diff --git a/library/system/hostname b/library/system/hostname
index 17cdda8941..9836b98c71 100644
--- a/library/system/hostname
+++ b/library/system/hostname
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ class DebianStrategy(GenericStrategy):
         try:
             f = open(self.HOSTNAME_FILE)
             try:
-                return f.read().split()
+                return f.read().strip()
             finally:
                 f.close()
         except Exception, err: