diff --git a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm
index d5ce595b7..31cbbbcbf 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm
+++ b/xCAT-server/lib/xcat/plugins/debian.pm
@@ -755,6 +755,9 @@ sub mkinstall
 	    # I don't need the timeout for ubuntu, but for debian there is a problem with getting dhcp in a timely manner
 	    $kcmdline .= " netcfg/dhcp_timeout=120";
 
+     # safer way to set hostname, avoid problems with nameservers
+     $kcmdline .= " hostname=".$node;
+
             $bptab->setNodeAttribs(
                                    $node,
                                    {
diff --git a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/scripts/post.ubuntu b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/scripts/post.ubuntu
index 8317f9730..3e32d4712 100644
--- a/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/scripts/post.ubuntu
+++ b/xCAT-server/share/xcat/install/scripts/post.ubuntu
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ for i in $(echo #TABLE:site:key=nameservers:value# | tr ',' ' ')
 do
 	echo "nameserver $i"
 done >>/etc/resolv.conf
-export HOSTNAME=$(host $IP 2>/dev/null | awk '{print $5}' | awk -F. '{print $1}')
-hostname $HOSTNAME
 #
 # Run xCAT post install
 #