diff --git a/labgrid/remote/exporter.py b/labgrid/remote/exporter.py
index a30b1afe1..288ea3a62 100755
--- a/labgrid/remote/exporter.py
+++ b/labgrid/remote/exporter.py
@@ -916,6 +916,12 @@ def main():
         default=None,
         help='hostname (or IP) published for accessing resources (defaults to the system hostname)'
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--fqdn',
+        action='store_true',
+        default=False,
+        help='Use fully qualified domain name as default for hostname'
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         '-d',
         '--debug',
@@ -943,7 +949,7 @@ def main():
 
     extra = {
         'name': args.name or gethostname(),
-        'hostname': args.hostname or gethostname(),
+        'hostname': args.hostname or getfqdn() if args.fqdn else gethostname(),
         'resources': args.resources,
         'isolated': args.isolated
     }
diff --git a/man/labgrid-exporter.1 b/man/labgrid-exporter.1
index 20fe4b522..4ee130e8b 100644
--- a/man/labgrid-exporter.1
+++ b/man/labgrid-exporter.1
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ the public name of the exporter
 .B  \-\-hostname
 hostname (or IP) published for accessing resources
 .TP
+.B  \-\-fqdn
+use fully qualified domain name as default for hostname
+.TP
 .B  \-d\fP,\fB  \-\-debug
 enable debug mode
 .UNINDENT
@@ -83,6 +86,11 @@ exporter needs to provide a host name to set the exported value of the \(dqhost\
 key.
 If the system hostname is not resolvable via DNS, this option can be used to
 override this default with another name (or an IP address).
+.SS \-\-fqdn
+.sp
+In some networks the fully qualified domain name may be needed to reach resources
+on an exporter. This option changes the default to fqdn when no \-\-hostname is
+explicitly set.
 .SH CONFIGURATION
 .sp
 The exporter uses a YAML configuration file which defines groups of related
diff --git a/man/labgrid-exporter.rst b/man/labgrid-exporter.rst
index 8c9bda9dc..27e902beb 100644
--- a/man/labgrid-exporter.rst
+++ b/man/labgrid-exporter.rst
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ OPTIONS
     the public name of the exporter
 --hostname
     hostname (or IP) published for accessing resources
+--fqdn
+    use fully qualified domain name as default for hostname
 -d, --debug
     enable debug mode
 
@@ -73,6 +75,12 @@ key.
 If the system hostname is not resolvable via DNS, this option can be used to
 override this default with another name (or an IP address).
 
+--fqdn
+~~~~~~
+In some networks the fully qualified domain name may be needed to reach resources
+on an exporter. This option changes the default to fqdn when no --hostname is
+explicitly set.
+
 CONFIGURATION
 -------------
 The exporter uses a YAML configuration file which defines groups of related