diff --git a/proxy/src/cplane_api.rs b/proxy/src/cplane_api.rs
index 8e869da9e8..a8c8fe9781 100644
--- a/proxy/src/cplane_api.rs
+++ b/proxy/src/cplane_api.rs
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ impl CPlaneApi {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn get_database_uri(&self, _user: &String, _database: &String) -> Result<DatabaseInfo> {
+    pub fn get_database_uri(&self, _user: &str, _database: &str) -> Result<DatabaseInfo> {
         Ok(DatabaseInfo {
             host: "127.0.0.1".parse()?,
             port: 5432,
diff --git a/proxy/src/main.rs b/proxy/src/main.rs
index b4b58dc622..15c446c9c1 100644
--- a/proxy/src/main.rs
+++ b/proxy/src/main.rs
@@ -87,24 +87,19 @@ fn main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     println!("Starting mgmt on {}", state.conf.mgmt_address);
     let mgmt_listener = TcpListener::bind(state.conf.mgmt_address)?;
 
-    let mut threads = Vec::new();
-
-    // Spawn a thread to listen for connections. It will spawn further threads
-    // for each connection.
-    threads.push(
+    let threads = vec![
+        // Spawn a thread to listen for connections. It will spawn further threads
+        // for each connection.
         thread::Builder::new()
             .name("Proxy thread".into())
             .spawn(move || proxy::thread_main(&state, pageserver_listener))?,
-    );
-
-    threads.push(
         thread::Builder::new()
             .name("Mgmt thread".into())
             .spawn(move || mgmt::thread_main(&state, mgmt_listener))?,
-    );
+    ];
 
-    for t in threads {
-        let _ = t.join().unwrap();
+    for t in threads.into_iter() {
+        t.join().unwrap()?;
     }
 
     Ok(())
diff --git a/proxy/src/proxy.rs b/proxy/src/proxy.rs
index b4300d7ea8..f081c391e0 100644
--- a/proxy/src/proxy.rs
+++ b/proxy/src/proxy.rs
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ pub fn thread_main(
 struct ProxyConnection {
     state: &'static ProxyState,
 
-    existing_user: bool,
     cplane: CPlaneApi,
 
     user: String,
@@ -57,7 +56,6 @@ pub fn proxy_conn_main(
 ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
     let mut conn = ProxyConnection {
         state,
-        existing_user: false,
         cplane: CPlaneApi::new(&state.conf.cplane_address),
         user: "".into(),
         database: "".into(),
@@ -71,7 +69,7 @@ pub fn proxy_conn_main(
     conn.handle_startup()?;
 
     // both scenarious here should end up producing database connection string
-    let db_info = if conn.existing_user {
+    let db_info = if conn.is_existing_user() {
         conn.handle_existing_user()?
     } else {
         conn.handle_new_user()?
@@ -91,6 +89,10 @@ pub fn proxy_conn_main(
 }
 
 impl ProxyConnection {
+    fn is_existing_user(&self) -> bool {
+        self.user.ends_with("@zenith")
+    }
+
     fn handle_startup(&mut self) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         loop {
             let msg = self.pgb.read_message()?;
@@ -120,8 +122,6 @@ impl ProxyConnection {
                                 })?
                                 .into();
 
-                            self.existing_user = self.user.ends_with("@zenith");
-
                             break;
                         }
                         StartupRequestCode::Cancel => break,
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ impl ProxyConnection {
         if let Some(FeMessage::PasswordMessage(m)) = msg {
             println!("got password message '{:?}'", m);
 
-            assert!(self.existing_user);
+            assert!(self.is_existing_user());
 
             let (_trailing_null, md5_response) = m
                 .split_last()
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ databases without opening the browser.
         self.pgb
             .write_message_noflush(&BeMessage::ParameterStatus)?;
         self.pgb
-            .write_message(&BeMessage::NoticeResponse(hello_message.to_string()))?;
+            .write_message(&BeMessage::NoticeResponse(hello_message))?;
 
         // await for database creation
         let (tx, rx) = channel::<anyhow::Result<DatabaseInfo>>();
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ databases without opening the browser.
     }
 
     fn check_auth_md5(&self, md5_response: &[u8]) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-        assert!(self.existing_user);
+        assert!(self.is_existing_user());
         self.cplane
             .check_auth(self.user.as_str(), md5_response, &self.md5_salt)
     }
diff --git a/zenith_utils/src/postgres_backend.rs b/zenith_utils/src/postgres_backend.rs
index 4d8251b8c1..4e623f87c4 100644
--- a/zenith_utils/src/postgres_backend.rs
+++ b/zenith_utils/src/postgres_backend.rs
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ pub struct PostgresBackend {
 }
 
 // TODO: call shutdown() manually.
-// into_shtm() methods do not work with types implementing Drop
+// into_smth() methods do not work with types implementing Drop
 
 // // In replication.rs a separate thread is reading keepalives from the
 // // socket. When main one finishes, tell it to get down by shutdowning the
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ impl PostgresBackend {
                                 }
                                 AuthType::MD5 => {
                                     rand::thread_rng().fill(&mut self.md5_salt);
-                                    let md5_salt = self.md5_salt.clone();
+                                    let md5_salt = self.md5_salt;
                                     self.write_message(&BeMessage::AuthenticationMD5Password(
                                         &md5_salt,
                                     ))?;