diff --git a/server/lib/readConfigFile.ts b/server/lib/readConfigFile.ts
index 5071edc8..b9f90d46 100644
--- a/server/lib/readConfigFile.ts
+++ b/server/lib/readConfigFile.ts
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ export const configSchema = z
             .default({}),
         gerbil: z
             .object({
-                exit_node_name: z.string().optional().default("default"),
+                exit_node_name: z.string().optional(),
                 start_port: portSchema
                     .optional()
                     .default(51820)
diff --git a/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts b/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts
index 60340ede..601f7655 100644
--- a/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts
+++ b/server/routers/gerbil/getConfig.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,10 @@ export async function getConfig(
                 subEndpoint = await getUniqueExitNodeEndpointName();
             }
 
+            const exitNodeName =
+                config.getRawConfig().gerbil.exit_node_name ||
+                `Exit Node ${publicKey.slice(0, 8)}`;
+
             // create a new exit node
             exitNode = await db
                 .insert(exitNodes)
@@ -77,7 +81,7 @@ export async function getConfig(
                     address,
                     listenPort,
                     reachableAt,
-                    name: config.getRawConfig().gerbil.exit_node_name // defaults to "default"
+                    name: exitNodeName
                 })
                 .returning()
                 .execute();
diff --git a/server/setup/copyInConfig.ts b/server/setup/copyInConfig.ts
index e375211c..055e85eb 100644
--- a/server/setup/copyInConfig.ts
+++ b/server/setup/copyInConfig.ts
@@ -106,13 +106,19 @@ export async function copyInConfig() {
     });
 
     const exitNodeName = config.getRawConfig().gerbil.exit_node_name;
-
-    await db
-        .update(exitNodes)
-        .set({ endpoint })
-        .where(eq(exitNodes.name, exitNodeName));
-    await db
-        .update(exitNodes)
-        .set({ listenPort })
-        .where(eq(exitNodes.name, exitNodeName));
+    if (exitNodeName) {
+        await db
+            .update(exitNodes)
+            .set({ endpoint, listenPort })
+            .where(eq(exitNodes.name, exitNodeName));
+    } else {
+        await db
+            .update(exitNodes)
+            .set({ endpoint })
+            .where(ne(exitNodes.endpoint, endpoint));
+        await db
+            .update(exitNodes)
+            .set({ listenPort })
+            .where(ne(exitNodes.listenPort, listenPort));
+    }
 }