diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 047f416..8b9f823 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"embed"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/hostname"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/protobuf/zoopb"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
@@ -37,12 +39,12 @@ func main() {
 
 	}
 
-	me.urlbase = "http://zookeeper.chap.wit.com:8080"
-	if argv.URL != "" {
-		log.Info("USING ARGV URL:", argv.URL)
-		me.urlbase = argv.URL
+	if err := testZoo(); err != nil {
+		log.Info("FAILED TO CONNECT TO ZOOKEEPER: ", err)
+		log.Info("sleeping for 3 minutes")
+		time.Sleep(3 * time.Minute)
+		os.Exit(0)
 	}
-
 	me.pollDelay = 3 * time.Second
 	me.failcountmax = 20 // die every minute if zookeeper can't be found
 
@@ -54,6 +56,52 @@ func main() {
 	zood() // talks to zookeeper
 }
 
+func testZoo() error {
+	var err error
+	if argv.URL != "" {
+		log.Info("USING ARGV URL:", argv.URL)
+		if err = testURL(argv.URL, me.machine); err == nil {
+			me.urlbase = argv.URL
+			return nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	zooname := findZookeeper()
+
+	url := fmt.Sprintf("http://%s:8080/", zooname)
+	if err = testURL(url, me.machine); err == nil {
+		me.urlbase = url
+		return nil
+	}
+	url = fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/", zooname)
+	if err = testURL(url, me.machine); err == nil {
+		me.urlbase = url
+		return nil
+	}
+	url = "http://zookeeper.wit.com:8080/"
+	if err = testURL(url, me.machine); err == nil {
+		me.urlbase = url
+		return nil
+	}
+	url = "https://zookeeper.wit.com/"
+	if err = testURL(url, me.machine); err == nil {
+		me.urlbase = url
+		return nil
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+func findZookeeper() string {
+	hname, dname, err := hostname.GetDomainname()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Info("error with os.Hostname()", hname, dname, err)
+	}
+	if dname == "" {
+		return "zookeeper.wit.com"
+	}
+	return hostname.Join("zookeeper", dname)
+}
+
 func testURL(urlbase string, pb *zoopb.Machine) error {
 	newpb, wsPB, err := pb.HttpPost(urlbase, "test")
 	if err != nil {