diff --git a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ArcusClient.java b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ArcusClient.java
index 92ccbc2b5..1ff3a4b3b 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ArcusClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/spy/memcached/ArcusClient.java
@@ -184,8 +184,8 @@
  * }</pre>
  */
 public class ArcusClient extends FrontCacheMemcachedClient implements ArcusClientIF {
-
-  private static String VERSION = "INIT";
+  private static String VERSION = null;
+  private static final Object VERSION_LOCK = new Object();
   private static final Logger arcusLogger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(ArcusClient.class);
   private static final String ARCUS_CLOUD_ADDR = "127.0.0.1:2181";
   private static final String DEFAULT_ARCUS_CLIENT_NAME = "ArcusClient";
@@ -4273,11 +4273,11 @@ private void checkDupKey(Collection<String> keyList) {
    * @return version string
    */
   public static String getVersion() {
-    if (!VERSION.equals("INIT")) {
+    if (VERSION != null) {
       return VERSION;
     }
-    synchronized (VERSION) {
-      if (VERSION.equals("INIT")) {
+    synchronized (VERSION_LOCK) {
+      if (VERSION == null) {
         Enumeration<URL> resEnum;
         try {
           resEnum = Thread.currentThread()
@@ -4298,7 +4298,7 @@ public static String getVersion() {
         } catch (Exception e) {
           // Failed to get version.
         } finally {
-          if (VERSION.equals("INIT")) {
+          if (VERSION == null) {
             VERSION = "NONE";
           }
         }