diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpoint.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpoint.java
index b4496ade..0095ee03 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpoint.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpoint.java
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ public class ConnectionEndpoint implements Cloneable, Comparable<ConnectionEndpo
 	protected static final int DEFAULT_PORT = 0; // ephemeral port
 
 	protected static final String DEFAULT_HOST = "localhost";
+	protected static final String GEMFIRE_HOST_PORT_SEPARATOR = "[";
+	protected static final String STANDARD_HOST_PORT_SEPARATOR = ":";
 
 	private final int port;
 	private final String host;
@@ -93,13 +95,10 @@ public class ConnectionEndpoint implements Cloneable, Comparable<ConnectionEndpo
 	}
 
 	static int indexOfPort(String host) {
-		for (int i = 0; i < host.length(); ++i) {
-			char c = host.charAt(i);
-			if (':' == c || '[' == c) {
-				return i;
-			}
-		}
-		return -1;
+
+		int indexOfPort = host.indexOf(GEMFIRE_HOST_PORT_SEPARATOR);
+
+		return indexOfPort > -1 ? indexOfPort : host.indexOf(STANDARD_HOST_PORT_SEPARATOR);
 	}
 
 	static String parseDigits(String value) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpointUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpointUnitTests.java
index 9d3a6b8a..06995c57 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpointUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/gemfire/support/ConnectionEndpointUnitTests.java
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ public class ConnectionEndpointUnitTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void parseWithHostPortWithColon() {
+	public void parseWithHostPortSeparatedByColon() {
 
 		ConnectionEndpoint connectionEndpoint = ConnectionEndpoint.parse("skullbox:12345", 80);
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ public class ConnectionEndpointUnitTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void parseWithHostPortHavingSpacingWithColon() {
+	public void parseWithHostPortHavingSpacingSeparatedByColon() {
 
 		ConnectionEndpoint connectionEndpoint = ConnectionEndpoint.parse(" saturn  :1  23 4 ");
 
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ public class ConnectionEndpointUnitTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void parseWithHostUsingDefaultPortWithColon() {
+	public void parseWithHostUsingDefaultPortSeparatedByColon() {
 
 		ConnectionEndpoint connectionEndpoint =
 			ConnectionEndpoint.parse("mercury:oneTwoThreeFourFive", 80);
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ public class ConnectionEndpointUnitTests {
 	}
 
 	@Test
-	public void parseWithPortUsingDefaultHostWithColon() {
+	public void parseWithPortUsingDefaultHostSeparatedByColon() {
 
 		ConnectionEndpoint connectionEndpoint = ConnectionEndpoint.parse(":12345", 80);
 
@@ -316,7 +316,9 @@ public class ConnectionEndpointUnitTests {
 
 	@Test
 	public void indexOfPort() {
+
 		assertThat(ConnectionEndpoint.indexOfPort("")).isEqualTo(-1);
+		assertThat(ConnectionEndpoint.indexOfPort("  ")).isEqualTo(-1);
 		assertThat(ConnectionEndpoint.indexOfPort("a")).isEqualTo(-1);
 		assertThat(ConnectionEndpoint.indexOfPort(":")).isEqualTo(0);
 		assertThat(ConnectionEndpoint.indexOfPort("a:")).isEqualTo(1);
@@ -434,3 +436,4 @@ public class ConnectionEndpointUnitTests {
 		assertThat(socketAddress.getPort()).isEqualTo(connectionEndpoint.getPort());
 	}
 }
+