diff --git a/bin/cloud-local.sh b/bin/cloud-local.sh
index 879207b..f253d8a 100755
--- a/bin/cloud-local.sh
+++ b/bin/cloud-local.sh
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ function start_first_time {
   $KAFKA_HOME/bin/kafka-server-start.sh -daemon $KAFKA_HOME/config/server.properties
   
   # format namenode
-  echo "Formatting namenode..."
-  $HADOOP_HOME/bin/hadoop namenode -format
+  echo "Formatting namenode with config dir ${HADOOP_CONF_DIR}..."
+  $HADOOP_HOME/bin/hadoop --config $HADOOP_CONF_DIR namenode -format
   
   # start hadoop
   echo "Starting hadoop..."
diff --git a/conf/cloud-local.conf b/conf/cloud-local.conf
index b6633d3..2711268 100644
--- a/conf/cloud-local.conf
+++ b/conf/cloud-local.conf
@@ -32,9 +32,18 @@ if [[ -z "${CL_HOSTNAME}" ]]; then
 fi
 
 if [[ -z "${CL_BIND_ADDRESS}" ]]; then
+  # must be ipv4 for now
   CL_BIND_ADDRESS="127.0.0.1"
 fi
 
+# compare the two - ipv4 only at the moment
+resolved_ip=$(getent ahostsv4 ${CL_HOSTNAME} | head -n1 | awk '{print $1}')
+if [[ "${resolved_ip}" != "${CL_BIND_ADDRESS}" ]]; then
+  echo "!!! WARNING - Cloud Local bind hostname did not resolve to the same ip address as the cloud local bind address"
+  echo "!!! Check your /etc/hosts and DNS bindings"
+  exit
+fi
+
 if [[ -z "${CL_PORT_OFFSET}" ]]; then
   CL_PORT_OFFSET=0
 fi