diff --git a/incubator/rpc-grpc/src/main/java/org/onosproject/incubator/rpc/grpc/GrpcRemoteServiceProvider.java b/incubator/rpc-grpc/src/main/java/org/onosproject/incubator/rpc/grpc/GrpcRemoteServiceProvider.java
index 71a83c9..955a657 100644
--- a/incubator/rpc-grpc/src/main/java/org/onosproject/incubator/rpc/grpc/GrpcRemoteServiceProvider.java
+++ b/incubator/rpc-grpc/src/main/java/org/onosproject/incubator/rpc/grpc/GrpcRemoteServiceProvider.java
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
     @Reference(cardinality = ReferenceCardinality.MANDATORY_UNARY)
     protected RemoteServiceProviderRegistry rpcRegistry;
 
-    private Map<URI, ManagedChannel> channels = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
+    private final Map<URI, ManagedChannel> channels = new ConcurrentHashMap<>();
 
     private RemoteServiceContextProviderService providerService;
 
@@ -67,8 +67,8 @@
     protected void activate() {
         providerService = rpcRegistry.register(this);
 
-        // FIXME remove me. test code to see if gRPC loads in karaf
-        //getChannel(URI.create("grpc://localhost:8080"));
+        // Uncomment to test if gRPC can be loaded in karaf
+        //getChannel(URI.create("grpc://localhost:11984"));
 
         log.info("Started");
     }
@@ -111,7 +111,11 @@
 
     private ManagedChannel createChannel(URI uri) {
         log.debug("Creating channel for {}", uri);
-        return NettyChannelBuilder.forAddress(uri.getHost(), uri.getPort())
+        int port = GrpcRemoteServiceServer.DEFAULT_LISTEN_PORT;
+        if (uri.getPort() != -1) {
+            port = uri.getPort();
+        }
+        return NettyChannelBuilder.forAddress(uri.getHost(), port)
                 .negotiationType(NegotiationType.PLAINTEXT)
                 .build();
     }