diff --git a/hw_diag/utilities/auth.py b/hw_diag/utilities/auth.py
index 327c2968..d794d60a 100644
--- a/hw_diag/utilities/auth.py
+++ b/hw_diag/utilities/auth.py
@@ -71,19 +71,19 @@ def write_password(password):
 
 def read_password():
     PASSWORD_OVERRIDE = os.getenv('PASSWORD_OVERRIDE', 'false')
-    try:
-        password_row = g.db.query(AuthKeyValue). \
+    if PASSWORD_OVERRIDE != "false":  # nosec
+        default_password = PASSWORD_OVERRIDE
+        password_row = write_password(default_password)
+        logging.info("Using password from override env var!")
+    else:
+        try:
+            password_row = g.db.query(AuthKeyValue). \
             filter(AuthKeyValue.key == 'password_hash'). \
             one()
-    except NoResultFound:
-        if PASSWORD_OVERRIDE != "false":  # nosec
-            default_password = PASSWORD_OVERRIDE
-            logging.info("Using password from override env var!")
-        else:
+        except NoResultFound:
             default_password = generate_default_password()
+            password_row = write_password(default_password)
             logging.info("No password override. Generating default!")
-
-        password_row = write_password(default_password)
     return password_row
 
 
diff --git a/hw_diag/utilities/network.py b/hw_diag/utilities/network.py
index fc215b93..2276c5f2 100644
--- a/hw_diag/utilities/network.py
+++ b/hw_diag/utilities/network.py
@@ -71,19 +71,17 @@ def setup_hostname():
 
         # We don't use boolean here because the field in the DB is a string as we have
         # some general key value pair table with string values. Sorry bros :-(
-        if hostname_set_row.value == "false":
-            logging.info("Hostname not set yet...")
+        if hostname_set_row.value == "false" or HOSTNAME_OVERRIDE:
+            logging.info("Hostname not set yet or override enabled...")
             # Set hostname via Balena supervisor...
-            default_password = generate_default_password()
-            hostname_suffix = default_password[6:]
-
             if HOSTNAME_OVERRIDE != "false":
                 hostname = HOSTNAME_OVERRIDE
                 logging.info("Using hostname override from env var!")
             else:
+                default_password = generate_default_password()
+                hostname_suffix = default_password[6:]
                 hostname = "nebra-%s.local" % hostname_suffix
                 logging.info("No hostname override, using default!")
-
             balena_supervisor = BalenaSupervisor.new_from_env()
             balena_supervisor.set_hostname(hostname)
             hostname_set_row.value = "true"