diff --git a/governor.py b/governor.py
index b0a185cb..6b2920f7 100755
--- a/governor.py
+++ b/governor.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 import logging
 import os
-import requests
 import signal
 import sys
 import threading
@@ -32,23 +31,10 @@ def sigchld_handler(signo, stack_frame):
 
 class Governor:
 
-    INSTANCE_METADATA_URL = "http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/"
-
     def __init__(self, config):
         self.nap_time = config['loop_wait']
         self.etcd = Etcd(config['etcd'])
-        aws_host_address = None
-        if config.get('aws_use_host_address', False):
-            # get host address of the AWS host via a call to
-            # http://169.254.169.254/latest/meta-data/local-ipv4
-            try:
-                response = requests.get(Governor.INSTANCE_METADATA_URL + '/local-ipv4')
-                if response.status_code == 200:
-                    aws_host_address = response.content
-            except:
-                logging.exception('Error retrieiving IPv4 address from AWS instance')
-
-        self.postgresql = Postgresql(config['postgresql'], aws_host_address)
+        self.postgresql = Postgresql(config['postgresql'])
         self.ha = Ha(self.postgresql, self.etcd)
 
     def touch_member(self):
diff --git a/helpers/postgresql.py b/helpers/postgresql.py
index e7f581e7..ce1955f4 100644
--- a/helpers/postgresql.py
+++ b/helpers/postgresql.py
@@ -28,15 +28,15 @@ def parseurl(url):
 
 class Postgresql:
 
-    def __init__(self, config, aws_host_address=None):
+    def __init__(self, config):
         self.name = config['name']
-        self.host, self.port = config['listen'].split(':')
+        host, port = config['connect_address'].split(':')
         self.libpq_parameters = {
-            'host' : aws_host_address or self.host,
-            'port' : self.port,
-            'fallback_application_name' : 'Governor',
-            'connect_timeout' : 5,
-            'options' : '-c statement_timeout=2000'
+            'host': host,
+            'port': port,
+            'fallback_application_name': 'Governor',
+            'connect_timeout': 5,
+            'options': '-c statement_timeout=2000'
         }
         self.data_dir = config['data_dir']
         self.replication = config['replication']
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ class Postgresql:
 
         self.config = config
 
-        self.connection_string = 'postgres://{username}:{password}@{host}:{port}/postgres'.format(
-            host=self.libpq_parameters['host'], port=self.port, **self.replication)
+        self.connection_string = 'postgres://{username}:{password}@{connect_address}/postgres'.format(
+            connect_address=self.config['connect_address'], **self.replication)
 
         self.conn = None
         self.cursor_holder = None
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class Postgresql:
 
     def cursor(self):
         if not self.cursor_holder:
-            self.conn = psycopg2.connect('postgres://{}/postgres'.format(self.config['listen']))
+            self.conn = psycopg2.connect('postgres://{}/postgres'.format(self.config['connect_address']))
             self.conn.autocommit = True
             self.cursor_holder = self.conn.cursor()
 
@@ -141,7 +141,8 @@ class Postgresql:
         return os.system(self._pg_ctl + ' restart -m fast') == 0
 
     def server_options(self):
-        options = '--listen_addresses={} --port={}'.format(self.host, self.port)
+        host, port = self.config['listen'].split(':')
+        options = '--listen_addresses={} --port={}'.format(host, port)
         for setting, value in self.config['parameters'].items():
             options += " --{}='{}'".format(setting, value)
         return options
@@ -240,13 +241,13 @@ primary_conninfo = '{}'
     def create_connection_users(self):
         if self.superuser:
             if 'username' in self.superuser:
-                self.query("CREATE ROLE \"{0}\" LOGIN SUPERUSER PASSWORD '{1}';".format(
-                    self.superuser["username"], self.superuser["password"]))
+                self.query('CREATE ROLE "{0}" WITH LOGIN SUPERUSER PASSWORD %s'.format(
+                    self.superuser['username']), self.superuser['password'])
             else:
-                self.query("ALTER ROLE postgres PASSWORD '{0}';".format(self.superuser['password']))
+                self.query('ALTER ROLE postgres WITH PASSWORD %s', self.superuser['password'])
         if self.admin:
-            self.query("CREATE ROLE \"{0}\" LOGIN CREATEDB CREATEROLE PASSWORD '{1}';".format(
-                self.admin["username"], self.admin["password"]))
+            self.query('CREATE ROLE "{0}" WITH LOGIN CREATEDB CREATEROLE PASSWORD %s'.format(
+                self.admin['username']), self.admin['password'])
 
     def xlog_position(self):
         return self.query("SELECT pg_last_xlog_replay_location() - '0/0000000'::pg_lsn").fetchone()[0]
diff --git a/postgres0.yml b/postgres0.yml
index c9360d38..da630242 100644
--- a/postgres0.yml
+++ b/postgres0.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 loop_wait: 10
-aws_use_host_address: "on"
 healthcheck_port: 8008
 etcd:
   scope: batman
@@ -8,6 +7,7 @@ etcd:
 postgresql:
   name: postgresql0
   listen: 127.0.0.1:5432
+  connect_address: 127.0.0.1:5432
   data_dir: data/postgresql0
   maximum_lag_on_failover: 1048576 # 1 megabyte in bytes
   replication:
diff --git a/postgres1.yml b/postgres1.yml
index bb01127b..e8f958b5 100644
--- a/postgres1.yml
+++ b/postgres1.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 loop_wait: 10
-aws_use_host_address: "on"
 healthcheck_port: 8009
 etcd:
   scope: batman
@@ -8,6 +7,7 @@ etcd:
 postgresql:
   name: postgresql1
   listen: 127.0.0.1:5433
+  connect_address: 127.0.0.1:5433
   data_dir: data/postgresql1
   maximum_lag_on_failover: 1048576 # 1 megabyte in bytes
   replication: