diff --git a/start.sh b/start.sh
index ffe083bea..40da9eb05 100755
--- a/start.sh
+++ b/start.sh
@@ -4,13 +4,15 @@ set -e
 
 [ "${FLOCKER}" != "$0" ] && exec env FLOCKER="$0" flock -en .stack-work.lock "$0" "$@" || :
 
-unset HOST
+__HOST=${HOST:-$(hostname -s | awk '{ print $0; }')}
+
 export DETAILED_LOGGING=${DETAILED_LOGGIN:-true}
 export LOG_ALL=${LOG_ALL:-false}
 export LOGLEVEL=${LOGLEVEL:-info}
 export DUMMY_LOGIN=${DUMMY_LOGIN:-true}
 export ALLOW_DEPRECATED=${ALLOW_DEPRECATED:-true}
-export RIBBON=${RIBBON:-Localhost}
+export RIBBON=${RIBBON:-${__HOST:-localhost}}
+unset HOST
 
 move-back() {
     mv -v .stack-work .stack-work-run