diff --git a/conf/configuration.go b/conf/configuration.go
index 6723850..c6b58df 100644
--- a/conf/configuration.go
+++ b/conf/configuration.go
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ func Init() {
 	viper.SetDefault("message.byte-per-sec", 200)
 	viper.SetDefault("message.max-random-hosts", 1000)
 	viper.SetDefault("message.max-random-apps", 100)
+	viper.SetDefault("message.host", "hostname")
+	viper.SetDefault("message.appname", "appname")
 
 	viper.SetDefault("api.addr", ":11000")
 	viper.SetDefault("api.basePath", "/")
diff --git a/formats/syslog/syslog.go b/formats/syslog/syslog.go
index 7405764..48c0553 100644
--- a/formats/syslog/syslog.go
+++ b/formats/syslog/syslog.go
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ func SampleData() TemplateData {
 		Facility: 20,
 		severity: 5,
 		dateTime: time.Date(2011, 6, 25, 20, 0, 4, 0, time.UTC),
-		Host:     "hostname",
-		AppName:  "appname",
+		Host:     viper.GetString("message.host"),
+		AppName:  viper.GetString("message.appname"),
 		PID:      1143,
 		Seq:      1,
 		Msg:      "An application event log entry...",