diff --git a/src/binding/python/openpmd_api/pipe/__main__.py b/src/binding/python/openpmd_api/pipe/__main__.py
index eb7d496baa..ae8c8493f4 100644
--- a/src/binding/python/openpmd_api/pipe/__main__.py
+++ b/src/binding/python/openpmd_api/pipe/__main__.py
@@ -217,7 +217,9 @@ def __init__(self, infile, outfile, inconfig, outconfig, comm):
         self.loads = []
         self.comm = comm
         if HAVE_MPI:
-            hostinfo = io.HostInfo.HOSTNAME
+            hostinfo = io.HostInfo.POSIX_HOSTNAME \
+                if io.HostInfo.POSIX_HOSTNAME.available()\
+                else io.HostInfo.MPI_PROCESSOR_NAME
             self.outranks = hostinfo.get_collective(self.comm)
         else:
             self.outranks = {i: str(i) for i in range(self.comm.size)}