diff --git a/vm-init.d/qubes-core b/vm-init.d/qubes-core
index 2ecf8cf..77a71bf 100755
--- a/vm-init.d/qubes-core
+++ b/vm-init.d/qubes-core
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ start()
 		# because it makes some of the pre-created dotfiles invalid (e.g. .kde/cache-<hostname>)
 		# (let's be frank: nobody's gonna use xterm on DispVM)
 		hostname $name
-		sed -i "s/^\(127\.0\.0\.1 .*\) \($name \)\?\(.*\)/\1\2 $name/" /etc/hosts
+		sed -i "s/^\(127\.0\.0\.1[\t ].*\) \($name \)\?\(.*\)/\1\2 $name/" /etc/hosts
 	fi
 
 	timezone=`/usr/bin/xenstore-read qubes-timezone 2> /dev/null`
diff --git a/vm-systemd/qubes-sysinit.sh b/vm-systemd/qubes-sysinit.sh
index 0f236c0..8775998 100755
--- a/vm-systemd/qubes-sysinit.sh
+++ b/vm-systemd/qubes-sysinit.sh
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ done
 name=`$XS_READ name`
 if [ -n "$name" ]; then
     hostname $name
-    sed -i "s/^\(127\.0\.0\.1 .*\) \($name \)\?\(.*\)/\1\2 $name/" /etc/hosts
+    sed -i "s/^\(127\.0\.0\.1[\t ].*\) \($name \)\?\(.*\)/\1\2 $name/" /etc/hosts
 fi
 
 timezone=`$XS_READ qubes-timezone 2> /dev/null`