diff --git a/src/NimBLEClient.cpp b/src/NimBLEClient.cpp
index 436341c..e65ced9 100644
--- a/src/NimBLEClient.cpp
+++ b/src/NimBLEClient.cpp
@@ -53,8 +53,7 @@ static NimBLEClientCallbacks defaultCallbacks;
  * @brief Constructor, private - only callable by NimBLEDevice::createClient
  * to ensure proper handling of the list of client objects.
  */
-NimBLEClient::NimBLEClient()
-{
+NimBLEClient::NimBLEClient(const NimBLEAddress &peerAddress) : m_peerAddress(peerAddress) {
     m_pClientCallbacks = &defaultCallbacks;
     m_conn_id          = BLE_HS_CONN_HANDLE_NONE;
     m_isConnected      = false;
diff --git a/src/NimBLEClient.h b/src/NimBLEClient.h
index 1591cfd..73dfafb 100644
--- a/src/NimBLEClient.h
+++ b/src/NimBLEClient.h
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ public:
     void                                        discoverAttributes();
 
 private:
-    NimBLEClient();
+    NimBLEClient(const NimBLEAddress &peerAddress);
     ~NimBLEClient();
 
     friend class            NimBLEDevice;
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ private:
                                                 void *arg);
     bool                    retrieveServices(const NimBLEUUID *uuid_filter = nullptr);
 
-    NimBLEAddress           m_peerAddress = NimBLEAddress("");
+    NimBLEAddress           m_peerAddress;
     uint16_t                m_conn_id;
     bool                    m_isConnected;
     bool                    m_waitingToConnect;
diff --git a/src/NimBLEDevice.cpp b/src/NimBLEDevice.cpp
index 82a8086..fb36e6e 100644
--- a/src/NimBLEDevice.cpp
+++ b/src/NimBLEDevice.cpp
@@ -148,10 +148,7 @@ void NimBLEDevice::stopAdvertising() {
                                             NIMBLE_MAX_CONNECTIONS);
     }
 
-    NimBLEClient* pClient = new NimBLEClient();
-    if(peerAddress != NimBLEAddress("")) {
-        pClient->setPeerAddress(peerAddress);
-    }
+    NimBLEClient* pClient = new NimBLEClient(peerAddress);
     m_cList.push_back(pClient);
 
     return pClient;