diff --git a/server/config.ts b/server/config.ts
index e0807988..62bdfab4 100644
--- a/server/config.ts
+++ b/server/config.ts
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ const environmentSchema = z.object({
     gerbil: z.object({
         start_port: portSchema,
         base_endpoint: z.string(),
+        use_subdomain: z.boolean(),
         subnet_group: z.string(),
         block_size: z.number().positive().gt(0),
     }),
diff --git a/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts b/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts
index a45806f0..c6663fc2 100644
--- a/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts
+++ b/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts
@@ -51,12 +51,15 @@ export async function getConfig(req: Request, res: Response, next: NextFunction)
         if (exitNodeQuery.length === 0) {
             const address = await getNextAvailableSubnet();
             const listenPort = await getNextAvailablePort();
-            const subEndpoint = await getUniqueExitNodeEndpointName();
+            let subEndpoint = "";
+            if (config.gerbil.use_subdomain) {
+                subEndpoint = await getUniqueExitNodeEndpointName();
+            }
 
             // create a new exit node
             exitNode = await db.insert(exitNodes).values({
                 publicKey,
-                endpoint: `${subEndpoint}.${config.gerbil.base_endpoint}`,
+                endpoint: `${subEndpoint}${subEndpoint != "" ? "." : ""}${config.gerbil.base_endpoint}`,
                 address,
                 listenPort,
                 reachableAt,