diff --git a/hscontrol/types/node.go b/hscontrol/types/node.go
index e115df51..d2b2d6b5 100644
--- a/hscontrol/types/node.go
+++ b/hscontrol/types/node.go
@@ -585,17 +585,25 @@ func (node *Node) ApplyHostnameFromHostInfo(hostInfo *tailcfg.Hostinfo) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	newHostname := strings.ToLower(hostInfo.Hostname)
-	if err := util.ValidateHostname(newHostname); err != nil {
+	newHostname, err := util.NormaliseHostname(hostInfo.Hostname)
+	if err != nil {
 		log.Warn().
 			Str("node.id", node.ID.String()).
 			Str("current_hostname", node.Hostname).
-			Str("rejected_hostname", hostInfo.Hostname).
+			Str("original_hostname", hostInfo.Hostname).
 			Err(err).
-			Msg("Rejecting invalid hostname update from hostinfo")
+			Msg("Hostname normalization failed, keeping current hostname")
 		return
 	}
 
+	if hostInfo.Hostname != newHostname {
+		log.Info().
+			Str("node.id", node.ID.String()).
+			Str("original", hostInfo.Hostname).
+			Str("sanitized", newHostname).
+			Msg("Hostname sanitized during update")
+	}
+
 	if node.Hostname != newHostname {
 		log.Trace().
 			Str("node.id", node.ID.String()).
diff --git a/hscontrol/util/util.go b/hscontrol/util/util.go
index 4d828d02..7b88bd69 100644
--- a/hscontrol/util/util.go
+++ b/hscontrol/util/util.go
@@ -287,12 +287,12 @@ func EnsureHostname(hostinfo *tailcfg.Hostinfo, machineKey, nodeKey string) stri
 		return fmt.Sprintf("node-%s", keyPrefix)
 	}
 
-	lowercased := strings.ToLower(hostinfo.Hostname)
-	if err := ValidateHostname(lowercased); err == nil {
-		return lowercased
+	normalized, err := NormaliseHostname(hostinfo.Hostname)
+	if err != nil {
+		return InvalidString()
 	}
 
-	return InvalidString()
+	return normalized
 }
 
 // GenerateRegistrationKey generates a vanity key for tracking web authentication