diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index c59a0c8b..2f65895a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ jobs:
     name: Node.js ${{ matrix.node }} (${{ matrix.os }})
     steps:
       # Checks-out your repository under $GITHUB_WORKSPACE, so your job can access it
-      - uses: actions/checkout@v2
+      - uses: actions/checkout@v4
       
       - name: Setup node
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v2
+        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
         with:
           node-version: ${{ matrix.node }}
           cache: yarn
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3378bf4f..642b94fd 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ Ensure that the applicable environment variables are configured for connecting t
  - V_HOST: 'localhost'
  - V_PORT: 5433
  - V_USER: process.env.USER/USERNAME
- - V_PASSWORD: null
+ - V_PASSWORD: ''
  - V_DATABASE: ''
  - V_BACKUP_SERVER_NODE: ''
 
diff --git a/packages/vertica-nodejs/README.md b/packages/vertica-nodejs/README.md
index e4283455..3dac6d65 100644
--- a/packages/vertica-nodejs/README.md
+++ b/packages/vertica-nodejs/README.md
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ Ensure that the applicable environment variables are configured for connecting t
  - V_HOST: 'localhost'
  - V_PORT: 5433
  - V_USER: process.env.USER/USERNAME
- - V_PASSWORD: null
+ - V_PASSWORD: ''
  - V_DATABASE: ''
  - V_BACKUP_SERVER_NODE: ''
 
diff --git a/packages/vertica-nodejs/lib/defaults.js b/packages/vertica-nodejs/lib/defaults.js
index bbb7c1e0..ed3486a8 100644
--- a/packages/vertica-nodejs/lib/defaults.js
+++ b/packages/vertica-nodejs/lib/defaults.js
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ module.exports = {
   database: '',
 
   // database user's password
-  password: null,
+  password: '',
 
   // a Postgres connection string to be used instead of setting individual connection items
   // NOTE:  Setting this value will cause it to override any other value (such as database or user) defined
diff --git a/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/configuration-tests.js b/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/configuration-tests.js
index af7b1dce..d8aabe9b 100644
--- a/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/configuration-tests.js
+++ b/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/configuration-tests.js
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ suite.test('default values are used in new clients', function () {
   assert.same(vertica.defaults, {
     user: process.env.USER,
     database: '',
-    password: null,
+    password: '',
     port: 5433,
     rows: 0,
     max: 10,
diff --git a/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/network-partition-tests.js b/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/network-partition-tests.js
index 2ac100df..203a9ae2 100644
--- a/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/network-partition-tests.js
+++ b/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/integration/client/network-partition-tests.js
@@ -11,11 +11,11 @@ var Server = function (response) {
   this.response = response
 }
 
-let port = 54321
+let port = 5433
 Server.prototype.start = function (cb) {
-  // this is our fake postgres server
+  // this is our fake vertica server
   // it responds with our specified response immediatley after receiving every buffer
-  // this is sufficient into convincing the client its connectet to a valid backend
+  // this is sufficient into convincing the client its connect to a valid backend
   // if we respond with a readyForQuery message
   this.server = net.createServer(
     function (socket) {
diff --git a/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/unit/client/configuration-tests.js b/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/unit/client/configuration-tests.js
index b2420637..4a46f44b 100644
--- a/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/unit/client/configuration-tests.js
+++ b/packages/vertica-nodejs/test/unit/client/configuration-tests.js
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ test('initializing from a config string', function () {
   test('when not including all values the defaults are used', function () {
     var client = new Client('postgres://host1')
     assert.equal(client.user, process.env['V_USER'] || process.env.USER)
-    assert.equal(client.password, process.env['V_PASSWORD'] || null)
+    assert.equal(client.password, process.env['V_PASSWORD'] || '')
     assert.equal(client.host, 'host1')
     assert.equal(client.port, process.env['V_PORT'] || 5433)
     assert.equal(client.database, process.env['V_DATABASE'] || '')