diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c745919..9ee11cc 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,2 +1,4 @@
 bin
 build
+
+.idea/
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingStatsDClient.java b/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingStatsDClient.java
index 6d75a9c..a6d0c19 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingStatsDClient.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingStatsDClient.java
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@
 
 /**
  * A simple StatsD client implementation facilitating metrics recording.
- * 
+ *
  * <p>Upon instantiation, this client will establish a socket connection to a StatsD instance
  * running on the specified host and port. Metrics are then sent over this connection as they are
  * received by the client.
  * </p>
- * 
+ *
  * <p>Three key methods are provided for the submission of data-points for the application under
  * scrutiny:
  * <ul>
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@
  * IO operations being carried out in a separate thread. Furthermore, these methods are guaranteed
  * not to throw an exception which may disrupt application execution.
  * </p>
- * 
+ *
  * <p>As part of a clean system shutdown, the {@link #stop()} method should be invoked
  * on any StatsD clients.</p>
- * 
+ *
  * @author Tom Denley
  *
  */
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ public final class NonBlockingStatsDClient extends ConvenienceMethodProvidingSta
      * be established. Once a client has been instantiated in this way, all
      * exceptions thrown during subsequent usage are consumed, guaranteeing
      * that failures in metrics will not affect normal code execution.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param prefix
      *     the prefix to apply to keys sent via this client (can be null or empty for no prefix)
      * @param hostname
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ public NonBlockingStatsDClient(String prefix, String hostname, int port) throws
      * exceptions thrown during subsequent usage are passed to the specified
      * handler and then consumed, guaranteeing that failures in metrics will
      * not affect normal code execution.
-     * 
+     *
      * @param prefix
      *     the prefix to apply to keys sent via this client (can be null or empty for no prefix)
      * @param hostname
@@ -96,6 +96,17 @@ public NonBlockingStatsDClient(String prefix, String hostname, int port, StatsDC
         }
     }
 
+    public NonBlockingStatsDClient(String prefix, String hostname, String threadPreffix,
+                                   int port, StatsDClientErrorHandler errorHandler) throws StatsDClientException {
+        this.prefix = (prefix == null || prefix.trim().isEmpty()) ? "" : (prefix.trim() + ".");
+
+        try {
+            this.sender = new NonBlockingUdpSender(hostname, threadPreffix, port, STATS_D_ENCODING, errorHandler);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            throw new StatsDClientException("Failed to start StatsD client", e);
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Cleanly shut down this StatsD client. This method may throw an exception if
      * the socket cannot be closed.
@@ -107,9 +118,9 @@ public void stop() {
 
     /**
      * Adjusts the specified counter by a given delta.
-     * 
+     *
      * <p>This method is non-blocking and is guaranteed not to throw an exception.</p>
-     * 
+     *
      * @param aspect
      *     the name of the counter to adjust
      * @param delta
@@ -125,9 +136,9 @@ public void count(String aspect, long delta, double sampleRate) {
 
     /**
      * Records the latest fixed value for the specified named gauge.
-     * 
+     *
      * <p>This method is non-blocking and is guaranteed not to throw an exception.</p>
-     * 
+     *
      * @param aspect
      *     the name of the gauge
      * @param value
@@ -165,9 +176,9 @@ private void recordGaugeCommon(String aspect, String value, boolean negative, bo
     /**
      * StatsD supports counting unique occurrences of events between flushes, Call this method to records an occurrence
      * of the specified named event.
-     * 
+     *
      * <p>This method is non-blocking and is guaranteed not to throw an exception.</p>
-     * 
+     *
      * @param aspect
      *     the name of the set
      * @param eventName
@@ -180,9 +191,9 @@ public void recordSetEvent(String aspect, String eventName) {
 
     /**
      * Records an execution time in milliseconds for the specified named operation.
-     * 
+     *
      * <p>This method is non-blocking and is guaranteed not to throw an exception.</p>
-     * 
+     *
      * @param aspect
      *     the name of the timed operation
      * @param timeInMs
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingUdpSender.java b/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingUdpSender.java
index 05c48f1..188674c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingUdpSender.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/timgroup/statsd/NonBlockingUdpSender.java
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ public final class NonBlockingUdpSender {
     private final Charset encoding;
     private final DatagramChannel clientSocket;
     private final ExecutorService executor;
-    private StatsDClientErrorHandler handler;
+    private final StatsDClientErrorHandler handler;
 
     public NonBlockingUdpSender(String hostname, int port, Charset encoding, StatsDClientErrorHandler handler) throws IOException {
         this.encoding = encoding;
@@ -22,31 +22,44 @@ public NonBlockingUdpSender(String hostname, int port, Charset encoding, StatsDC
         this.clientSocket = DatagramChannel.open();
         this.clientSocket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(hostname, port));
 
-        this.executor = Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(new ThreadFactory() {
+        this.executor = createExecutorService("StatsD-");
+    }
+
+    public NonBlockingUdpSender(String hostname, String threadPreffix, int port, Charset encoding, StatsDClientErrorHandler handler) throws IOException {
+        this.encoding = encoding;
+        this.handler = handler;
+        this.clientSocket = DatagramChannel.open();
+        this.clientSocket.connect(new InetSocketAddress(hostname, port));
+
+        this.executor = createExecutorService(threadPreffix);
+    }
+
+    private static ExecutorService createExecutorService(String threadPreffix) {
+        return Executors.newSingleThreadExecutor(new ThreadFactory() {
             final ThreadFactory delegate = Executors.defaultThreadFactory();
-            @Override public Thread newThread(Runnable r) {
+
+            @Override
+            public Thread newThread(Runnable r) {
                 Thread result = delegate.newThread(r);
-                result.setName("StatsD-" + result.getName());
+                result.setName(threadPreffix + result.getName());
                 result.setDaemon(true);
                 return result;
             }
         });
     }
 
+
     public void stop() {
         try {
             executor.shutdown();
             executor.awaitTermination(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
-        }
-        catch (Exception e) {
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             handler.handle(e);
-        }
-        finally {
+        } finally {
             if (clientSocket != null) {
                 try {
                     clientSocket.close();
-                }
-                catch (Exception e) {
+                } catch (Exception e) {
                     handler.handle(e);
                 }
             }
@@ -56,12 +69,12 @@ public void stop() {
     public void send(final String message) {
         try {
             executor.execute(new Runnable() {
-                @Override public void run() {
+                @Override
+                public void run() {
                     blockingSend(message);
                 }
             });
-        }
-        catch (Exception e) {
+        } catch (Exception e) {
             handler.handle(e);
         }
     }