diff --git a/src/daemon/main.c b/src/daemon/main.c
index 15e8859ea..1f0f1d352 100644
--- a/src/daemon/main.c
+++ b/src/daemon/main.c
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "daemon-config.h"
 
-static const char *daemon_name = "pipewire-0";
+static const char *daemon_name = NULL;
 
 static void do_quit(void *data, int signal_number)
 {
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ static void show_help(const char *name)
 		"      --version                         Show version\n"
 		"  -n, --name                            Daemon name (Default %s)\n",
 		name,
-		daemon_name);
+		PW_DEFAULT_REMOTE);
 }
 
 int main(int argc, char *argv[])
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 	pw_init(&argc, &argv);
 
+	daemon_name = getenv("PIPEWIRE_CORE");
+
 	while ((c = getopt_long(argc, argv, "hVn:", long_options, NULL)) != -1) {
 		switch (c) {
 		case 'h' :
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
index e99ed57be..f562ff493 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native.c
@@ -978,15 +978,16 @@ static const struct spa_loop_control_hooks impl_hooks = {
 };
 
 static const char *
-get_name(const struct spa_dict *props)
+get_server_name(const struct spa_dict *props)
 {
-	const char *name;
+	const char *name = NULL;
 
-	name = getenv("PIPEWIRE_CORE");
-	if (props && name == NULL)
+	if (props)
 		name = spa_dict_lookup(props, PW_KEY_CORE_NAME);
 	if (name == NULL)
-		name = "pipewire-0";
+		name = getenv("PIPEWIRE_CORE");
+	if (name == NULL)
+		name = PW_DEFAULT_REMOTE;
 	return name;
 }
 
@@ -1034,7 +1035,7 @@ impl_add_server(struct pw_protocol *protocol,
 
 	this = &s->this;
 
-	name = get_name(props);
+	name = get_server_name(props);
 
 	if ((res = init_socket_name(s, name)) < 0)
 		goto error;
@@ -1142,11 +1143,12 @@ static const struct pw_impl_module_events module_events = {
 
 static int need_server(struct pw_context *context, const struct spa_dict *props)
 {
-	const char *val;
+	const char *val = NULL;
 
-	val = getenv("PIPEWIRE_DAEMON");
-	if (val == NULL)
+	if (props)
 		val = spa_dict_lookup(props, PW_KEY_CORE_DAEMON);
+	if (val == NULL)
+		val = getenv("PIPEWIRE_DAEMON");
 	if (val && pw_properties_parse_bool(val))
 		return 1;
 	return 0;
diff --git a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/local-socket.c b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/local-socket.c
index 9e87f85fb..bf80ecd1e 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-protocol-native/local-socket.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-protocol-native/local-socket.c
@@ -39,13 +39,14 @@
 static const char *
 get_remote(const struct spa_dict *props)
 {
-	const char *name;
+	const char *name = NULL;
 
-	name = getenv("PIPEWIRE_REMOTE");
-	if (props && name == NULL)
+	if (props)
 		name = spa_dict_lookup(props, PW_KEY_REMOTE_NAME);
 	if (name == NULL)
-		name = "pipewire-0";
+		name = getenv("PIPEWIRE_REMOTE");
+	if (name == NULL)
+		name = PW_DEFAULT_REMOTE;
 	return name;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/core.h b/src/pipewire/core.h
index f56e1c4ef..90afd3d6e 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/core.h
+++ b/src/pipewire/core.h
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ struct pw_core;
 #define PW_VERSION_REGISTRY	3
 struct pw_registry;
 
+/* the default remote name to connect to */
+#define PW_DEFAULT_REMOTE	"pipewire-0"
+
 /* default ID for the core object after connect */
 #define PW_ID_CORE		0