diff --git a/fabtests/common/shared.c b/fabtests/common/shared.c
index feb578886ee..2be0ee3b9dd 100644
--- a/fabtests/common/shared.c
+++ b/fabtests/common/shared.c
@@ -1564,8 +1564,17 @@ int ft_av_insert(struct fid_av *av, void *addr, size_t count, fi_addr_t *fi_addr
 		uint64_t flags, void *context)
 {
 	int ret;
+	void *addr_ptr;
 
-	ret = fi_av_insert(av, addr, count, fi_addr, flags, context);
+	/*
+	 * When using the FI_ADDR_STR format, the addr parameter should reference
+	 * an array of strings (char **).
+	 * Ensure we try to insert only one addrress in such format
+	 */
+	assert((fi->addr_format == FI_ADDR_STR && count == 1) ||
+		   fi->addr_format != FI_ADDR_STR);
+	addr_ptr = (fi->addr_format == FI_ADDR_STR) ? &addr : addr;
+	ret = fi_av_insert(av, addr_ptr, count, fi_addr, flags, context);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		FT_PRINTERR("fi_av_insert", ret);
 		return ret;
diff --git a/fabtests/test_configs/shm/shm.exclude b/fabtests/test_configs/shm/shm.exclude
index a954fdd54f3..639776fa0b6 100644
--- a/fabtests/test_configs/shm/shm.exclude
+++ b/fabtests/test_configs/shm/shm.exclude
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ inject_test
 -e msg
 ^fi_dgram
 -e dgram
+^fi_rdm g00n13s
 
 # Exclude tests that use sread/polling
 rdm_cntr_pingpong
diff --git a/prov/efa/src/efa_av.c b/prov/efa/src/efa_av.c
index c5ea0b84c9f..4f42e80d889 100644
--- a/prov/efa/src/efa_av.c
+++ b/prov/efa/src/efa_av.c
@@ -331,6 +331,7 @@ int efa_conn_rdm_insert_shm_av(struct efa_av *av, struct efa_conn *conn)
 	int err, ret;
 	char smr_name[EFA_SHM_NAME_MAX];
 	size_t smr_name_len;
+	void *addr_ptr;
 
 
 	assert(av->domain->info_type == EFA_INFO_RDM);
@@ -365,7 +366,11 @@ int efa_conn_rdm_insert_shm_av(struct efa_av *av, struct efa_conn *conn)
 		 * through shm ep.
 		 */
 		conn->shm_fi_addr = conn->fi_addr;
-		ret = fi_av_insert(av->shm_rdm_av, smr_name, 1, &conn->shm_fi_addr, FI_AV_USER_ID, NULL);
+		/*
+		 * shm provider uses FI_ADDR_STR address format wich must be passed as (char**)
+		 */
+		addr_ptr = &smr_name;
+		ret = fi_av_insert(av->shm_rdm_av, addr_ptr, 1, &conn->shm_fi_addr, FI_AV_USER_ID, NULL);
 		if (OFI_UNLIKELY(ret != 1)) {
 			EFA_WARN(FI_LOG_AV,
 				 "Failed to insert address to shm provider's av: %s\n",
diff --git a/prov/shm/src/smr_av.c b/prov/shm/src/smr_av.c
index 30054b1125d..770b90e35b8 100644
--- a/prov/shm/src/smr_av.c
+++ b/prov/shm/src/smr_av.c
@@ -121,17 +121,18 @@ static int smr_av_insert(struct fid_av *av_fid, const void *addr, size_t count,
 	int64_t shm_id = -1;
 	int i, ret;
 	int succ_count = 0;
+	const char **string_names = (void *)addr;
 
 	util_av = container_of(av_fid, struct util_av, av_fid);
 	smr_av = container_of(util_av, struct smr_av, util_av);
 
-	for (i = 0; i < count; i++, addr = (char *) addr + strlen(addr) + 1) {
-		FI_INFO(&smr_prov, FI_LOG_AV, "%s\n", (const char *) addr);
+	for (i = 0; i < count; i++) {
+		FI_INFO(&smr_prov, FI_LOG_AV, "%s\n", (const char *) string_names[i]);
 
 		util_addr = FI_ADDR_NOTAVAIL;
 		if (smr_av->used < SMR_MAX_PEERS) {
 			ret = smr_map_add(&smr_prov, &smr_av->smr_map,
-					  addr, &shm_id);
+					  string_names[i], &shm_id);
 			if (!ret) {
 				ofi_genlock_lock(&util_av->lock);
 				ret = ofi_av_insert_addr(util_av, &shm_id,
diff --git a/util/pingpong.c b/util/pingpong.c
index a457176fbb7..eda5eaee18c 100644
--- a/util/pingpong.c
+++ b/util/pingpong.c
@@ -1565,21 +1565,19 @@ static int pp_init_ep(struct ct_pingpong *ct)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static int pp_av_insert(struct fid_av *av, void *addr, size_t count,
-			fi_addr_t *fi_addr, uint64_t flags, void *context)
+static int pp_av_insert(struct fid_av *av, void *addr, fi_addr_t *fi_addr,
+			uint64_t flags, void *context)
 {
 	int ret;
 
 	PP_DEBUG("Connection-less endpoint: inserting new address in vector\n");
 
-	ret = fi_av_insert(av, addr, count, fi_addr, flags, context);
+	ret = fi_av_insert(av, addr, 1, fi_addr, flags, context);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		PP_PRINTERR("fi_av_insert", ret);
 		return ret;
-	} else if (ret != count) {
-		PP_ERR("fi_av_insert: number of addresses inserted = %d;"
-		       " number of addresses given = %zd\n",
-		       ret, count);
+	} else if (ret != 1) {
+		PP_ERR("fi_av_insert: cannot insert address");
 		return -EXIT_FAILURE;
 	}
 
@@ -1777,6 +1775,7 @@ static int pp_client_connect(struct ct_pingpong *ct)
 static int pp_init_fabric(struct ct_pingpong *ct)
 {
 	int ret;
+	void *addrs;
 
 	ret = pp_ctrl_init(ct);
 	if (ret)
@@ -1841,21 +1840,29 @@ static int pp_init_fabric(struct ct_pingpong *ct)
 
 	if (ct->opts.dst_addr) {
 		/* Set */
-		ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, ct->rem_name, 1, &(ct->remote_fi_addr), 0,
+		addrs = ct->hints->addr_format == FI_ADDR_STR ?
+				&ct->rem_name : ct->rem_name;
+		ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, addrs, &(ct->remote_fi_addr), 0,
 				   NULL);
 		if (ret)
 			return ret;
+		addrs = ct->hints->addr_format == FI_ADDR_STR ?
+				&ct->local_name : ct->local_name;
 		if (ct->fi->domain_attr->caps & FI_LOCAL_COMM)
-			ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, ct->local_name, 1,
+			ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, addrs,
 					&(ct->local_fi_addr), 0, NULL);
 	} else {
 		if (ct->fi->domain_attr->caps & FI_LOCAL_COMM) {
-			ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, ct->local_name, 1,
+			addrs = ct->hints->addr_format == FI_ADDR_STR ?
+					&ct->local_name : ct->local_name;
+			ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, addrs,
 					&(ct->local_fi_addr), 0, NULL);
 			if (ret)
 				return ret;
 		}
-		ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, ct->rem_name, 1, &(ct->remote_fi_addr), 0,
+		addrs = ct->hints->addr_format == FI_ADDR_STR ?
+				&ct->rem_name : ct->rem_name;
+		ret = pp_av_insert(ct->av, addrs, &(ct->remote_fi_addr), 0,
 				   NULL);
 	}
 	if (ret)