diff --git a/base/hostinfo.cc b/base/hostinfo.cc
index 5efb773562..cb5c04efcf 100644
--- a/base/hostinfo.cc
+++ b/base/hostinfo.cc
@@ -26,16 +26,37 @@
  * OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
-#include <stdarg.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
-#include <stdlib.h>
-#include <string.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <math.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <cstring>
+#include <string>
+
+#include "base/misc.hh"
 #include "sim/host.hh"
 
+using namespace std;
+
+string
+__get_hostname()
+{
+    char host[256];
+    if (gethostname(host, sizeof host) == -1)
+        warn("could not get host name!");
+    return host;
+}
+
+string &
+hostname()
+{
+    static string hostname = __get_hostname();
+    return hostname;
+}
+
 uint64_t
 procInfo(char *filename, char *target)
 {
diff --git a/base/hostinfo.hh b/base/hostinfo.hh
index 2293d2b6a7..453a1e69a8 100644
--- a/base/hostinfo.hh
+++ b/base/hostinfo.hh
@@ -29,8 +29,12 @@
 #ifndef __HOSTINFO_HH__
 #define __HOSTINFO_HH__
 
+#include <string>
+
 #include "sim/host.hh"
 
+std::string &hostname();
+
 uint64_t procInfo(char *filename, char *target);
 
 inline uint64_t memUsage()