diff --git a/interface/src/Application.cpp b/interface/src/Application.cpp
index adb88147e9..eb99feca47 100644
--- a/interface/src/Application.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Application.cpp
@@ -1143,25 +1143,20 @@ void Application::editPreferences() {
         return;
     }
     
-    
-    const char* newHostname = domainServerHostname->text().toLocal8Bit().data();
-    
+    char newHostname[MAX_HOSTNAME_BYTES] = {};
+    memcpy(newHostname, domainServerHostname->text().toAscii().data(), domainServerHostname->text().size());
+   
     // check if the domain server hostname is new 
-    if (memcmp(NodeList::getInstance()->getDomainHostname(), newHostname, sizeof(&newHostname)) != 0) {
-        // if so we need to clear the nodelist and delete the local voxels
-        Node *voxelServer = NodeList::getInstance()->soloNodeOfType(NODE_TYPE_VOXEL_SERVER);
-        
-        if (voxelServer) {
-            voxelServer->lock();
-        }
-        
-        _voxels.killLocalVoxels();
-        
-        if (voxelServer) {
-            voxelServer->unlock();
-        }
+    if (memcmp(NodeList::getInstance()->getDomainHostname(), newHostname, strlen(newHostname)) != 0) {
         
         NodeList::getInstance()->clear();
+        
+        // kill the local voxels
+        _voxels.killLocalVoxels();
+        
+        // reset the environment to default
+        _environment.resetToDefault();
+        
         NodeList::getInstance()->setDomainHostname(newHostname);
     }
     
@@ -3352,7 +3347,7 @@ void* Application::networkReceive(void* args) {
                     case PACKET_TYPE_ENVIRONMENT_DATA: {
                         if (app->_renderVoxels->isChecked()) {
                             Node* voxelServer = NodeList::getInstance()->soloNodeOfType(NODE_TYPE_VOXEL_SERVER);
-                            if (voxelServer) {
+                            if (voxelServer && socketMatch(voxelServer->getActiveSocket(), &senderAddress)) {
                                 voxelServer->lock();
                                 
                                 if (app->_incomingPacket[0] == PACKET_TYPE_ENVIRONMENT_DATA) {
diff --git a/interface/src/Environment.cpp b/interface/src/Environment.cpp
index 35ed121e38..adfb1cfb3b 100644
--- a/interface/src/Environment.cpp
+++ b/interface/src/Environment.cpp
@@ -47,6 +47,11 @@ void Environment::init() {
     _data[getZeroAddress()][0];
 }
 
+void Environment::resetToDefault() {
+    _data.clear();
+    _data[getZeroAddress()][0];
+}
+
 void Environment::renderAtmospheres(Camera& camera) {    
     // get the lock for the duration of the call
     QMutexLocker locker(&_mutex);
diff --git a/interface/src/Environment.h b/interface/src/Environment.h
index f711f0c38c..7bdbfa600b 100644
--- a/interface/src/Environment.h
+++ b/interface/src/Environment.h
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ class Environment {
 public:
 
     void init();
+    void resetToDefault();
     void renderAtmospheres(Camera& camera);
     
     glm::vec3 getGravity (const glm::vec3& position);
diff --git a/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h b/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h
index 20eaddc738..0c8a68d38c 100644
--- a/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h
+++ b/libraries/shared/src/NodeList.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ const int DOMAIN_SERVER_CHECK_IN_USECS = 1 * 1000000;
 
 extern const char SOLO_NODE_TYPES[3];
 
-const int MAX_HOSTNAME_BYTES = 255;
+const int MAX_HOSTNAME_BYTES = 256;
 
 extern const char DEFAULT_DOMAIN_HOSTNAME[MAX_HOSTNAME_BYTES];
 extern const char DEFAULT_DOMAIN_IP[INET_ADDRSTRLEN];    //  IP Address will be re-set by lookup on startup