diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell b/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell
index 56d61538e..4e3004e4c 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # For DellOS switches, this defines a 'provider' argument to the dellos_*
 # modules.
 switch_dellos_provider:
-  host: "{{ ansible_host }}"
+  host: "{{ ansible_host|default(inventory_hostname) }}"
   username: "{{ ansible_user }}"
   password: "{{ ansible_ssh_pass }}"
   transport: cli
diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell-powerconnect b/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell-powerconnect
index d98fc38b2..b6a188910 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell-powerconnect
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/dell-powerconnect
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@
 # For DellOS switches, this defines a 'provider' argument to the
 # dell_powerconnect_switch role.
 switch_dell_powerconnect_provider:
-  host: "{{ ansible_host }}"
+  host: "{{ ansible_host|default(inventory_hostname) }}"
   username: "{{ ansible_user }}"
   auth_pass: "{{ switch_auth_pass }}"
diff --git a/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/mellanox b/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/mellanox
index 7cb697916..759d77725 100644
--- a/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/mellanox
+++ b/ansible/group_vars/all/switches/mellanox
@@ -7,6 +7,6 @@
 # For Mellanox switches, this defines a 'provider' argument to the
 # mellanox-switch role.
 switch_mellanox_provider:
-  host: "{{ ansible_host }}"
+  host: "{{ ansible_host|default(inventory_hostname) }}"
   username: "{{ ansible_user }}"
   auth_pass: "{{ switch_auth_pass }}"
diff --git a/doc/source/configuration/physical-network.rst b/doc/source/configuration/physical-network.rst
index 2903f0a36..77af47449 100644
--- a/doc/source/configuration/physical-network.rst
+++ b/doc/source/configuration/physical-network.rst
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@ Configuration for these devices is applied using the ``dellos6_config`` and
 Provider
 ^^^^^^^^
 
-* ``ansible_host`` is the hostname or IP address.
+* ``ansible_host`` is the hostname or IP address.  Optional.
 
 * ``ansible_user`` is the SSH username.
 
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ Configuration for these devices is applied using the
 Provider
 ^^^^^^^^
 
-* ``ansible_host`` is the hostname or IP address.
+* ``ansible_host`` is the hostname or IP address.  Optional.
 
 * ``ansible_user`` is the SSH username.
 
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ Ansible module to automate interaction with the switch CLI via SSH.
 Provider
 ^^^^^^^^
 
-* ``ansible_host`` is the hostname or IP address.
+* ``ansible_host`` is the hostname or IP address.  Optional.
 
 * ``ansible_user`` is the SSH username.