diff --git a/jeepyb/cmd/update_blueprint.py b/jeepyb/cmd/update_blueprint.py
index 58cc390..2ce52f3 100644
--- a/jeepyb/cmd/update_blueprint.py
+++ b/jeepyb/cmd/update_blueprint.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@
 
 GERRIT_CONFIG = get_broken_config(GERRIT_CONFIG)
 SECURE_CONFIG = get_broken_config(GERRIT_SECURE_CONFIG)
+DB_HOST = GERRIT_CONFIG.get("database", "hostname")
 DB_USER = GERRIT_CONFIG.get("database", "username")
 DB_PASS = SECURE_CONFIG.get("database", "password")
 DB_DB = GERRIT_CONFIG.get("database", "database")
@@ -144,7 +145,8 @@
         'Gerrit User Sync', uris.LPNET_SERVICE_ROOT, GERRIT_CACHE_DIR,
         credentials_file=GERRIT_CREDENTIALS, version='devel')
 
-    conn = MySQLdb.connect(user=DB_USER, passwd=DB_PASS, db=DB_DB)
+    conn = MySQLdb.connect(
+        host=DB_HOST, user=DB_USER, passwd=DB_PASS, db=DB_DB)
 
     find_specs(lpconn, conn, args)
 
diff --git a/jeepyb/gerritdb.py b/jeepyb/gerritdb.py
index c3be3d7..2255b64 100644
--- a/jeepyb/gerritdb.py
+++ b/jeepyb/gerritdb.py
@@ -47,9 +47,11 @@
         gerrit_config = get_broken_config(GERRIT_CONFIG)
         secure_config = get_broken_config(GERRIT_SECURE_CONFIG)
 
+        DB_HOST = gerrit_config.get("database", "hostname")
         DB_USER = gerrit_config.get("database", "username")
         DB_PASS = secure_config.get("database", "password")
         DB_DB = gerrit_config.get("database", "database")
 
-        db_connection = MySQLdb.connect(user=DB_USER, passwd=DB_PASS, db=DB_DB)
+        db_connection = MySQLdb.connect(
+            host=DB_HOST, user=DB_USER, passwd=DB_PASS, db=DB_DB)
     return db_connection