diff --git a/classes/Status_network.php b/classes/Status_network.php
index d2b942bfb1..bf05ad61e0 100644
--- a/classes/Status_network.php
+++ b/classes/Status_network.php
@@ -43,12 +43,19 @@ class Status_network extends DB_DataObject
     {
         global $config;
 
+        $sn = null;
+
         // XXX I18N, probably not crucial for hostnames
         // XXX This probably needs a tune up
 
         if (0 == strncasecmp(strrev($wildcard), strrev($servername), strlen($wildcard))) {
-            $parts = explode('.', $servername);
-            $sn = Status_network::staticGet('nickname', strtolower($parts[0]));
+            // special case for exact match
+            if (0 == strcasecmp($servername, $wildcard)) {
+                $sn = Status_network::staticGet('nickname', '');
+            } else {
+                $parts = explode('.', $servername);
+                $sn = Status_network::staticGet('nickname', strtolower($parts[0]));
+            }
         } else {
             $sn = Status_network::staticGet('hostname', strtolower($servername));
         }
@@ -70,9 +77,9 @@ class Status_network extends DB_DataObject
                 $config['site']['logo'] = $sn->logo;
             }
 
-            return true;
+            return $sn;
         } else {
-            return false;
+            return null;
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/setup.cfg.sample b/scripts/setup.cfg.sample
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..4194bc146d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/setup.cfg.sample
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# CONFIGURATION FILE for setup_status_network.sh
+
+# Base database name; full name will include nickname
+
+export DBBASE=_example_net
+export USERBASE=_example_net
+export ADMIN=root
+export ADMINPASS=yourpassword
+export SITEDB=example_net_site
+export AVATARBASE=/var/www/avatar.example.net
+
diff --git a/scripts/setup_status_network.sh b/scripts/setup_status_network.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..d80612b940
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/setup_status_network.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+source ./setup.cfg
+
+export nickname=$1
+export sitename=$2
+
+export password=`pwgen 20`
+export database=$nickname$DBBASE
+export username=$nickname$USERBASE
+
+# Create the db
+
+mysqladmin -u $ADMIN --password=$ADMINPASS create $database
+
+for f in laconica.sql sms_carrier.sql foreign_services.sql notice_source.sql; do
+    mysql -u $ADMIN --password=$ADMINPASS $database < ../db/$f;
+done
+
+mysql -u $ADMIN --password=$ADMINPASS $SITEDB << ENDOFCOMMANDS
+
+GRANT INSERT,SELECT,UPDATE,DELETE ON $database.* TO '$username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY '$password';
+GRANT INSERT,SELECT,UPDATE,DELETE ON $database.* TO '$username'@'%' IDENTIFIED BY '$password';
+INSERT INTO status_network (nickname, dbhost, dbuser, dbpass, dbname, sitename, created)
+VALUES ('$nickname', '$DBHOST', '$username', '$password', '$database', '$sitename', now());
+
+ENDOFCOMMANDS
+
+mkdir $AVATARBASE/$nickname
+chmod a+w $AVATARBASE/$nickname