diff --git a/test/e2e/network/hostport.go b/test/e2e/network/hostport.go
index 4b177f3cc1d..c33e781a13d 100644
--- a/test/e2e/network/hostport.go
+++ b/test/e2e/network/hostport.go
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ var _ = common.SIGDescribe("HostPort", func() {
 		// IPv6 doesn't NAT from localhost -> localhost, it doesn't have the route_localnet kernel hack, so we need to specify the source IP
 		cmdPod1 := []string{"/bin/sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("curl -g --connect-timeout %v --interface %s http://%s/hostname", timeout, hostIP, net.JoinHostPort(localhost, strconv.Itoa(int(port))))}
 		cmdPod2 := []string{"/bin/sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("curl -g --connect-timeout %v http://%s/hostname", timeout, net.JoinHostPort(hostIP, strconv.Itoa(int(port))))}
-		cmdPod3 := []string{"/bin/sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("nc -vuz -w %v %s %d", timeout, hostIP, port)}
+		cmdPod3 := []string{"/bin/sh", "-c", fmt.Sprintf("echo hostname | nc -u -w %v %s %d", timeout, hostIP, port)}
 		// try 5 times to connect to the exposed ports
 		for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
 			// check pod1
@@ -143,11 +143,19 @@ var _ = common.SIGDescribe("HostPort", func() {
 			}
 			// check pod3
 			ginkgo.By(fmt.Sprintf("checking connectivity from pod %s to serverIP: %s, port: %d UDP", hostExecPod.Name, hostIP, port))
-			_, _, err = f.ExecCommandInContainerWithFullOutput(hostExecPod.Name, "e2e-host-exec", cmdPod3...)
+			hostname3, _, err := f.ExecCommandInContainerWithFullOutput(hostExecPod.Name, "e2e-host-exec", cmdPod3...)
 			if err != nil {
 				framework.Logf("Can not connect from %s to pod(pod2) to serverIP: %s, port: %d", hostExecPod.Name, hostIP, port)
 				continue
 			}
+			if hostname1 == hostname3 {
+				framework.Logf("pods must have different hostname: pod1 has hostname %s, pod3 has hostname %s", hostname1, hostname3)
+				continue
+			}
+			if hostname2 == hostname3 {
+				framework.Logf("pods must have different hostname: pod2 has hostname %s, pod3 has hostname %s", hostname2, hostname3)
+				continue
+			}
 			return
 		}
 		framework.Failf("Failed to connect to exposed host ports")