diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e61d4b3..8b96604 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ Role Variables
 |---------------|----------------|---------|
 |*hostname*     | hostname (eg. vm1) | `inventory_hostname_short` |
 |*fqdn*         | domain name (eg. vm1.test.com) | `inventory_hostname` |
+|*ip_address*         | ip address (eg. 192.168.0.20) | `ansible_default_ipv4.address` |
 
 Example
 -------
diff --git a/defaults/main.yml b/defaults/main.yml
index 710a5cc..9bc8083 100644
--- a/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/defaults/main.yml
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 ---
 fqdn: "{{ inventory_hostname }}"
 hostname: "{{ inventory_hostname_short }}"
+ip_address: "{{ ansible_default_ipv4.address }}"
diff --git a/tasks/linux.yml b/tasks/linux.yml
index e31bd7c..2710b84 100644
--- a/tasks/linux.yml
+++ b/tasks/linux.yml
@@ -13,11 +13,11 @@
 - name: Build hosts file (backups will be made)
   lineinfile:
     dest: /etc/hosts
-    regexp: "^{{ ansible_default_ipv4.address }}"
-    line: "{{ ansible_default_ipv4.address }} {{ fqdn }} {{ hostname }}"
+    regexp: "^{{ ip_address }}"
+    line: "{{ ip_address }} {{ fqdn }} {{ hostname }}"
     state: present
     backup: yes
-  when: ansible_default_ipv4.address is defined
+  when: ip_address is defined
   notify:
     - restart hostname
     - restart systemd-logind