diff --git a/elements/hosts/os-refresh-config/configure.d/51-hosts b/elements/hosts/os-refresh-config/configure.d/51-hosts
index c582a8bd6..32ac86a8c 100755
--- a/elements/hosts/os-refresh-config/configure.d/51-hosts
+++ b/elements/hosts/os-refresh-config/configure.d/51-hosts
@@ -14,14 +14,16 @@ write_entries() {
 
     if grep -q "^# HEAT_HOSTS_START" "$file"; then
         temp=$(mktemp)
-        awk -v v="$entries" '/^# HEAT_HOSTS_START/ {
-            print $0
-            print v
-            f=1
-            }f &&!/^# HEAT_HOSTS_END$/{next}/^# HEAT_HOSTS_END$/{f=0}!f' "$file" > "$temp"
-            echo "INFO: Updating hosts file $file, check below for changes"
-            diff "$file" "$temp" || true
-            cat "$temp" > "$file"
+        (
+        sed '/^# HEAT_HOSTS_START/,$d' "$file"
+        echo -ne "\n# HEAT_HOSTS_START - Do not edit manually within this section!\n"
+        echo "$entries"
+        echo -ne "# HEAT_HOSTS_END\n\n"
+        sed '1,/^# HEAT_HOSTS_END/d' "$file"
+        ) > "$temp"
+        echo "INFO: Updating hosts file $file, check below for changes"
+        diff "$file" "$temp" || true
+        cat "$temp" > "$file"
     else
         echo -ne "\n# HEAT_HOSTS_START - Do not edit manually within this section!\n" >> "$file"
         echo "$entries" >> "$file"
@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ write_entries() {
 
 }
 
-ENTRIES=$(os-apply-config --key hosts --type raw --key-default '' | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]')
+ENTRIES=$(os-apply-config --key hosts --type raw --key-default '' | tr '[A-Z]' '[a-z]' | sed -e 's/\\n/\n/g' -e '/^$/d')
 if [ ! -z "$ENTRIES" ]; then
     # cloud-init files are /etc/cloud/templates/hosts.OSNAME.tmpl
     DIST=$(lsb_release -is | tr -s '[A-Z]' '[a-z]')