diff --git a/src/write_graphite.c b/src/write_graphite.c
index 6b16bec..68d264e 100644
--- a/src/write_graphite.c
+++ b/src/write_graphite.c
@@ -351,22 +351,25 @@ static void wg_copy_escape_part (char *dst, const char *src, size_t dst_len,
 {
     size_t i;
 
-    memset (dst, 0, dst_len);
-
     if (src == NULL)
+    {
+        dst[0] = 0;
         return;
+    }
 
     for (i = 0; i < dst_len; i++)
     {
-        if ((src[i] == '.')
+        if (src[i] == 0)
+        {
+            dst[i] = '\0';
+            break;
+        }
+        else if ((src[i] == '.')
                 || isspace ((int) src[i])
                 || iscntrl ((int) src[i]))
             dst[i] = escape_char;
         else
             dst[i] = src[i];
-
-        if (src[i] == 0)
-            break;
     }
 }
 
@@ -387,7 +390,6 @@ static int wg_format_name (char *ret, int ret_len,
     assert (hostname != NULL);
     assert (plugin != NULL);
     assert (type != NULL);
-    assert (ds_name != NULL);
 
     if (prefix == NULL)
         prefix = "";
@@ -410,34 +412,44 @@ static int wg_format_name (char *ret, int ret_len,
     {
         if (n_type_instance[0] == '\0')
         {
-            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s.%s",
-                    prefix, n_hostname, postfix, n_plugin, n_type, ds_name);
+            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s",
+                    prefix, n_hostname, postfix, n_plugin, n_type);
         }
         else
         {
-            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s-%s.%s",
+            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s-%s",
                     prefix, n_hostname, postfix, n_plugin, n_type,
-                    n_type_instance, ds_name);
+                    n_type_instance);
         }
     }
     else
     {
         if (n_type_instance[0] == '\0')
         {
-            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s.%s.%s",
+            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s.%s",
                     prefix, n_hostname, postfix, n_plugin,
-                    n_plugin_instance, n_type, ds_name);
+                    n_plugin_instance, n_type);
         }
         else
         {
-            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s.%s-%s.%s",
+            status = ssnprintf (ret, ret_len, "%s%s%s.%s.%s.%s-%s",
                     prefix, n_hostname, postfix, n_plugin,
-                    n_plugin_instance, n_type, n_type_instance, ds_name);
+                    n_plugin_instance, n_type, n_type_instance);
         }
     }
 
     if ((status < 1) || (status >= ret_len))
         return (-1);
+        
+    if( ds_name )
+    {
+        int ret_remaining = ret_len - status;
+        
+        status = ssnprintf( ret + status, ret_remaining, ".%s", ds_name );
+
+        if ((status < 1) || (status >= ret_remaining))
+            return (-1);
+    }
 
     return (0);
 }