diff --git a/osm_mon/cmd/common_functions.py b/osm_mon/cmd/common_functions.py
index b85a90e..78f9242 100644
--- a/osm_mon/cmd/common_functions.py
+++ b/osm_mon/cmd/common_functions.py
@@ -44,7 +44,15 @@
         port_in_use = False
         try:
             with socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM) as s:
-                if s.connect_ex(("kafka", int(config.conf["message"].get("port")))) == 0:
+                if (
+                    s.connect_ex(
+                        (
+                            config.conf.get("message", {}).get("host", "kafka"),
+                            int(config.conf["message"].get("port")),
+                        )
+                    )
+                    == 0
+                ):
                     port_in_use = True
         except Exception as e:
             logging.info("Error when trying to get kafka status.")