diff --git a/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf b/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf
index 67477bd22f40..33a9dda598df 100644
--- a/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf
+++ b/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ fetch_hostname() {
 	esac
     fi
     done < /etc/hosts
+    echo "fetch_hostname for <${key}> returns <${hostname}>"
 }
 
 # sets "mask" using $1 (netmask name) as the search key in /etc/networks
@@ -89,6 +90,10 @@ fetch_mask() {
 	    ;;
 	esac
     done < /etc/networks
+    if [ "${mask}" = "" ] ; then
+	mask=${default_mask}
+    fi
+    echo "fetch_mask for <${key}> returns <${mask}>"
 }
 
 
@@ -104,9 +109,6 @@ set_main_interface() {
 	fi
     fi
     fetch_mask ${hostname}-netmask
-    if [ "${mask}" = "" ] ; then
-	mask=${default_mask}
-    fi
 
     eval ifconfig_${main_if}=\" \${hostname} netmask \${mask}\"
     network_interfaces=`ifconfig -l`