--- old/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.cpp	2015-10-30 19:14:58.152475851 +0100
+++ new/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.cpp	2015-10-30 19:14:58.084475849 +0100
@@ -2933,12 +2933,8 @@
   if (thread_obj != NULL) {
     oop thread_group = java_lang_Thread::threadGroup(thread_obj);
     if (thread_group != NULL) {
-      typeArrayOop name = java_lang_ThreadGroup::name(thread_group);
       // ThreadGroup.name can be null
-      if (name != NULL) {
-        const char* str = UNICODE::as_utf8((jchar*) name->base(T_CHAR), name->length());
-        return str;
-      }
+      return java_lang_ThreadGroup::name(thread_group);
     }
   }
   return NULL;
@@ -2952,12 +2948,8 @@
     if (thread_group != NULL) {
       oop parent = java_lang_ThreadGroup::parent(thread_group);
       if (parent != NULL) {
-        typeArrayOop name = java_lang_ThreadGroup::name(parent);
         // ThreadGroup.name can be null
-        if (name != NULL) {
-          const char* str = UNICODE::as_utf8((jchar*) name->base(T_CHAR), name->length());
-          return str;
-        }
+        return java_lang_ThreadGroup::name(parent);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -3304,6 +3296,9 @@
 
   initialize_class(vmSymbols::java_lang_String(), CHECK);
 
+  // Inject CompactStrings value after the static initializers for String ran.
+  java_lang_String::set_compact_strings(CompactStrings);
+
   // Initialize java_lang.System (needed before creating the thread)
   initialize_class(vmSymbols::java_lang_System(), CHECK);
   // The VM creates & returns objects of this class. Make sure it's initialized.