diff --git a/c/unix/socket.c b/c/unix/socket.c
index 6ea2271..69ddb44 100644
--- a/c/unix/socket.c
+++ b/c/unix/socket.c
@@ -381,11 +381,38 @@ s48_close_socket_half(s48_value channel, s48_value input_p)
 static s48_value
 s48_get_host_name(void)
 {
-  char	mbuff[MAXHOSTNAMELEN];
+  char		*mbuff = NULL;
+  size_t	mbuff_len = 0;
+  int		status = 0;
+  s48_value	name;
 
-  if (gethostname(mbuff, sizeof(mbuff)) < 0)
+  do {
+    char	*tmp;
+
+    mbuff_len += 256; /* Initial guess */
+    tmp = (char *) realloc(mbuff, mbuff_len);
+
+    if (tmp == NULL) {
+      free(mbuff);
+      s48_raise_os_error(ENOMEM);
+    }
+    else
+      mbuff = tmp;
+  } while (((status = gethostname(mbuff, mbuff_len)) == 0
+	    && !memchr(mbuff, '\0', mbuff_len))
+#ifdef ENAMETOOLONG
+	   || errno == ENAMETOOLONG
+#endif
+	   );
+
+  if (status != 0 && errno != 0) {
+    /* gethostname failed, abort.  */
+    free(mbuff);
     s48_raise_os_error(errno);
-  
-  return s48_enter_string(mbuff);
+  }
+
+  name = s48_enter_string(mbuff);
+  free(mbuff);
+  return name;
 }