diff --git a/lib/krb5/sock_principal.c b/lib/krb5/sock_principal.c
index 62cd3bcd4..4307330dc 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/sock_principal.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/sock_principal.c
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 1997, 1998, 1999 Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan
+ * Copyright (c) 1997 - 2000 Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan
  * (Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden). 
  * All rights reserved. 
  *
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ krb5_sock_to_principal (krb5_context context,
     struct hostent *hostent;
     int family;
     char hname[256];
+    char *tmp;
 
     if (getsockname (sock, sa, &len) < 0)
 	return errno;
@@ -65,7 +66,18 @@ krb5_sock_to_principal (krb5_context context,
 
     if (hostent == NULL)
 	return h_errno;
-    strlcpy(hname, hostent->h_name, sizeof(hname));
+    tmp = hostent->h_name;
+    if (strchr(tmp, '.') == NULL) {
+	char **a;
+
+	for (a = hostent->h_aliases; a != NULL && *a != NULL; ++a)
+	    if (strchr(*a, '.') != NULL) {
+		tmp = *a;
+		break;
+	    }
+    }
+
+    strlcpy(hname, tmp, sizeof(hname));
     return krb5_sname_to_principal (context,
 				    hname,
 				    sname,