diff --git a/src/pmlogger/pmlogger.c b/src/pmlogger/pmlogger.c
index 3daa339..e420109 100644
--- a/src/pmlogger/pmlogger.c
+++ b/src/pmlogger/pmlogger.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ int		parse_done = 0;
 int		primary = 0;		/* Non-zero for primary pmlogger */
 char	    	*archBase;		/* base name for log files */
 char		*pmcd_host = NULL;
+int		map_localhost = 1;	/* translate localhost */
 struct timeval	epoch;
 int		archive_version = PM_LOG_VERS02; /* Type of archive to create */
 int		linger = 0;		/* linger with no tasks/events */
@@ -493,7 +494,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
      *		corresponding changes are made to pmnewlog when pmlogger
      *		options are passed through from the control file
      */
-    while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "c:D:h:l:Ln:Prs:T:t:uv:V:x:?")) != EOF) {
+    while ((c = getopt(argc, argv, "c:D:h:Hl:Ln:Prs:T:t:uv:V:x:?")) != EOF) {
 	switch (c) {
 
 	case 'c':		/* config file */
@@ -532,6 +533,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	    pmcd_host = optarg;
 	    break;
 
+	case 'H':		/* do not translate localhost */
+	    map_localhost = 0;
+	    break;
+
 	case 'l':		/* log file name */
 	    logfile = optarg;
 	    break;
@@ -629,6 +634,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 Options:\n\
   -c configfile file to load configuration from\n\
   -h host	metrics source is PMCD on host\n\
+  -H            do not translate localhost to host's name\n\
   -l logfile	redirect diagnostics and trace output\n\
   -L		linger, even if not primary logger instance and nothing to log\n\
   -n pmnsfile   use an alternative PMNS\n\
@@ -656,7 +662,9 @@ Options:\n\
     /* base name for archive is here ... */
     archBase = argv[optind];
 
-    if (pmcd_host == NULL || strcmp(pmcd_host, "localhost") == 0) {
+    if (pmcd_host == NULL)
+	pmcd_host = "localhost";
+    if (map_localhost && strcmp(pmcd_host, "localhost") == 0) {
 	(void)gethostname(local, MAXHOSTNAMELEN);
 	local[MAXHOSTNAMELEN-1] = '\0';
 	pmcd_host = local;