, public std::enable_shared_from_this<
   void TEST_SetRetryPolicy(std::unique_ptr<const RetryPolicy> policy);
   std::unique_ptr<const RetryPolicy> TEST_GenerateRetryPolicyUsingOptions();
 
-  const std::string &client_name() override { return client_name_; }
+  const std::shared_ptr<std::string> &client_name() override { return client_name_; }
   const std::unique_ptr<std::string> &client_id() override { return client_id_; }
   const std::string &user_name() override { return auth_info_.getUser(); }
   const std::string &protocol_name() override { return protocol_name_; }
@@ -165,7 +166,7 @@ protected:
 private:
   mutable std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service_;
   const Options options_;
-  const std::string client_name_;
+  const std::shared_ptr<std::string> client_name_;
   const std::unique_ptr<std::string> client_id_;
   const std::string protocol_name_;
   const int protocol_version_;
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/bad_datanode_test.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/bad_datanode_test.cc
index 5417af8f4cf..911f7cae28a 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/bad_datanode_test.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/bad_datanode_test.cc
@@ -23,11 +23,16 @@
 #include "fs/bad_datanode_tracker.h"
 #include "reader/block_reader.h"
 
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
 #include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock-spec-builders.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock-generated-actions.h>
 
 #include <boost/asio/buffer.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/error.hpp>
 
+
+
 using hadoop::common::TokenProto;
 using hadoop::hdfs::DatanodeInfoProto;
 using hadoop::hdfs::DatanodeIDProto;
@@ -139,7 +144,10 @@ TEST(BadDataNodeTest, TestNoNodes) {
   auto monitors = std::make_shared<LibhdfsEvents>();
   bad_node_tracker->AddBadNode("foo");
 
-  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, GetRandomClientName(), file_info, bad_node_tracker, monitors);
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
+
+  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, client_name, file_info, bad_node_tracker, monitors);
   Status stat;
   size_t read = 0;
 
@@ -195,7 +203,11 @@ TEST(BadDataNodeTest, NNEventCallback) {
 
     return event_response::make_ok();
   });
-  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, GetRandomClientName(),  file_info, tracker, monitors);
+
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
+
+  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, client_name,  file_info, tracker, monitors);
   Status stat;
   size_t read = 0;
 
@@ -241,7 +253,11 @@ TEST(BadDataNodeTest, RecoverableError) {
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service = IoService::MakeShared();
   auto tracker = std::make_shared<BadDataNodeTracker>();
   auto monitors = std::make_shared<LibhdfsEvents>();
-  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, GetRandomClientName(),  file_info, tracker, monitors);
+
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
+
+  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, client_name,  file_info, tracker, monitors);
   Status stat;
   size_t read = 0;
   EXPECT_CALL(*is.mock_reader_, AsyncReadBlock(_,_,_,_,_))
@@ -292,7 +308,11 @@ TEST(BadDataNodeTest, InternalError) {
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service = IoService::MakeShared();
   auto tracker = std::make_shared<BadDataNodeTracker>();
   auto monitors = std::make_shared<LibhdfsEvents>();
-  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, GetRandomClientName(),  file_info, tracker, monitors);
+
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
+
+  PartialMockFileHandle is("cluster", "file", io_service, client_name,  file_info, tracker, monitors);
   Status stat;
   size_t read = 0;
   EXPECT_CALL(*is.mock_reader_, AsyncReadBlock(_,_,_,_,_))
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/remote_block_reader_test.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/remote_block_reader_test.cc
index dfee686b602..4843da91786 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/remote_block_reader_test.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/remote_block_reader_test.cc
@@ -27,8 +27,10 @@
 
 #include <google/protobuf/io/coded_stream.h>
 #include <google/protobuf/io/zero_copy_stream_impl.h>
-#include <gmock/gmock.h>
 #include <gtest/gtest.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock-spec-builders.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock-generated-actions.h>
 #include <boost/system/error_code.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/buffer.hpp>
 #include <boost/asio/io_service.hpp>
@@ -165,8 +167,10 @@ TEST(RemoteBlockReaderTest, TestReadSingleTrunk) {
   EXPECT_CALL(reader, AsyncReadPacket(_, _))
       .WillOnce(InvokeArgument<1>(Status::OK(), sizeof(buf)));
 
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
   reader.AsyncReadBlock(
-       GetRandomClientName(), block, 0, boost::asio::buffer(buf, sizeof(buf)),
+       *client_name, block, 0, boost::asio::buffer(buf, sizeof(buf)),
       [&stat, &read](const Status &status, size_t transferred) {
         stat = status;
         read = transferred;
@@ -192,8 +196,10 @@ TEST(RemoteBlockReaderTest, TestReadMultipleTrunk) {
       .Times(4)
       .WillRepeatedly(InvokeArgument<1>(Status::OK(), sizeof(buf) / 4));
 
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
   reader.AsyncReadBlock(
-       GetRandomClientName(), block, 0, boost::asio::buffer(buf, sizeof(buf)),
+       *client_name, block, 0, boost::asio::buffer(buf, sizeof(buf)),
       [&stat, &read](const Status &status, size_t transferred) {
         stat = status;
         read = transferred;
@@ -220,8 +226,10 @@ TEST(RemoteBlockReaderTest, TestReadError) {
       .WillOnce(InvokeArgument<1>(Status::OK(), sizeof(buf) / 4))
       .WillOnce(InvokeArgument<1>(Status::Error("error"), 0));
 
+  const auto client_name = GetRandomClientName();
+  ASSERT_NE(client_name, nullptr);
   reader.AsyncReadBlock(
-       GetRandomClientName(), block, 0, boost::asio::buffer(buf, sizeof(buf)),
+       *client_name, block, 0, boost::asio::buffer(buf, sizeof(buf)),
       [&stat, &read](const Status &status, size_t transferred) {
         stat = status;
         read = transferred;
diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/rpc_engine_test.cc b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/rpc_engine_test.cc
index 744e7eba16d..931f873d6de 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/rpc_engine_test.cc
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs-native-client/src/main/native/libhdfspp/tests/rpc_engine_test.cc
@@ -24,8 +24,14 @@
 #include "rpc/rpc_connection_impl.h"
 #include "common/namenode_info.h"
 
+#include <memory>
+#include <string>
+
 #include <google/protobuf/io/coded_stream.h>
+#include <gtest/gtest.h>
 #include <gmock/gmock.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock-spec-builders.h>
+#include <gmock/gmock-generated-actions.h>
 #include <boost/system/error_code.hpp>
 #include <boost/date_time/posix_time/posix_time_duration.hpp>
 
@@ -108,7 +114,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestRoundTrip) {
 
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service = IoService::MakeShared();
   Options options;
-  std::shared_ptr<RpcEngine> engine = std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
   auto conn =
       std::make_shared<RpcConnectionImpl<MockRPCConnection> >(engine);
   conn->TEST_set_connected(true);
@@ -144,7 +152,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestRoundTrip) {
 TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionResetAndFail) {
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service = IoService::MakeShared();
   Options options;
-  std::shared_ptr<RpcEngine> engine = std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
   auto conn =
       std::make_shared<RpcConnectionImpl<MockRPCConnection> >(engine);
   conn->TEST_set_connected(true);
@@ -181,8 +191,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionResetAndRecover) {
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 1;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 0;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine
-      = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
 
   // Normally determined during RpcEngine::Connect, but in this case options
   // provides enough info to determine policy here.
@@ -222,8 +233,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionResetAndRecoverWithDelay) {
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 1;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 1;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine =
-      std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
 
   // Normally determined during RpcEngine::Connect, but in this case options
   // provides enough info to determine policy here.
@@ -276,8 +288,10 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionFailure)
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 0;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 0;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine
-      = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
+
   EXPECT_CALL(*producer, Produce())
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(make_error_code(boost::asio::error::connection_reset), "")));
 
@@ -303,8 +317,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionFailureRetryAndFailure)
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 2;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 0;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine =
-      std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
   EXPECT_CALL(*producer, Produce())
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(make_error_code(boost::asio::error::connection_reset), "")))
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(make_error_code(boost::asio::error::connection_reset), "")))
@@ -332,8 +347,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionFailureAndRecover)
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 1;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 0;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine =
-      std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
   EXPECT_CALL(*producer, Produce())
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(make_error_code(boost::asio::error::connection_reset), "")))
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(boost::system::error_code(), "")))
@@ -355,8 +371,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestEventCallbacks)
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 99;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 0;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine =
-      std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
 
   // Normally determined during RpcEngine::Connect, but in this case options
   // provides enough info to determine policy here.
@@ -441,8 +458,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestConnectionFailureAndAsyncRecover)
   Options options;
   options.max_rpc_retries = 1;
   options.rpc_retry_delay_ms = 1;
-  std::shared_ptr<SharedConnectionEngine> engine =
-      std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<SharedConnectionEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
   EXPECT_CALL(*producer, Produce())
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(make_error_code(boost::asio::error::connection_reset), "")))
       .WillOnce(Return(std::make_pair(boost::system::error_code(), "")))
@@ -466,7 +484,9 @@ TEST(RpcEngineTest, TestTimeout) {
   std::shared_ptr<IoService> io_service = IoService::MakeShared();
   Options options;
   options.rpc_timeout = 1;
-  std::shared_ptr<RpcEngine> engine = std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(io_service, options, "foo", "", "protocol", 1);
+  auto engine = std::make_shared<RpcEngine>(
+      io_service, options, std::make_shared<std::string>("foo"), "", "protocol",
+      1);
   auto conn =
       std::make_shared<RpcConnectionImpl<MockRPCConnection> >(engine);
   conn->TEST_set_connected(true);