diff --git a/install.hostmaster.inc b/install.hostmaster.inc
index 7e8732fade9c212a70549936286b1727c3e4ce17..da99d2320050585fb34c9845ffa16e4cc8cc8fd4 100644
--- a/install.hostmaster.inc
+++ b/install.hostmaster.inc
@@ -23,20 +23,18 @@ function drush_provision_hostmaster_install_validate($site = NULL) {
   drush_print("==============================================================================");
 
   if (!$site || !drush_get_option('aegir_host', NULL) || !drush_get_option('aegir_db_pass', NULL) || filter_var(drush_get_option('client_email'), FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
-    drush_print("Some settings have not been guessed and will now be prompted.
+    drush_print("Some settings have not been provided and will now be prompted.
 Don't worry: you will get to review those settings after the final install");
   }
   // now we prompt the user for settings if not provided or not sane
   if (!$site) {
-    $site = drush_prompt(dt("Aegir domain name"), provision_fqdn());
+    $site = drush_prompt(dt("Aegir frontend URL"), provision_fqdn());
   }
   drush_set_option('site', $site);
 
-  $aegir_host = drush_get_option('aegir_host', NULL, 'options');
-  if (is_null($aegir_host)) {
-    $aegir_host = drush_prompt(dt("Master server FQDN"), provision_fqdn());
-  }
-  drush_set_option('aegir_host', $aegir_host);
+  drush_set_default('aegir_host', $site);
+  $aegir_host = drush_get_option('aegir_host');
+  drush_set_default('aegir_db_host', $aegir_host);
 
   if (is_null(drush_get_option('aegir_db_pass', NULL))) {
     // XXX: may not be portable everywhere?
@@ -46,8 +44,13 @@ Don't worry: you will get to review those settings after the final install");
     print "\n"; // add a newline since the user's didn't print    
   }
 
+  if ($aegir_host == 'localhost') {
+    $default_email = 'webmaster@example.com';
+  } else {
+    $default_email = 'webmaster@' . $aegir_host;
+  }
   while (!filter_var(drush_get_option('client_email'), FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL)) {
-   $client_email = drush_prompt(dt("Admin user e-mail"), "you@example.com");
+   $client_email = drush_prompt(dt("Admin user e-mail"), $default_email);
    drush_set_option('client_email', $client_email);
   }
 
@@ -72,6 +75,7 @@ The following settings will be used:
  Aegir user: !user
  Web group: !web
  Web server: !web_server
+ Aegir DB host: !db_host
  Aegir DB user: !db_user
  Aegir DB password: !db_pass
  Drush make version: !drush_make
@@ -85,6 +89,7 @@ The following settings will be used:
          '!user' => drush_get_option('script_user'),
          '!web' => drush_get_option('web_group'),
          '!web_server' => drush_get_option('http_service_type'),
+         '!db_host' => drush_get_option('aegir_db_host'),
          '!db_user' => drush_get_option('aegir_db_user'),
          '!db_pass' => is_null(drush_get_option('aegir_db_pass', NULL, 'process')) ? '<previously set>' : '<prompted>',
          '!drush_make' => drush_get_option('drush_make_version'),
@@ -110,11 +115,8 @@ function drush_provision_hostmaster_install($site = NULL) {
   $aegir_db_user = drush_get_option('aegir_db_user');
   $aegir_db_pass = drush_get_option('aegir_db_pass');
   
-  $master_db = sprintf("mysql://%s:%s@%s",$aegir_db_user, $aegir_db_pass, drush_get_option('aegir_host'));
-
-  // TODO: support creation of an external db server
   $server = '@server_master';
-  drush_backend_invoke_args("provision-save", array($server), array(
+  $master_context = array(
     'context_type' => 'server',
     // files
     'remote_host' => drush_get_option('aegir_host'),
@@ -124,10 +126,25 @@ function drush_provision_hostmaster_install($site = NULL) {
     'http_service_type' => drush_get_option('http_service_type'),
     'web_group' => drush_get_option('web_group'),
     'master_url' => "http://" . $site,
-   // mysql
-    'db_service_type' => 'mysql',
-    'master_db' => $master_db,
-  ));
+  );
+
+  $master_db = sprintf("mysql://%s:%s@%s",$aegir_db_user, $aegir_db_pass, drush_get_option('aegir_db_host'));
+  if (drush_get_option('aegir_host') == drush_get_option('aegir_db_host')) {
+    $master_context['db_service_type'] = 'mysql';
+    $master_context['master_db'] = $master_db;
+    $dbserver = $server;
+  } else {
+    $dbserver = '@server_' . drush_get_option('aegir_db_host');
+    $dbserver_context = array(
+      'remote_host' => drush_get_option('aegir_db_host'),
+      'context_type' => 'server',
+      'db_service_type' => 'mysql',
+      'master_db' => $master_db,
+    );
+    drush_backend_invoke_args("provision-save", array($dbserver), $dbserver_context);
+    provision_backend_invoke($dbserver, 'provision-verify');
+  }
+  drush_backend_invoke_args("provision-save", array($server), $master_context);
   provision_backend_invoke($server, 'provision-verify');
 
   // exit if an error has occured. 
@@ -167,7 +184,7 @@ function drush_provision_hostmaster_install($site = NULL) {
   drush_backend_invoke_args("provision-save", array($site_name), array(
     'context_type' => 'site',
     'platform' => $platform_name,
-    'db_server' => $server,
+    'db_server' => $dbserver,
     'uri' => $site,
     'client_email' => drush_get_option('client_email'),
     'profile' => 'hostmaster',