diff --git a/lib-src/pop.c b/lib-src/pop.c
index e27d5821388..9ced4776095 100644
--- a/lib-src/pop.c
+++ b/lib-src/pop.c
@@ -1054,17 +1054,6 @@ socket_connection (host, flags)
   }
 #endif
 
-  do
-    {
-      hostent = gethostbyname (host);
-      try_count++;
-      if ((! hostent) && ((h_errno != TRY_AGAIN) || (try_count == 5)))
-	{
-	  strcpy (pop_error, "Could not determine POP server's address");
-	  return (-1);
-	}
-    } while (! hostent);
-
   bzero ((char *) &addr, sizeof (addr));
   addr.sin_family = AF_INET;
 
@@ -1115,6 +1104,17 @@ socket_connection (host, flags)
 
     }
 
+  do
+    {
+      hostent = gethostbyname (host);
+      try_count++;
+      if ((! hostent) && ((h_errno != TRY_AGAIN) || (try_count == 5)))
+	{
+	  strcpy (pop_error, "Could not determine POP server's address");
+	  return (-1);
+	}
+    } while (! hostent);
+
   while (*hostent->h_addr_list)
     {
       bcopy (*hostent->h_addr_list, (char *) &addr.sin_addr,