diff --git a/src/zeroconf/ZeroconfGlue.cxx b/src/zeroconf/ZeroconfGlue.cxx
index 710154f72..2514e6b86 100644
--- a/src/zeroconf/ZeroconfGlue.cxx
+++ b/src/zeroconf/ZeroconfGlue.cxx
@@ -27,9 +27,10 @@
 #include "util/Domain.hxx"
 #include "Log.hxx"
 #include "util/Compiler.h"
+
+#include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <limits.h>
-#include <regex>
 
 static constexpr Domain zeroconf_domain("zeroconf");
 
@@ -62,10 +63,17 @@ ZeroconfInit(const ConfigData &config, gcc_unused EventLoop &loop)
 	serviceName = config.GetString(ConfigOption::ZEROCONF_NAME,
 				       SERVICE_NAME);
 
-	char hostname[HOST_NAME_MAX+1];
-	gethostname(hostname, HOST_NAME_MAX);
-	std::string sName = std::regex_replace(serviceName, std::regex("%h"), hostname);
-	serviceName = sName.c_str();
+	/* replace "%h" with the host name */
+	const char *h = strstr(serviceName, "%h");
+	std::string buffer;
+	if (h != nullptr) {
+		char hostname[HOST_NAME_MAX+1];
+		if (gethostname(hostname, HOST_NAME_MAX) == 0) {
+			buffer = serviceName;
+			buffer.replace(h - serviceName, 2, hostname);
+			serviceName = buffer.c_str();
+		}
+	}
 
 #ifdef HAVE_AVAHI
 	AvahiInit(loop, serviceName);