The eight "Fidonisy"-class destroyers were ordered on at a cost of 2.2 million rubles each. All of the ships received names in honor of the victorious battles of Admiral Fyodor Ushakov. Among these was "Gadzhibey", an alternate name for the Battle of Tendra, commemorating Ushakov's victory there during the Russo-Turkish War of 1787–1792. After being added to the Black Sea Fleet ship list on , "Gadzhibey" was laid down on the slipway of the Nikolayev Admiralty Shipyard leased by the Society of Nikolayev Factories and Shipyards in Nikolayev on of that year, and launched on 1916. She was moved to Sevastopol on 1917 for final completion and acceptance trials, and entered service on of that year as part of the 3rd Division of the fleet's Torpedo Brigade.