diff --git a/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/config_server_interface.py b/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/config_server_interface.py
index 1b5b3b897..0f7d2351f 100644
--- a/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/config_server_interface.py
+++ b/lib/charms/mongodb/v0/config_server_interface.py
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ def is_mongos_running(self) -> bool:
         connection_uri = f"mongodb://{self.charm.get_mongos_host()}"
 
         # use the mongos port for k8s charms and external connections on VM
-        if self.charm.is_external_client or self.substrate == Config.K8S_SUBSTRATE:
+        if self.substrate == Config.K8S_SUBSTRATE or self.charm.is_external_client:
             connection_uri = connection_uri + f":{Config.MONGOS_PORT}"
 
         with MongosConnection(None, connection_uri) as mongo:
diff --git a/lib/charms/mongodb/v1/mongodb_provider.py b/lib/charms/mongodb/v1/mongodb_provider.py
index 8fee64c0f..ec9de773b 100644
--- a/lib/charms/mongodb/v1/mongodb_provider.py
+++ b/lib/charms/mongodb/v1/mongodb_provider.py
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
 class MongoDBProvider(Object):
     """In this class, we manage client database relations."""
 
-    def __init__(self, charm: CharmBase, substrate="k8s", relation_name: str = "database") -> None:
+    def __init__(self, charm: CharmBase, substrate="k8s", relation_name: str = REL_NAME) -> None:
         """Constructor for MongoDBProvider object.
 
         Args: