diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/gencode-remote b/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/gencode-remote
index 88ee069a..ef8eda51 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/gencode-remote
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/gencode-remote
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2014 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2014 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,7 +19,12 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-name="$(cat "$__object/parameter/name")"
+if [ -f "$__object/parameter/name" ]; then
+    name="$(cat "$__object/parameter/name")"
+else
+    name="$__target_host"
+fi
+
 os=$(cat "$__global/explorer/os")
 
 echo "printf '%s\n' '$name' > /etc/hostname"
diff --git a/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/manifest b/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/manifest
index 3aa6de45..0544a6f9 100755
--- a/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/manifest
+++ b/cdist/conf/type/__hostname/manifest
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 #
 # 2012 Steven Armstrong (steven-cdist at armstrong.cc)
+# 2014 Nico Schottelius (nico-cdist at schottelius.org)
 #
 # This file is part of cdist.
 #
@@ -18,10 +19,6 @@
 # along with cdist. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 #
 
-# set defaults
-name="$(cat "$__object/parameter/name" 2>/dev/null \
-   || echo "${__target_host%%.*}" | tee "$__object/parameter/name")"
-
 os=$(cat "$__global/explorer/os")
 
 not_supported() {
@@ -33,7 +30,6 @@ not_supported() {
 case "$os" in
    archlinux|debian|ubuntu)
       # handled in gencode-remote
-      # FIXED: hostname setup in archlinuz via rc.local ist outdated
       :
    ;;
    *)