diff --git a/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.cc b/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.cc
index 7825ab5d82..f07785e2a2 100644
--- a/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.cc
+++ b/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.cc
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ ZeroMQBackend::ZeroMQBackend(std::unique_ptr<EventSerializer> es, std::unique_pt
 void ZeroMQBackend::DoInitPostScript() {
     ThreadedBackend::DoInitPostScript();
 
-    my_node_id = zeek::id::find_val<zeek::StringVal>("Cluster::Backend::ZeroMQ::my_node_id")->ToStdString();
     listen_xpub_endpoint =
         zeek::id::find_val<zeek::StringVal>("Cluster::Backend::ZeroMQ::listen_xpub_endpoint")->ToStdString();
     listen_xsub_endpoint =
@@ -241,7 +240,7 @@ bool ZeroMQBackend::DoPublishEvent(const std::string& topic, const std::string&
     // * The serialized event itself.
     std::array<zmq::const_buffer, 4> parts = {
         zmq::const_buffer(topic.data(), topic.size()),
-        zmq::const_buffer(my_node_id.data(), my_node_id.size()),
+        zmq::const_buffer(NodeId().data(), NodeId().size()),
         zmq::const_buffer(format.data(), format.size()),
         zmq::const_buffer(buf.data(), buf.size()),
     };
@@ -305,7 +304,7 @@ bool ZeroMQBackend::DoPublishLogWrites(const logging::detail::LogWriteHeader& he
     // * The serialized log write itself.
     std::array<zmq::const_buffer, 4> parts = {
         zmq::const_buffer{message_type.data(), message_type.size()},
-        zmq::const_buffer(my_node_id.data(), my_node_id.size()),
+        zmq::const_buffer(NodeId().data(), NodeId().size()),
         zmq::const_buffer{format.data(), format.size()},
         zmq::const_buffer{buf.data(), buf.size()},
     };
@@ -438,7 +437,7 @@ void ZeroMQBackend::Run() {
 
             // Filter out messages that are coming from this node.
             std::string sender(msg[1].data<const char>(), msg[1].size());
-            if ( sender == my_node_id )
+            if ( sender == NodeId() )
                 continue;
 
             detail::byte_buffer payload{msg[3].data<std::byte>(), msg[3].data<std::byte>() + msg[3].size()};
diff --git a/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.h b/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.h
index 20df495453..d2891778a6 100644
--- a/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.h
+++ b/src/cluster/backend/zeromq/ZeroMQ.h
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ private:
     bool DoProcessBackendMessage(int tag, detail::byte_buffer_span payload) override;
 
     // Script level variables.
-    std::string my_node_id;
     std::string connect_xsub_endpoint;
     std::string connect_xpub_endpoint;
     std::string listen_xsub_endpoint;