diff --git a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Table.pm b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Table.pm
index 3c7d6814d..7a67440fe 100644
--- a/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Table.pm
+++ b/perl-xCAT/xCAT/Table.pm
@@ -1723,6 +1723,29 @@ sub getAttribs
         {
             unless ($data->{$attrib} =~ /^$/ || !defined($data->{$attrib}))
             {    #To undef fields in rows that may still be returned
+
+	      my $wrkstr = $data->{$attrib};
+	      while ($wrkstr =~ /(\{.*?\})/g) {
+		#-- this have to be thoroughly tested...
+		#-- special constructions in tables
+		#-- for example allows to have the same database for two xCAT master servers
+		#-- hence helping xCAT high availability
+		 my $exp = $1;
+		 my $expfound = 0;
+
+		 $exp =~ /^{hostname}$/ && do { $out = qx/hostname/; chomp $out; $expfound = 1; };
+		 $exp =~ /^{xcatmaster}$/ && do {
+		   my $ostab = xCAT::Table->new('site');
+		   $out = $ostab->getAttribs({key=>"master"},'value');
+		   if ($out and $out->{value}) {
+		     $out = $out->{'value'}; $expfound = 1;
+		   }
+		 };
+		 $wrkstr =~ s/$exp/$out/ if $expfound;
+
+             }
+             $data->{$attrib} = $wrkstr;
+
                 $rethash{$attrib} = $data->{$attrib};
             }
         }
diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/anaconda.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/anaconda.pm
index d5e855f69..e057bb702 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/anaconda.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/anaconda.pm
@@ -296,6 +296,23 @@ sub mknetboot
                 }
             }
         }
+
+       # Has to be tested...
+       #
+       # Try to insert special idiom {xcatmaster} to bootparams table if the above
+       # value resolves to the same value as {xcatmaster}.
+       # This allows avoiding xcatmaster hostname where possible, thus allowing
+       # to keep database very clean and minimize needed changes in db
+       # when moving xcat to another node.
+       #-- test whether special construction '{xcatmater}' is supported in Table.pm
+       $sitetab->setAttribs( {'key' => 'testkey'}, {'value' => '{xcatmaster}'} );
+       my $testvalue = $sitetab->getAttribs({key => "testkey"}, 'value');
+       #-- now "testkey" will _NOT_ contain '{xcatmaster}' if special substitutions are supported
+       if ( $testvalue->{"value"} eq $imgsrv ) { #-- xCAT supports interpolation of '{xcatmaster}'
+         $imgsrv = '{xcatmaster}';
+       }
+       $sitetab->delEntries( {'key' => 'testkey'} );   #-- clean up
+
         unless ($imgsrv)
         {
             $callback->(
diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/sles.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/sles.pm
index 29ee72077..cb41aff1b 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/sles.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/sles.pm
@@ -167,6 +167,24 @@ sub mknetboot
                 }
             }
         }
+
+       # Has to be tested...
+       #
+       # Try to insert special idiom {xcatmaster} to bootparams table if the above
+       # value resolves to the same value as {xcatmaster}.
+       # This allows avoiding xcatmaster hostname where possible, thus allowing
+       # to keep database very clean and minimize needed changes in db
+       # when moving xcat to another node.
+
+       #-- test whether special construction '{xcatmater}' is supported in Table.pm
+       $sitetab->setAttribs( {'key' => 'testkey'}, {'value' => '{xcatmaster}'} );
+       my $testvalue = $sitetab->getAttribs({key => "testkey"}, 'value');
+       #-- now "testkey" will _NOT_ contain '{xcatmaster}' if special substitutions are supported
+       if ( $testvalue->{"value"} eq $imgsrv ) { #-- xCAT supports interpolation of '{xcatmaster}'
+         $imgsrv = '{xcatmaster}';
+       }
+       $sitetab->delEntries( {'key' => 'testkey'} );   #-- clean up
+
         unless ($imgsrv)
         {
             $callback->(