diff --git a/doc/src/release_notes.rst b/doc/src/release_notes.rst
index 717c0a9..c08e608 100644
--- a/doc/src/release_notes.rst
+++ b/doc/src/release_notes.rst
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ Thin Mode Changes
     :data:`~oracledb.DB_TYPE_UROWID` that exceed 3950 bytes in length.
 #)  Fixed bug preventing correct parsing of connect descriptors with both
     ADDRESS and ADDRESS_LIST components at the same level.
+#)  The complete connect string is now sent to the server instead of just the
+    actual components being used. This is important for some configurations.
 
 Thick Mode Changes
 ++++++++++++++++++
diff --git a/src/oracledb/base_impl.pxd b/src/oracledb/base_impl.pxd
index 70219b0..c37c1a0 100644
--- a/src/oracledb/base_impl.pxd
+++ b/src/oracledb/base_impl.pxd
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ cdef class Description:
         public str wallet_location
 
     cdef str _build_duration_str(self, double value)
-    cdef str build_connect_string(self)
+    cdef str build_connect_string(self, str cid=*)
 
 
 cdef class DescriptionList:
diff --git a/src/oracledb/impl/base/connect_params.pyx b/src/oracledb/impl/base/connect_params.pyx
index 3a017f9..b0f26f1 100644
--- a/src/oracledb/impl/base/connect_params.pyx
+++ b/src/oracledb/impl/base/connect_params.pyx
@@ -707,7 +707,7 @@ cdef class Description:
             return f"{value_minutes}min"
         return f"{value_int}"
 
-    cdef str build_connect_string(self):
+    cdef str build_connect_string(self, str cid=None):
         """
         Build a connect string from the components.
         """
@@ -728,10 +728,14 @@ cdef class Description:
             parts.append(f"(POOL_CONNECTION_CLASS={self.cclass})")
         if self.purity != 0:
             parts.append(f"(POOL_PURITY={self.purity})")
+        if cid is not None:
+            parts.append(f"(CID={cid})")
         connect_data = f'(CONNECT_DATA={"".join(parts)})'
 
         # build security segment, if applicable
-        parts = [f"(SSL_SERVER_DN_MATCH={self.ssl_server_dn_match})"]
+        parts = []
+        if self.ssl_server_dn_match:
+            parts.append("(SSL_SERVER_DN_MATCH=ON)")
         if self.ssl_server_cert_dn is not None:
             parts.append(f"(SSL_SERVER_CERT_DN={self.ssl_server_cert_dn})")
         if self.wallet_location is not None:
diff --git a/src/oracledb/impl/thin/connection.pyx b/src/oracledb/impl/thin/connection.pyx
index f836bc6..4f08cb4 100644
--- a/src/oracledb/impl/thin/connection.pyx
+++ b/src/oracledb/impl/thin/connection.pyx
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ cdef class ThinConnImpl(BaseConnImpl):
     cdef int _connect_with_address(self, Address address,
                                    Description description,
                                    ConnectParamsImpl params,
+                                   str connect_string,
                                    bint raise_exception) except -1:
         """
         Internal method used for connecting with the given description and
@@ -98,7 +99,7 @@ cdef class ThinConnImpl(BaseConnImpl):
         """
         try:
             self._protocol._connect_phase_one(self, params, description,
-                                              address)
+                                              address, connect_string)
         except exceptions.DatabaseError:
             if raise_exception:
                 raise
@@ -130,10 +131,12 @@ cdef class ThinConnImpl(BaseConnImpl):
             uint32_t num_attempts = description.retry_count + 1
             uint32_t num_lists = len(address_lists)
             AddressList address_list
+            str connect_string
             Address address
         # Retry connecting to the socket if an attempt fails and retry_count
         # is specified in the connect string. If an attempt succeeds, return
         # the socket and the valid address object.
+        connect_string = _get_connect_data(description)
         for i in range(num_attempts):
             # Iterate through each address_list in the description. If the
             # description level load_balance is on, keep track of the least
@@ -161,7 +164,7 @@ cdef class ThinConnImpl(BaseConnImpl):
                                 and j == num_lists - 1 \
                                 and k == num_addresses - 1
                     self._connect_with_address(address, description, params,
-                                               raise_exc)
+                                               connect_string, raise_exc)
                     if self._protocol._in_connect:
                         continue
                     address_list.lru_index = (idx1 + 1) % num_addresses
diff --git a/src/oracledb/impl/thin/protocol.pyx b/src/oracledb/impl/thin/protocol.pyx
index a3389b3..ed59791 100644
--- a/src/oracledb/impl/thin/protocol.pyx
+++ b/src/oracledb/impl/thin/protocol.pyx
@@ -120,17 +120,18 @@ cdef class Protocol:
                                 ThinConnImpl conn_impl,
                                 ConnectParamsImpl params,
                                 Description description,
-                                Address address) except -1:
+                                Address address,
+                                str connect_string) except -1:
         """
         Method for performing the required steps for establishing a connection
         within the scope of a retry. If the listener refuses the connection, a
         retry will be performed, if retry_count is set.
         """
         cdef:
-            str connect_string, host, redirect_data
             ConnectMessage connect_message = None
             object ssl_context, connect_info
             ConnectParamsImpl temp_params
+            str host, redirect_data
             Address temp_address
             uint8_t packet_type
             int port, pos
@@ -143,7 +144,6 @@ cdef class Protocol:
         host = address.host
         port = address.port
         self._connect_tcp(params, description, address, host, port)
-        connect_string = _get_connect_data(address, description)
 
         # send connect message and process response; this may request the
         # message to be resent multiple times; if a redirect packet is
diff --git a/src/oracledb/impl/thin/utils.pyx b/src/oracledb/impl/thin/utils.pyx
index 3730de8..ecbafd5 100644
--- a/src/oracledb/impl/thin/utils.pyx
+++ b/src/oracledb/impl/thin/utils.pyx
@@ -88,22 +88,15 @@ cdef object _encode_rowid(Rowid *rowid):
         return buf[:TNS_MAX_ROWID_LENGTH].decode()
 
 
-def _get_connect_data(address, description):
+cdef str _get_connect_data(Description description):
     """
     Return the connect data required by the listener in order to connect.
     """
     constants = _connect_constants
-    server_type = f"(SERVER={description.server_type})" \
-            if description.server_type is not None else ""
-    identity = f"(SERVICE_NAME={description.service_name})" \
-            if description.service_name is not None or \
-                    description.sid is None else f"(SID={description.sid})"
     cid = f"(PROGRAM={constants.sanitized_program_name})" + \
           f"(HOST={constants.sanitized_machine_name})" + \
           f"(USER={constants.sanitized_user_name})"
-    return f"(DESCRIPTION=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL={address.protocol.upper()})" + \
-           f"(HOST={address.host})(PORT={address.port}))" + \
-           f"(CONNECT_DATA={identity}{server_type}(CID={cid})))"
+    return description.build_connect_string(cid)
 
 
 def _print_packet(operation, socket_fileno, data):
diff --git a/tests/test_4500_connect_params.py b/tests/test_4500_connect_params.py
index 2e65479..685a31f 100644
--- a/tests/test_4500_connect_params.py
+++ b/tests/test_4500_connect_params.py
@@ -481,7 +481,7 @@ class TestCase(test_env.BaseTestCase):
                              f"(ADDRESS_LIST=(ADDRESS=(PROTOCOL=tcp)" + \
                              f"(HOST={host})(PORT=1521)))(CONNECT_DATA=" + \
                              f"(SERVICE_NAME={service_name}))" + \
-                             f"(SECURITY=(SSL_SERVER_DN_MATCH=True)))"
+                             f"(SECURITY=(SSL_SERVER_DN_MATCH=ON)))"
             self.assertEqual(params.get_connect_string(), connect_string)
 
     def test_4532_multiple_alias_entry_tnsnames(self):