diff --git a/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf b/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf
index d597aa80f0ad..1e854f65bed2 100644
--- a/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf
+++ b/release/picobsd/floppy.tree/etc/rc.conf
@@ -47,10 +47,13 @@ hostname=""
 while read a b c ; do
     if [ "$a" = "#ethertable" ] ; then
         hostname="."
-    elif [ "X$hostname" = "X." -a "X$a" = "X#" -a "X$b" = "X$main_ether" ]
-    then
-	hostname=$c
-	break
+    elif [ "X$hostname" = "X." -a "X$a" = "X#" ] ; then
+	case X${main_ether} in
+	X${b} ) # so we can use wildcards
+	    hostname=$c
+	    break
+	    ;;
+	esac
     fi
 done < /etc/hosts
 if [ "X$hostname" = "X" -o "X$hostname" = "X." ] ; then