diff --git a/cmd/tendermint/commands/root_test.go b/cmd/tendermint/commands/root_test.go
index b4e30d980..8217ee166 100644
--- a/cmd/tendermint/commands/root_test.go
+++ b/cmd/tendermint/commands/root_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ func isolate(cmds ...*cobra.Command) cli.Executable {
 	if err := os.Unsetenv("TM_HOME"); err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(defaultRoot); err != nil {
+		panic(err)
+	}
 
 	viper.Reset()
 	config = cfg.DefaultConfig()
diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index ea3fa13e4..783758896 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package config
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
 	"time"
 )
@@ -108,7 +109,7 @@ func DefaultBaseConfig() BaseConfig {
 	return BaseConfig{
 		Genesis:           "genesis.json",
 		PrivValidator:     "priv_validator.json",
-		Moniker:           "anonymous",
+		Moniker:           defaultMoniker,
 		ProxyApp:          "tcp://127.0.0.1:46658",
 		ABCI:              "socket",
 		LogLevel:          DefaultPackageLogLevels(),
@@ -456,3 +457,18 @@ func rootify(path, root string) string {
 	}
 	return filepath.Join(root, path)
 }
+
+//-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+// Moniker
+
+var defaultMoniker = getDefaultMoniker()
+
+// getDefaultMoniker returns a default moniker, which is the host name. If runtime
+// fails to get the host name, "anonymous" will be returned.
+func getDefaultMoniker() string {
+	moniker, err := os.Hostname()
+	if err != nil {
+		moniker = "anonymous"
+	}
+	return moniker
+}
diff --git a/config/toml.go b/config/toml.go
index ec70ab75d..735f45c12 100644
--- a/config/toml.go
+++ b/config/toml.go
@@ -23,9 +23,7 @@ func EnsureRoot(rootDir string) {
 
 	// Write default config file if missing.
 	if !cmn.FileExists(configFilePath) {
-		// Ask user for moniker
-		// moniker := cfg.Prompt("Type hostname: ", "anonymous")
-		cmn.MustWriteFile(configFilePath, []byte(defaultConfig("anonymous")), 0644)
+		cmn.MustWriteFile(configFilePath, []byte(defaultConfig(defaultMoniker)), 0644)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -81,8 +79,7 @@ func ResetTestRoot(testName string) *Config {
 
 	// Write default config file if missing.
 	if !cmn.FileExists(configFilePath) {
-		// Ask user for moniker
-		cmn.MustWriteFile(configFilePath, []byte(testConfig("anonymous")), 0644)
+		cmn.MustWriteFile(configFilePath, []byte(testConfig(defaultMoniker)), 0644)
 	}
 	if !cmn.FileExists(genesisFilePath) {
 		cmn.MustWriteFile(genesisFilePath, []byte(testGenesis), 0644)
diff --git a/config/toml_test.go b/config/toml_test.go
index bf3bf58f7..f927a14ca 100644
--- a/config/toml_test.go
+++ b/config/toml_test.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func TestEnsureRoot(t *testing.T) {
 	// make sure config is set properly
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(tmpDir, "config.toml"))
 	require.Nil(err)
-	assert.Equal([]byte(defaultConfig("anonymous")), data)
+	assert.Equal([]byte(defaultConfig(defaultMoniker)), data)
 
 	ensureFiles(t, tmpDir, "data")
 }
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ func TestEnsureTestRoot(t *testing.T) {
 	// make sure config is set properly
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filepath.Join(rootDir, "config.toml"))
 	require.Nil(err)
-	assert.Equal([]byte(testConfig("anonymous")), data)
+	assert.Equal([]byte(testConfig(defaultMoniker)), data)
 
 	// TODO: make sure the cfg returned and testconfig are the same!
 
diff --git a/docs/specification/configuration.rst b/docs/specification/configuration.rst
index 94801136f..74b41d09d 100644
--- a/docs/specification/configuration.rst
+++ b/docs/specification/configuration.rst
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ The main config parameters are defined
 -  ``genesis_file``: The location of the genesis file. *Default*:
    ``"$TMHOME/genesis.json"``
 -  ``log_level``: *Default*: ``"state:info,*:error"``
--  ``moniker``: Name of this node. *Default*: ``"anonymous"``
+-  ``moniker``: Name of this node. *Default*: the host name or ``"anonymous"``
+   if runtime fails to get the host name
 -  ``priv_validator_file``: Validator private key file. *Default*:
    ``"$TMHOME/priv_validator.json"``
 -  ``prof_laddr``: Profile listen address. *Default*: ``""``
diff --git a/rpc/core/status.go b/rpc/core/status.go
index 0cb7acc1f..653c37f50 100644
--- a/rpc/core/status.go
+++ b/rpc/core/status.go
@@ -24,35 +24,35 @@ import (
 //
 // ```json
 // {
-//   "error": "",
-//   "result": {
-//     "latest_block_time": 1.49631773695e+18,
-//     "latest_block_height": 22924,
-//     "latest_app_hash": "9D16177BC71E445476174622EA559715C293740C",
-//     "latest_block_hash": "75B36EEF96C277A592D8B14867098C58F68BB180",
-//     "pub_key": {
-//       "data": "68DFDA7E50F82946E7E8546BED37944A422CD1B831E70DF66BA3B8430593944D",
-//       "type": "ed25519"
-//     },
-//     "node_info": {
-//       "other": [
-//         "wire_version=0.6.2",
-//         "p2p_version=0.5.0",
-//         "consensus_version=v1/0.2.2",
-//         "rpc_version=0.7.0/3",
-//         "tx_index=on",
-//         "rpc_addr=tcp://0.0.0.0:46657"
-//       ],
-//       "version": "0.10.0-rc1-aa22bd84",
-//       "listen_addr": "10.0.2.15:46656",
-//       "remote_addr": "",
-//       "network": "test-chain-6UTNIN",
-//       "moniker": "anonymous",
-//       "pub_key": "659B9E54DD6EF9FEF28FAD40629AF0E4BD3C2563BB037132B054A176E00F1D94"
-//     }
-//   },
-//   "id": "",
-//   "jsonrpc": "2.0"
+// 	"result": {
+// 		"syncing": false,
+// 		"latest_block_time": "2017-12-07T18:19:47.617Z",
+// 		"latest_block_height": 6,
+// 		"latest_app_hash": "",
+// 		"latest_block_hash": "A63D0C3307DEDCCFCC82ED411AE9108B70B29E02",
+// 		"pub_key": {
+// 			"data": "8C9A68070CBE33F9C445862BA1E9D96A75CEB68C0CF6ADD3652D07DCAC5D0380",
+// 			"type": "ed25519"
+// 		},
+// 		"node_info": {
+// 			"other": [
+// 				"wire_version=0.7.2",
+// 				"p2p_version=0.5.0",
+// 				"consensus_version=v1/0.2.2",
+// 				"rpc_version=0.7.0/3",
+// 				"tx_index=on",
+// 				"rpc_addr=tcp://0.0.0.0:46657"
+// 			],
+// 			"version": "0.13.0-14ccc8b",
+// 			"listen_addr": "10.0.2.15:46656",
+// 			"remote_addr": "",
+// 			"network": "test-chain-qhVCa2",
+// 			"moniker": "vagrant-ubuntu-trusty-64",
+// 			"pub_key": "844981FE99ABB19F7816F2D5E94E8A74276AB1153760A7799E925C75401856C6"
+// 		}
+// 	},
+// 	"id": "",
+// 	"jsonrpc": "2.0"
 // }
 // ```
 func Status() (*ctypes.ResultStatus, error) {