diff --git a/src/control-node/test/network_agent_mock.cc b/src/control-node/test/network_agent_mock.cc
index a05da6f4bac..e30085cea60 100644
--- a/src/control-node/test/network_agent_mock.cc
+++ b/src/control-node/test/network_agent_mock.cc
@@ -844,7 +844,6 @@ XmppChannelConfig *NetworkAgentMock::CreateXmppConfig() {
     config->endpoint.port(server_port_);
     config->FromAddr = hostname();
     config->ToAddr = XmppDocumentMock::kControlNodeJID;
-    config->tcp_hold_time = 0;
     return config;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc b/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc
index 63cd5d4a351..6f96744092a 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_client.cc
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ XmppClient::XmppClient(EventManager *evm)
           TaskScheduler::GetInstance()->GetTaskId("bgp::Config"))),
       deleter_(new DeleteActor(this)),
       auth_enabled_(false),
-      tcp_hold_time_(XmppConnectionManager::kTcpHoldTime) {
+      tcp_hold_time_(XmppChannelConfig::kTcpHoldTime) {
 }
 
 XmppClient::XmppClient(EventManager *evm, const XmppChannelConfig *config)
@@ -61,10 +61,6 @@ XmppClient::XmppClient(EventManager *evm, const XmppChannelConfig *config)
       auth_enabled_(config->auth_enabled),
       tcp_hold_time_(config->tcp_hold_time) {
 
-    if ((config->tcp_hold_time == 0) || (config->tcp_hold_time > 30)) {
-        tcp_hold_time_ = XmppConnectionManager::kTcpHoldTime;
-    } 
-
     if (config->auth_enabled) {
 
         // Get SSL context from base class and update
diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.cc b/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.cc
index 375f59233d2..2195ab11040 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.cc
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.cc
@@ -11,13 +11,11 @@ using namespace boost::asio::ip;
 using namespace boost::property_tree;
 using namespace std;
 
-int const XmppChannelConfig::default_server_port = 5269;
-int const XmppChannelConfig::default_client_port = 5222;
-
 XmppChannelConfig::XmppChannelConfig(bool isClient) : 
      ToAddr(""), FromAddr(""), NodeAddr(""), logUVE(false), auth_enabled(false),
      path_to_server_cert(""), path_to_pvt_key(""),
-     isClient_(isClient) {
+     tcp_hold_time(XmppChannelConfig::kTcpHoldTime),
+     isClient_(isClient)  {
 }
 
 int XmppChannelConfig::CompareTo(const XmppChannelConfig &rhs) const {
diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.h b/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.h
index ae66614c0fc..a55ef886414 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.h
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_config.h
@@ -30,8 +30,9 @@ class XmppChannelConfig {
     int tcp_hold_time;
 
     int CompareTo(const XmppChannelConfig &rhs) const;
-    static int const default_client_port;
-    static int const default_server_port;
+    static int const default_client_port = 5269;
+    static int const default_server_port = 5222;
+    static int const kTcpHoldTime = 30; //in secs
 
     bool ClientOnly() const { return isClient_; }
 
diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_connection_manager.h b/src/xmpp/xmpp_connection_manager.h
index 8274ba0e6eb..c435506e578 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_connection_manager.h
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_connection_manager.h
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ class XmppConnectionManager : public SslServer {
     size_t GetSessionQueueSize() const;
     virtual LifetimeActor *deleter() = 0;
 
-    static const int kTcpHoldTime = 30; //in secs
-
 private:
     bool DequeueSession(TcpSessionPtr tcp_session);
     void WorkQueueExitCallback(bool done);
diff --git a/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc b/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc
index f6d70e3e406..33fa79c2086 100644
--- a/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc
+++ b/src/xmpp/xmpp_server.cc
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ XmppServer::XmppServer(EventManager *evm, const string &server_addr)
       server_addr_(server_addr),
       log_uve_(false),
       auth_enabled_(false),
-      tcp_hold_time_(XmppConnectionManager::kTcpHoldTime),
+      tcp_hold_time_(XmppChannelConfig::kTcpHoldTime),
       connection_queue_(TaskScheduler::GetInstance()->GetTaskId("bgp::Config"),
           0, boost::bind(&XmppServer::DequeueConnection, this, _1)) {
 }
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ XmppServer::XmppServer(EventManager *evm)
       deleter_(new DeleteActor(this)), 
       log_uve_(false),
       auth_enabled_(false),
-      tcp_hold_time_(XmppConnectionManager::kTcpHoldTime),
+      tcp_hold_time_(XmppChannelConfig::kTcpHoldTime),
       connection_queue_(TaskScheduler::GetInstance()->GetTaskId("bgp::Config"),
           0, boost::bind(&XmppServer::DequeueConnection, this, _1)) {
 }