diff --git a/pyzeebe/channel/insecure_channel.py b/pyzeebe/channel/insecure_channel.py
index d428fd62..55fb97ff 100644
--- a/pyzeebe/channel/insecure_channel.py
+++ b/pyzeebe/channel/insecure_channel.py
@@ -8,19 +8,18 @@
 
 
 def create_insecure_channel(
-    hostname: Optional[str] = None, port: Optional[int] = None, channel_options: Optional[ChannelArgumentType] = None
+    grpc_address: Optional[str] = None, channel_options: Optional[ChannelArgumentType] = None
 ) -> grpc.aio.Channel:
     """
     Create an insecure channel
 
     Args:
-        hostname (Optional[str], optional): Zeebe gateway hostname
-        port (Optional[int], optional): Zeebe gateway port
+        grpc_address (Optional[str], optional): Zeebe gateway hostname
         channel_options (Optional[Dict], optional): GRPC channel options.
             See https://grpc.github.io/grpc/python/glossary.html#term-channel_arguments
 
     Returns:
         grpc.aio.Channel: A GRPC Channel connected to the Zeebe gateway.
     """
-    address = create_address(hostname, port)
-    return grpc.aio.insecure_channel(address, options=get_channel_options(channel_options))
+    grpc_address = create_address(grpc_address=grpc_address)
+    return grpc.aio.insecure_channel(target=grpc_address, options=get_channel_options(channel_options))
diff --git a/pyzeebe/channel/secure_channel.py b/pyzeebe/channel/secure_channel.py
index 17342cce..dacd5604 100644
--- a/pyzeebe/channel/secure_channel.py
+++ b/pyzeebe/channel/secure_channel.py
@@ -8,8 +8,7 @@
 
 
 def create_secure_channel(
-    hostname: Optional[str] = None,
-    port: Optional[int] = None,
+    grpc_address: Optional[str] = None,
     channel_options: Optional[ChannelArgumentType] = None,
     channel_credentials: Optional[grpc.ChannelCredentials] = None,
 ) -> grpc.aio.Channel:
@@ -27,6 +26,8 @@ def create_secure_channel(
     Returns:
         grpc.aio.Channel: A GRPC Channel connected to the Zeebe gateway.
     """
-    address = create_address(hostname, port)
+    grpc_address = create_address(grpc_address=grpc_address)
     credentials = channel_credentials or grpc.ssl_channel_credentials()
-    return grpc.aio.secure_channel(address, credentials, options=get_channel_options(channel_options))
+    return grpc.aio.secure_channel(
+        target=grpc_address, credentials=credentials, options=get_channel_options(channel_options)
+    )
diff --git a/pyzeebe/channel/utils.py b/pyzeebe/channel/utils.py
index 8b768c36..b7df275e 100644
--- a/pyzeebe/channel/utils.py
+++ b/pyzeebe/channel/utils.py
@@ -7,9 +7,8 @@
 
 
 def create_address(
-    hostname: Optional[str] = None,
-    port: Optional[int] = None,
+    grpc_address: Optional[str] = None,
 ) -> str:
-    if hostname or port:
-        return f"{hostname or DEFAULT_HOSTNAME}:{port or DEFAULT_PORT}"
+    if grpc_address:
+        return grpc_address
     return os.getenv("ZEEBE_ADDRESS", DEFAULT_ADDRESS)
diff --git a/tests/unit/channel/insecure_channel_test.py b/tests/unit/channel/insecure_channel_test.py
index 6878fea7..9b35622f 100644
--- a/tests/unit/channel/insecure_channel_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/channel/insecure_channel_test.py
@@ -30,20 +30,4 @@ def test_uses_default_address(self, insecure_channel_mock: Mock):
         create_insecure_channel()
 
         insecure_channel_call = insecure_channel_mock.mock_calls[0]
-        assert insecure_channel_call.args[0] == create_address()
-
-    def test_overrides_default_port_if_provided(self, insecure_channel_mock: Mock):
-        port = 123
-
-        create_insecure_channel(port=port)
-
-        insecure_channel_call = insecure_channel_mock.mock_calls[0]
-        assert insecure_channel_call.args[0] == f"{DEFAULT_HOSTNAME}:{port}"
-
-    def test_overrides_default_hostname_if_provided(self, insecure_channel_mock: Mock):
-        hostname = str(uuid4())
-
-        create_insecure_channel(hostname=hostname)
-
-        insecure_channel_call = insecure_channel_mock.mock_calls[0]
-        assert insecure_channel_call.args[0] == f"{hostname}:{DEFAULT_PORT}"
+        assert insecure_channel_call.kwargs["target"] == create_address()
diff --git a/tests/unit/channel/secure_channel_test.py b/tests/unit/channel/secure_channel_test.py
index 50ac7487..245161cd 100644
--- a/tests/unit/channel/secure_channel_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/channel/secure_channel_test.py
@@ -36,20 +36,4 @@ def test_uses_default_address(self, secure_channel_mock: Mock):
         create_secure_channel()
 
         secure_channel_call = secure_channel_mock.mock_calls[0]
-        assert secure_channel_call.args[0] == create_address()
-
-    def test_overrides_default_port_if_provided(self, secure_channel_mock: Mock):
-        port = 123
-
-        create_secure_channel(port=port)
-
-        secure_channel_call = secure_channel_mock.mock_calls[0]
-        assert secure_channel_call.args[0] == f"{DEFAULT_HOSTNAME}:{port}"
-
-    def test_overrides_default_hostname_if_provided(self, secure_channel_mock: Mock):
-        hostname = str(uuid4())
-
-        create_secure_channel(hostname=hostname)
-
-        secure_channel_call = secure_channel_mock.mock_calls[0]
-        assert secure_channel_call.args[0] == f"{hostname}:{DEFAULT_PORT}"
+        assert secure_channel_call.kwargs["target"] == create_address()
diff --git a/tests/unit/channel/utils_test.py b/tests/unit/channel/utils_test.py
index 7d262ff8..590996cb 100644
--- a/tests/unit/channel/utils_test.py
+++ b/tests/unit/channel/utils_test.py
@@ -10,15 +10,11 @@ def test_returns_default_address(self):
 
         assert address == DEFAULT_ADDRESS
 
-    def test_default_port_is_26500(self):
-        address = create_address(hostname=str(uuid4()))
-
-        assert address.split(":")[1] == "26500"
-
-    def test_default_hostname_is_localhost(self):
-        address = create_address(port=12)
+    def test_default_hostname_port(self):
+        address = create_address()
 
         assert address.split(":")[0] == "localhost"
+        assert address.split(":")[1] == "26500"
 
     def test_returns_env_var_if_provided(self):
         zeebe_address = str(uuid4())