diff --git a/log_manager/log_manager.cc b/log_manager/log_manager.cc
index 8092e3a1a..bdb43d187 100644
--- a/log_manager/log_manager.cc
+++ b/log_manager/log_manager.cc
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ static bool logmanager_init_nomutex(
         }
         
         /** Initialize and start filewriter thread */
-        fw->fwr_thread = skygw_thread_init(strdup("filewriter thr"),
+        fw->fwr_thread = skygw_thread_init("filewriter thr",
                                            thr_filewriter_fun,
                                            (void *)fw);
    
diff --git a/log_manager/test/testlog.c b/log_manager/test/testlog.c
index a308cd55f..981c9a8cf 100644
--- a/log_manager/test/testlog.c
+++ b/log_manager/test/testlog.c
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ int main(int argc, char* argv[])
 #if defined(TEST1)
         
         mes = skygw_message_init();
-        mtx = simple_mutex_init(NULL, strdup("testmtx"));
+        mtx = simple_mutex_init(NULL, "testmtx");
         /** Test starts */
 
         fprintf(stderr, "\nStarting test #1 \n");
diff --git a/utils/skygw_utils.cc b/utils/skygw_utils.cc
index 5e54545f8..dfdd3510b 100644
--- a/utils/skygw_utils.cc
+++ b/utils/skygw_utils.cc
@@ -322,9 +322,7 @@ mlist_t* mlist_init(
                 list->mlist_name = name;
         }
         /** Create mutex, return NULL if fails. */
-        if (simple_mutex_init(
-                    &list->mlist_mutex,
-                    strdup("writebuf mutex")) == NULL)
+        if (simple_mutex_init(&list->mlist_mutex, "writebuf mutex") == NULL)
         {
                 ss_dfprintf(stderr, "* Creating rwlock for mlist failed\n");
                 mlist_free_memory(list, name);
@@ -977,20 +975,21 @@ void slist_done(
  * @node Initialize thread data structure 
  *
  * Parameters:
- * @param void - <usage>
- *          <description>
+ * @param name copy is taken and stored to thread structure
  *
  * @param sth_thrfun - <usage>
  *          <description>
  *
- * @return 
+ * @param data thread data pointer
+ *
+ * @return thread pointer or NULL in case of failure
  *
  * 
  * @details (write detailed description here)
  *
  */
 skygw_thread_t* skygw_thread_init(
-        char* name,
+        const char* name,
         void* (*sth_thrfun)(void* data),
         void* data)
 {
@@ -1006,8 +1005,8 @@ skygw_thread_t* skygw_thread_init(
         th->sth_chk_tail = CHK_NUM_THREAD;
         th->sth_parent = pthread_self();
         ss_debug(th->sth_state = THR_INIT;)
-                th->sth_name = name;
-        th->sth_mutex = simple_mutex_init(NULL, strdup(name));
+        th->sth_name = strndup(name, PATH_MAX);
+        th->sth_mutex = simple_mutex_init(NULL, name);
 
         if (th->sth_mutex == NULL) {
                 thread_free_memory(th, th->sth_name);
@@ -1214,10 +1213,13 @@ void release_lock(
  * @node Create a simple_mutex structure which encapsulates pthread_mutex. 
  *
  * Parameters:
- * @param name - <usage>
- *          <description>
+ * @param mutexptr if mutex is initialized within caller's memory, this is
+ * the address for it. If mutex is flat, there is value, otherwise it is NULL. 
  *
- * @return 
+ * @param name name of mutex, passed argument is copied and pointer is stored
+ *  to mutex struct.
+ *
+ * @return simple_mutex pointer or NULL in case of failure.
  *
  * 
  * @details If mutex is flat, sm_enabled can be read if the memory is not freed.
@@ -1228,7 +1230,7 @@ void release_lock(
  */
 simple_mutex_t* simple_mutex_init(
         simple_mutex_t* mutexptr,
-        char*           name)
+        const char*     name)
 {
         int err;      
         simple_mutex_t* sm;
@@ -1245,7 +1247,7 @@ simple_mutex_t* simple_mutex_init(
         sm->sm_chk_top = CHK_NUM_SIMPLE_MUTEX;
         sm->sm_chk_tail = CHK_NUM_SIMPLE_MUTEX;
 #endif
-        sm->sm_name = name;
+        sm->sm_name = strndup(name, PATH_MAX);
         
         /** Create pthread mutex */
         err = pthread_mutex_init(&sm->sm_mutex, NULL);
diff --git a/utils/skygw_utils.h b/utils/skygw_utils.h
index 4868fb511..992f169d2 100644
--- a/utils/skygw_utils.h
+++ b/utils/skygw_utils.h
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ bool            mlist_cursor_step_ahead(mlist_cursor_t* c);
 
 /** Skygw thread routines */
 skygw_thread_t*   skygw_thread_init(
-        char* name,
+        const char* name,
         void* (*sth_thrfun)(void* data),
         void* data);
 void              skygw_thread_done(skygw_thread_t* th);
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ EXTERN_C_BLOCK_BEGIN
 void acquire_lock(int* l);
 void release_lock(int* l);
 
-simple_mutex_t* simple_mutex_init(simple_mutex_t* mutexptr, char* name);
+simple_mutex_t* simple_mutex_init(simple_mutex_t* mutexptr, const char* name);
 int simple_mutex_done(simple_mutex_t* sm);
 int simple_mutex_lock(simple_mutex_t* sm, bool block);
 int simple_mutex_unlock(simple_mutex_t* sm);