diff --git a/sambacc/commands/ctdb.py b/sambacc/commands/ctdb.py
index 578db96..0f297fe 100644
--- a/sambacc/commands/ctdb.py
+++ b/sambacc/commands/ctdb.py
@@ -261,12 +261,48 @@ def ctdb_migrate(ctx: Context) -> None:
         ctdb.archive_tdb(ctx.instance_config, ctx.cli.archive)
 
 
-def _lookup_hostname(hostname):
-    # XXX this is a nasty little hack.
-    ips = socket.gethostbyname_ex(hostname)[2]
-    addr = [ip for ip in ips if ip != "127.0.0.1"][0]
-    _logger.info(f"Determined address for {hostname}: {addr}")
-    return addr
+def _lookup_hostname(hostname: str) -> str:
+    try:
+        addrinfo = socket.getaddrinfo(
+            hostname, None, family=socket.AF_UNSPEC, type=socket.SOCK_STREAM
+            )
+        ipv4_addresses = []
+        ipv6_addresses = []
+
+        for entry in addrinfo:
+            family, _, _, _, sockaddr = entry
+            ip_address = sockaddr[0]
+
+            if ip_address.startswith("127.") or ip_address == "::1":
+                continue
+
+            if family == socket.AF_INET:
+                ipv4_addresses.append(ip_address)
+            elif family == socket.AF_INET6:
+                ipv6_addresses.append(ip_address)
+
+        preferred_address = ipv4_addresses[0] if ipv4_addresses else (
+            ipv6_addresses[0] if ipv6_addresses else None
+            )
+
+        if preferred_address:
+            _logger.info(
+                f"Determined address for {hostname}: {preferred_address}"
+                )
+            return preferred_address
+        else:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"No valid IP address found for hostname '{hostname}'."
+                )
+
+    except socket.gaierror as e:
+        _logger.error(f"Failed to resolve hostname '{hostname}': {e}")
+        raise
+
+    except IndexError:
+        raise ValueError(
+            f"No valid IP address found for hostname '{hostname}'."
+            )
 
 
 @commands.command(name="ctdb-set-node", arg_func=_ctdb_set_node_args)