diff --git a/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_java.sh b/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_java.sh
index b52d6f9363..99d05645c6 100644
--- a/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_java.sh
+++ b/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_java.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_jetty.sh b/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_jetty.sh
index 52609f33cd..d5a5e3d1b8 100644
--- a/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_jetty.sh
+++ b/compute/src/test/resources/initscript_with_jetty.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/compute/src/test/resources/runscript.sh b/compute/src/test/resources/runscript.sh
index aaa38777f3..b7d261e6bf 100644
--- a/compute/src/test/resources/runscript.sh
+++ b/compute/src/test/resources/runscript.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/labs/virtualbox/src/test/resources/test_guest_additions_installer_init.sh b/labs/virtualbox/src/test/resources/test_guest_additions_installer_init.sh
index 58a9a7c959..ac192e6351 100644
--- a/labs/virtualbox/src/test/resources/test_guest_additions_installer_init.sh
+++ b/labs/virtualbox/src/test/resources/test_guest_additions_installer_init.sh
@@ -112,10 +112,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/scriptbuilder/src/main/resources/functions/setupPublicCurl.sh b/scriptbuilder/src/main/resources/functions/setupPublicCurl.sh
index a59dd627d4..f5e1caba3f 100644
--- a/scriptbuilder/src/main/resources/functions/setupPublicCurl.sh
+++ b/scriptbuilder/src/main/resources/functions/setupPublicCurl.sh
@@ -30,10 +30,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_chef_gems_scriptbuilder.sh b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_chef_gems_scriptbuilder.sh
index 3d99dea2b0..e4fd15f77b 100644
--- a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_chef_gems_scriptbuilder.sh
+++ b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_chef_gems_scriptbuilder.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_git_scriptbuilder.sh b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_git_scriptbuilder.sh
index 08533043b7..eb1b71d23d 100644
--- a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_git_scriptbuilder.sh
+++ b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_git_scriptbuilder.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_jdk_scriptbuilder.sh b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_jdk_scriptbuilder.sh
index ab8210beff..5157490c10 100644
--- a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_jdk_scriptbuilder.sh
+++ b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_jdk_scriptbuilder.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns
diff --git a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_ruby_scriptbuilder.sh b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_ruby_scriptbuilder.sh
index 6ce3c90633..3eb8fc45aa 100644
--- a/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_ruby_scriptbuilder.sh
+++ b/scriptbuilder/src/test/resources/test_install_ruby_scriptbuilder.sh
@@ -115,10 +115,13 @@ function ensure_netutils_yum() {
 # most network services require that the hostname is in
 # the /etc/hosts file, or they won't operate
 function ensure_hostname_in_hosts() {
-  # NOTE: 
-  # 1. We blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
-  # 2. We assume hostname supports the -i option to return the default NICs IP address
-  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "`hostname -i` `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
+  [ -n "$SSH_CONNECTION" ] && {
+    local ipaddr=`echo $SSH_CONNECTION | awk '{print $3}'`
+  } || {
+    local ipaddr=`hostname -i`
+  }
+  # NOTE: we blindly trust existing hostname settings in /etc/hosts
+  egrep -q `hostname` /etc/hosts || echo "$ipaddr `hostname`" >> /etc/hosts
 }
 
 # download locations for many services are at public dns