diff --git a/cfg.mk b/cfg.mk
index 56cb14bd94..a4131592c2 100644
--- a/cfg.mk
+++ b/cfg.mk
@@ -1158,7 +1158,7 @@ _src2=src/(util/vircommand|libvirt|lxc/lxc_controller|locking/lock_daemon|loggin
 exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_fork_wrappers = \
   (^($(_src2)|tests/testutils|daemon/libvirtd)\.c$$)
 
-exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_gethostname = ^src/util/virutil\.c$$
+exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_gethostname = ^src/util/vir(util|log)\.c$$
 
 exclude_file_name_regexp--sc_prohibit_internal_functions = \
   ^src/(util/(viralloc|virutil|virfile)\.[hc]|esx/esx_vi\.c)$$
diff --git a/src/util/virlog.c b/src/util/virlog.c
index 056b53cda2..f76fc2cafe 100644
--- a/src/util/virlog.c
+++ b/src/util/virlog.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@
 VIR_LOG_INIT("util.log");
 
 static regex_t *virLogRegex;
-static char *virLogHostname;
+static char virLogHostname[HOST_NAME_MAX+1];
 
 
 #define VIR_LOG_DATE_REGEX "[0-9]{4}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{2}"
@@ -261,6 +261,8 @@ virLogPriorityString(virLogPriority lvl)
 static int
 virLogOnceInit(void)
 {
+    int r;
+
     if (virMutexInit(&virLogMutex) < 0)
         return -1;
 
@@ -275,8 +277,17 @@ virLogOnceInit(void)
     /* We get and remember the hostname early, because at later time
      * it might not be possible to load NSS modules via getaddrinfo()
      * (e.g. at container startup the host filesystem will not be
-     * accessible anymore. */
-    virLogHostname = virGetHostnameQuiet();
+     * accessible anymore.
+     * Must not use virGetHostname though as that causes re-entrancy
+     * problems if it triggers logging codepaths
+     */
+    r = gethostname(virLogHostname, sizeof(virLogHostname));
+    if (r == -1) {
+        ignore_value(virStrcpy(virLogHostname,
+                               "(unknown)", sizeof(virLogHostname)));
+    } else {
+        NUL_TERMINATE(virLogHostname);
+    }
 
     virLogUnlock();
     return 0;
@@ -475,9 +486,6 @@ virLogHostnameString(char **rawmsg,
 {
     char *hoststr;
 
-    if (!virLogHostname)
-        return -1;
-
     if (virAsprintfQuiet(&hoststr, "hostname: %s", virLogHostname) < 0)
         return -1;