diff --git a/host_modules/debug_info.py b/host_modules/debug_info.py
index 4ab309f8..08788180 100644
--- a/host_modules/debug_info.py
+++ b/host_modules/debug_info.py
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
 
 
 DEBUG_INFO_FLAG = "debug_info"
+DEFAULT_HOSTNAME = "switch"
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -47,7 +48,8 @@ class DebugArtifactCollector(host_service.HostModule):
   """DBus endpoint that collects debug artifacts."""
 
   def __init__(self, mod_name):
-    self._hostname, self._board_type = DebugArtifactCollector.get_device_metadata()
+    self._hostname = DEFAULT_HOSTNAME
+    self._board_type = ""
     super(DebugArtifactCollector, self).__init__(mod_name)
 
   @staticmethod
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ def get_device_metadata() -> str:
     Get hostname and board_type from CONFIG_DB
     using a single swsscommon call.
     """
-    hostname = "switch"
+    hostname = DEFAULT_HOSTNAME
     board_type = ""
     try:
       # Connect to CONFIG_DB
@@ -360,7 +362,7 @@ def collect(self, options):
     except json.JSONDecodeError:
       return 1, "invalid input: " + options[0]
 
-    if not self._board_type or self._hostname == "switch":
+    if not self._board_type or self._hostname == DEFAULT_HOSTNAME:
       self._hostname, self._board_type = DebugArtifactCollector.get_device_metadata()
 
     timestamp = datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d_%H%M%S%f")
diff --git a/tests/debug_info_test.py b/tests/debug_info_test.py
index 70ec050e..7fdd28ea 100644
--- a/tests/debug_info_test.py
+++ b/tests/debug_info_test.py
@@ -43,7 +43,18 @@ def setup_method(self):
 
     def teardown_method(self):
         self.tmpdir.cleanup()
-    
+
+    def test_init_does_not_read_device_metadata(self):
+        metadata_mock_path = (
+            "debug_info.DebugArtifactCollector.get_device_metadata")
+        with mock.patch(metadata_mock_path) as mock_get_metadata, \
+             mock.patch("debug_info.super"):
+            debug_info_module = DebugArtifactCollector(MOD_NAME)
+
+        assert debug_info_module._hostname == DEFAULT_HOSTNAME
+        assert debug_info_module._board_type == ""
+        mock_get_metadata.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_run_command_success(self):
         with mock.patch("debug_info.subprocess.Popen") as mp:
             proc = mock.Mock()
@@ -71,7 +82,7 @@ def test_get_device_metadata_failure(self):
             instance = mock_conn.return_value
             instance.get_all.side_effect = Exception("db error")
             hostname, board_type = self.debug_info_module.get_device_metadata()
-            assert hostname == "switch"
+            assert hostname == DEFAULT_HOSTNAME
             assert board_type == ""
             mock_warn.assert_called_with("Failed to read hostname/board_type from CONFIG_DB: db error")
 
@@ -91,7 +102,7 @@ def test_get_device_metadata_missing_fields(self):
             instance = mock_conn.return_value
             instance.get_all.return_value = {}
             hostname, board_type = self.debug_info_module.get_device_metadata()
-            assert hostname == "switch"
+            assert hostname == DEFAULT_HOSTNAME
             assert board_type == ""
 
     def test_collect_invalid_json(self):