diff --git a/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C b/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C
index fecea27cbe..380c785c0b 100644
--- a/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C
+++ b/src/OSspecific/POSIX/POSIX.C
@@ -109,12 +109,22 @@ bool Foam::setEnv
 }
 
 
-Foam::word Foam::hostName()
+Foam::word Foam::hostName(bool full)
 {
-    char buffer[256];
-    gethostname(buffer, 256);
+    char buf[256];
+    gethostname(buf, 256);
 
-    return buffer;
+    if (full)
+    {
+        struct hostent *hptr = gethostbyname(buf);
+
+        if (hptr)
+        {
+            return hptr->h_name;
+        }
+    }
+
+    return buf;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H b/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
index 7b4c3a5320..3ee759a596 100644
--- a/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
+++ b/src/OpenFOAM/include/OSspecific.H
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@ string getEnv(const word&);
 bool setEnv(const word& name, const string& value, const bool overwrite);
 
 //- Return the system's host name
-word hostName();
+//  Optionally the full name reported from gethostbyname
+word hostName(const bool full=false);
 
 //- Return the user's login name
 word userName();