diff --git a/cmd/root.go b/cmd/root.go
index 7448cb256..a4b31a4eb 100644
--- a/cmd/root.go
+++ b/cmd/root.go
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ Build Time: ` + BuildTime + "\n",
 		},
 	}
 	rc.PersistentFlags().Bool("dry-run", false, "stop before executing")
-	rc.PersistentFlags().MarkHidden("dry-run")
+	_ = rc.PersistentFlags().MarkHidden("dry-run")
 	rc.PersistentFlags().StringP("config", "c", "", "Configuration file to read from.")
 	for _, subcomFn := range subcommandFns {
 		rc.AddCommand(subcomFn(stdin, stdout, stderr))
diff --git a/cmd/server.go b/cmd/server.go
index 1eb5dbb59..55b695cf3 100644
--- a/cmd/server.go
+++ b/cmd/server.go
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ on the configured port.`,
 
 			// Execute the program.
 			if err := Server.Run(); err != nil {
-				return err
+				return fmt.Errorf("error running server: %v", err)
 			}
 
 			// First SIGKILL causes server to shut down gracefully.
diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 182ea03c3..e664c0771 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@ import "time"
 
 const (
 	// DefaultHost is the default hostname and port to use.
-	DefaultHost = "localhost:15000"
+	DefaultHost = "localhost"
+	DefaultPort = "10101"
 )
 
 // Config represents the configuration for the command.
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ type Config struct {
 // NewConfig returns an instance of Config with default options.
 func NewConfig() *Config {
 	c := &Config{
-		Host: DefaultHost,
+		Host: DefaultHost + ":" + DefaultPort,
 	}
 	c.Cluster.ReplicaN = DefaultReplicaN
 	c.Cluster.PollingInterval = Duration(DefaultPollingInterval)
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 57ec0e2b5..55702acf9 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package pilosa
 
 import (
-	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"io/ioutil"
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ func (s *Server) Open() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	} else if port == "" {
-		return errors.New("port must be specified in config host")
+		port = DefaultPort
 	}
 
 	// Open HTTP listener to determine port (if specified as :0).
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index ec70e6479..37ee1f7c3 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ func NewCommand() *Command {
 }
 
 // Run executes the pilosa server.
-func (m *Command) Run(args ...string) error {
+func (m *Command) Run(args ...string) (err error) {
 	defer close(m.Started)
 	prefix := "~" + string(filepath.Separator)
 	if strings.HasPrefix(m.Config.DataDir, prefix) {
@@ -80,20 +80,36 @@ func (m *Command) Run(args ...string) error {
 	m.Server.Index.Stats = pilosa.NewExpvarStatsClient()
 
 	// Build cluster from config file.
-	m.Server.Host = m.Config.Host
+	m.Server.Host, err = normalizeHost(m.Config.Host)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	m.Server.Cluster = m.Config.PilosaCluster()
 
 	// Set configuration options.
 	m.Server.AntiEntropyInterval = time.Duration(m.Config.AntiEntropy.Interval)
 
 	// Initialize server.
-	if err := m.Server.Open(); err != nil {
-		return err
+	if err = m.Server.Open(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("server.Open: %v", err)
 	}
 	fmt.Fprintf(m.Stderr, "Listening as http://%s\n", m.Server.Host)
 	return nil
 }
 
+func normalizeHost(host string) (string, error) {
+	if !strings.Contains(host, ":") {
+		host = host + ":"
+	} else if strings.Contains(host, "://") {
+		if strings.HasPrefix(host, "http://") {
+			host = host[7:]
+		} else {
+			return "", fmt.Errorf("invalid scheme or host: '%s'. use the format [http://]<host>:<port>", host)
+		}
+	}
+	return host, nil
+}
+
 // Close shuts down the server.
 func (m *Command) Close() error {
 	err := m.Server.Close()