diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 108be6a..c5abdd1 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -10,10 +10,14 @@ import (
 )
 
 var (
-	configFile       = goTomlConfig.String("file", util.GetHomeDir()+"/.ssh/config")
-	configListFields = goTomlConfig.String("list.fields", "User, Hostname")
-	configNewFrom    = goTomlConfig.String("new.from", "")
+	configFile                  = goTomlConfig.String("file", util.GetHomeDir()+"/.ssh/config")
+	configListFields            = goTomlConfig.String("list.fields", "User, Hostname")
+	configNewFrom               = goTomlConfig.String("new.from", "")
 	configExportFilenameOptions = goTomlConfig.String("export.filenameOptions", "IdentityFile")
+	configHostTemplate          = goTomlConfig.String("template", `
+Host {{.Name}}{{if .Aliases}}{{range .Aliases}} {{.}}{{end}}{{end}}
+{{range .Options }}	{{.}}
+{{end}}`)
 )
 
 // quietConfig stores the location of the quiet config, defaults to "~/.quiet"
@@ -44,6 +48,11 @@ func GetConfigExportFilenameOptions() string {
 	return *configExportFilenameOptions
 }
 
+// GetConfigTemplate returns the template
+func GetConfigTemplate() string {
+	return *configHostTemplate
+}
+
 // SetQuietConfig sets the location of the quiet config file
 func SetQuietConfig(qc string) {
 	quietConfig = qc
diff --git a/host/host.go b/host/host.go
index 414c451..71db3fc 100644
--- a/host/host.go
+++ b/host/host.go
@@ -5,8 +5,14 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"text/template"
 	"regexp"
+	"github.com/lthurston/quiet/config"
 )
 
+const defaultHostTemplate = `
+Host {{.Name}}{{if .Aliases}}{{range .Aliases}} {{.}}{{end}}{{end}}
+{{range .Options }}	{{.}}
+{{end}}`
+
 // Option contains a keyword and an argument
 type Option struct {
 	keyword  string
@@ -99,12 +105,14 @@ func (host Host) Options() []Option {
 	return host.options
 }
 
-// RenderSnippet renders a host snippet
+// String renders a host snippet
 func (host Host) String() string {
-	tmpl, err := template.New("snip").Parse(`
-Host {{.Name}}{{if .Aliases}}{{range .Aliases}} {{.}}{{end}}{{end}}
-{{range .Options }}	{{.}}
-{{end}}`)
+	return host.RenderHostTemplate(configTemplate())
+}
+
+// RenderHostTemplate renders the host, given a template string
+func (host Host) RenderHostTemplate(templateString string) string {
+	tmpl, err := template.New("snip").Parse(templateString)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
@@ -117,12 +125,17 @@ Host {{.Name}}{{if .Aliases}}{{range .Aliases}} {{.}}{{end}}{{end}}
 	return buf.String()
 }
 
+
+func configTemplate() string {
+	return config.GetConfigTemplate()
+}
+
 // ContainsStrings returns true if the host contains the findStrings
 func (host Host) ContainsStrings(findStrings []string) bool {
 	for _, findString := range findStrings {
 		escArg := regexp.QuoteMeta(findString)
 		re := regexp.MustCompile("(?i)(" + escArg +")")
-		if(!re.Match([]byte(host.String()))) {
+		if(!re.Match([]byte(host.RenderHostTemplate(defaultHostTemplate)))) {
 			return false
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/host/host_test.go b/host/host_test.go
index 60846b5..25ea61f 100644
--- a/host/host_test.go
+++ b/host/host_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,11 @@ import (
 	h "github.com/lthurston/quiet/host"
 )
 
+const testTemplate = `
+Host {{.Name}}{{if .Aliases}}{{range .Aliases}} {{.}}{{end}}{{end}}
+{{range .Options }}	{{.}}
+{{end}}`
+
 func TestString(t *testing.T) {
 	name := "skeins"
 	aliases := []string{"sizzle", "toast", "blort"}
@@ -19,7 +24,7 @@ func TestString(t *testing.T) {
 		host.AddOptionFromString(line)
 	}
 
-	rendered := host.String()
+	rendered := host.RenderHostTemplate(testTemplate)
 
 	hosts := h.HostsCollection{}
 	hosts.ReadFromString(rendered)