diff --git a/ocaml/xapi-cli-server/cli_operations.ml b/ocaml/xapi-cli-server/cli_operations.ml
index 2f0f172eb5..d69dd44f94 100644
--- a/ocaml/xapi-cli-server/cli_operations.ml
+++ b/ocaml/xapi-cli-server/cli_operations.ml
@@ -4314,27 +4314,40 @@ let vm_migrate printer rpc session_id params =
     finally
       (fun () ->
         let host =
-          let host_matches x self =
-            let hostname () = remote (Client.Host.get_hostname ~self) in
-            let uuid () = remote (Client.Host.get_uuid ~self) in
-            let name_label () = remote (Client.Host.get_name_label ~self) in
-            hostname () = x || uuid () = x || name_label () = x
+          let get_host_by_hostname x =
+            let host_matches x self =
+              let hostname = remote (Client.Host.get_hostname ~self) in
+              hostname = x
+            in
+            let all_hosts = remote Client.Host.get_all in
+            List.find_opt (host_matches x) all_hosts
+          in
+          let get_host_by_uuid_or_name x =
+            let ref =
+              if Uuidm.of_string x |> Option.is_some then
+                remote (Client.Host.get_by_uuid ~uuid:x)
+              else
+                let hosts = remote (Client.Host.get_by_name_label ~label:x) in
+                Option.fold ~none:Ref.null ~some:Fun.id (List.nth_opt hosts 0)
+            in
+            if ref <> Ref.null then
+              Some ref
+            else
+              get_host_by_hostname x
           in
-          let matches, fail_msg =
+
+          let search, fail_msg =
             match List.assoc_opt "host" params with
             | Some x ->
-                (host_matches x, Printf.sprintf "Failed to find host: %s" x)
+                ( get_host_by_uuid_or_name x
+                , Printf.sprintf "Failed to find host: %s" x
+                )
             | None ->
-                ( (fun _ -> true)
+                ( List.nth_opt (remote Client.Host.get_all) 0
                 , Printf.sprintf "Failed to find a suitable host"
                 )
           in
-          let all_hosts = remote Client.Host.get_all in
-          match List.find_opt matches all_hosts with
-          | Some host ->
-              host
-          | None ->
-              failwith fail_msg
+          match search with Some ref -> ref | None -> failwith fail_msg
         in
         let network =
           let network_matches x self =