diff --git a/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py b/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py
index 6ba80f5c..d9c5ec1e 100644
--- a/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py
+++ b/hooks/neutron_ovs_context.py
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ from charmhelpers.contrib.openstack.context import (
     NeutronAPIContext,
     parse_data_port_mappings
 )
+import charmhelpers.contrib.openstack.utils as os_utils
 from charmhelpers.core.unitdata import kv
 
 IPTABLES_HYBRID = 'iptables_hybrid'
@@ -609,6 +610,8 @@ class HostIPContext(context.OSContextGenerator):
         # Use the address used in the neutron-plugin subordinate relation
         host_ip = get_relation_ip('neutron-plugin')
 
+        cmp_release = os_utils.CompareOpenStackReleases(
+            os_utils.os_release('neutron-common', base='icehouse'))
         # the contents of the Neutron ``host`` configuration option is
         # referenced throughout a OpenStack deployment, an example being
         # Neutron port bindings.  It's value should not change after a
@@ -617,7 +620,8 @@ class HostIPContext(context.OSContextGenerator):
         # We do want to migrate to using FQDNs so we enable this for new
         # installations.
         db = kv()
-        if db.get('install_version', 0) >= 1910 and host_ip:
+        if (db.get('install_version', 0) >= 1910 and cmp_release >= 'stein' and
+                host_ip):
             fqdn = socket.getfqdn(host_ip)
             if '.' in fqdn:
                 # only populate the value if getfqdn() is able to find an
diff --git a/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py b/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py
index 02bce021..44deb4a0 100644
--- a/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py
+++ b/unit_tests/test_neutron_ovs_context.py
@@ -987,10 +987,13 @@ class TestHostIPContext(CharmTestCase):
         super(TestHostIPContext, self).setUp(context, TO_PATCH)
         self.config.side_effect = self.test_config.get
 
+    @patch.object(context.os_utils, 'os_release')
     @patch.object(context.socket, 'getfqdn')
     @patch.object(context, 'kv')
     @patch.object(context, 'get_relation_ip')
-    def test_host_ip_context(self, _get_relation_ip, _kv, _getfqdn):
+    def test_host_ip_context(self, _get_relation_ip, _kv, _getfqdn,
+                             _os_release):
+        _os_release.return_value = 'stein'
         _kv.return_value = {'install_version': 0}
         _getfqdn.return_value = 'some'
         ctxt = context.HostIPContext()
@@ -1001,3 +1004,6 @@ class TestHostIPContext(CharmTestCase):
         _kv.return_value = {'install_version': 1910}
         ctxt = context.HostIPContext()
         self.assertDictEqual({'host': 'some.hostname'}, ctxt())
+        _os_release.return_value = 'rocky'
+        ctxt = context.HostIPContext()
+        self.assertDictEqual({}, ctxt())