diff --git a/pkg/cmd/open/open.go b/pkg/cmd/open/open.go
index 187b4c29..63b187a5 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/open/open.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/open/open.go
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func runOpenCommand(t *terminal.Terminal, tstore OpenStore, wsIDOrName string, s
 
 	localIdentifier := workspace.GetLocalIdentifier()
 	if host {
-		localIdentifier += "-host"
+		localIdentifier = workspace.GetHostIdentifier()
 	}
 
 	err = res.Await()
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/shell/shell.go b/pkg/cmd/shell/shell.go
index 1c22d2e8..965d789e 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/shell/shell.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/shell/shell.go
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func runShellCommand(t *terminal.Terminal, sstore ShellStore, workspaceNameOrID,
 
 	localIdentifier := workspace.GetLocalIdentifier()
 	if host {
-		localIdentifier += "-host"
+		localIdentifier = workspace.GetHostIdentifier()
 	}
 
 	sshName := string(localIdentifier)
diff --git a/pkg/entity/entity.go b/pkg/entity/entity.go
index 817b19a5..56acb674 100644
--- a/pkg/entity/entity.go
+++ b/pkg/entity/entity.go
@@ -450,6 +450,10 @@ func (w Workspace) GetLocalIdentifier() WorkspaceLocalID {
 	return w.createSimpleName()
 }
 
+func (w Workspace) GetHostIdentifier() WorkspaceLocalID {
+	return w.createSimpleName() + "-host"
+}
+
 func MakeIDSuffix(id string) string {
 	return id[len(id)-4:]
 }