diff --git a/server/core/dcb.c b/server/core/dcb.c
index 013029de6..ab1e3638e 100644
--- a/server/core/dcb.c
+++ b/server/core/dcb.c
@@ -1845,9 +1845,6 @@ dcb_close(DCB *dcb)
     spinlock_acquire(&zombiespin);
     if (!dcb->dcb_is_zombie)
     {
-        char *user;
-        user = session_getUser(dcb->session);
-        if (NULL != user) dcb->user = strdup(user);
         /*<
          * Add closing dcb to the top of the list, setting zombie marker
          */
@@ -1873,8 +1870,10 @@ static bool
 dcb_maybe_add_persistent(DCB *dcb)
 {
     int  poolcount = -1;
-    if (dcb->user != NULL
-        && strlen(dcb->user)
+    char *user;
+    user = session_getUser(dcb->session);
+    if (user != NULL
+        && strlen(user)
         && dcb->server 
         && dcb->server->persistpoolmax 
         && !dcb->dcb_errhandle_called
@@ -1888,6 +1887,8 @@ dcb_maybe_add_persistent(DCB *dcb)
             dcb->user)));
         dcb->dcb_is_zombie = false;
         dcb->persistentstart = time(NULL);
+        if (dcb->user) free(dcb->user);
+        dcb->user = strdup(user);
         spinlock_acquire(&dcb->server->persistlock);
         dcb->nextpersistent = dcb->server->persistent;
         dcb->server->persistent = dcb;
diff --git a/server/core/session.c b/server/core/session.c
index b50d5e0c8..1411d34bd 100644
--- a/server/core/session.c
+++ b/server/core/session.c
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ session_alloc(SERVICE *service, DCB *client_dcb)
  * @return		The dummy created session
  */
 SESSION *
-session_alloc_dummy(DCB *client_dcb)
+session_set_dummy(DCB *client_dcb)
 {
     SESSION 	*session;
     
diff --git a/server/include/session.h b/server/include/session.h
index e916c902e..edb4af1d4 100644
--- a/server/include/session.h
+++ b/server/include/session.h
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ typedef struct session {
 
 SESSION *get_all_sessions();
 SESSION	*session_alloc(struct service *, struct dcb *);
-SESSION	*session_alloc_dummy(struct dcb *);
+SESSION	*session_set_dummy(struct dcb *);
 bool    session_free(SESSION *);
 int	session_isvalid(SESSION *);
 int	session_reply(void *inst, void *session, GWBUF *data);
diff --git a/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c b/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
index a90feab39..077ec6918 100644
--- a/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
+++ b/server/modules/protocol/mysql_client.c
@@ -1643,7 +1643,7 @@ int gw_MySQLAccept(DCB *listener)
 		}
 
                 client_dcb->service = listener->session->service;
-                client_dcb->session = session_alloc_dummy(client_dcb);
+                client_dcb->session = session_set_dummy(client_dcb);
                 client_dcb->fd = c_sock;
 
 		// get client address