diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
index 2522b11e593f..2c9c0229b770 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/kernel-parameters.txt
@@ -1667,6 +1667,19 @@
 
 	hlt		[BUGS=ARM,SH]
 
+	hostname=	[KNL] Set the hostname (aka UTS nodename).
+			Format: <string>
+			This allows setting the system's hostname during early
+			startup. This sets the name returned by gethostname.
+			Using this parameter to set the hostname makes it
+			possible to ensure the hostname is correctly set before
+			any userspace processes run, avoiding the possibility
+			that a process may call gethostname before the hostname
+			has been explicitly set, resulting in the calling
+			process getting an incorrect result. The string must
+			not exceed the maximum allowed hostname length (usually
+			64 characters) and will be truncated otherwise.
+
 	hpet=		[X86-32,HPET] option to control HPET usage
 			Format: { enable (default) | disable | force |
 				verbose }
diff --git a/init/version.c b/init/version.c
index 1a356f5493e8..b7f9559d417c 100644
--- a/init/version.c
+++ b/init/version.c
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 #include <linux/build-salt.h>
 #include <linux/elfnote-lto.h>
 #include <linux/export.h>
+#include <linux/init.h>
+#include <linux/printk.h>
 #include <linux/uts.h>
 #include <linux/utsname.h>
 #include <generated/utsrelease.h>
@@ -35,6 +37,21 @@ struct uts_namespace init_uts_ns = {
 };
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(init_uts_ns);
 
+static int __init early_hostname(char *arg)
+{
+	size_t bufsize = sizeof(init_uts_ns.name.nodename);
+	size_t maxlen  = bufsize - 1;
+	size_t arglen;
+
+	arglen = strlcpy(init_uts_ns.name.nodename, arg, bufsize);
+	if (arglen > maxlen) {
+		pr_warn("hostname parameter exceeds %zd characters and will be truncated",
+			maxlen);
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+early_param("hostname", early_hostname);
+
 /* FIXED STRINGS! Don't touch! */
 const char linux_banner[] =
 	"Linux version " UTS_RELEASE " (" LINUX_COMPILE_BY "@"