diff --git a/src/main/java/com/pinterest/secor/common/SecorConfig.java b/src/main/java/com/pinterest/secor/common/SecorConfig.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/pinterest/secor/common/SecorConfig.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/pinterest/secor/common/SecorConfig.java
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ public class SecorConfig {
     }
 
     public String getHivePrefix() { 
-        return getString("secor.hive.prefix", ""); 
+        return getString("secor.hive.prefix"); 
     }
 
     public String getCompressionCodec() {
@@ -235,11 +235,6 @@ public class SecorConfig {
         return mProperties.getString(name);
     }
 
-    private String getString(String name, String defaultValue) {
-      checkProperty(name);
-      return mProperties.getString(name, defaultValue);
-    }
-
     private int getInt(String name) {
         checkProperty(name);
         return mProperties.getInt(name);
Cleaning up code based on review - need to specific config ; no defaults