diff --git a/bin/vhost-deploy.sh b/bin/vhost-deploy.sh
index e71baf1..1c7b8d3 100755
--- a/bin/vhost-deploy.sh
+++ b/bin/vhost-deploy.sh
@@ -38,44 +38,30 @@ fi
 
 # check for and set username
 if [[ -z "$username" ]]; then
-  username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-  username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-  username=`echo ${username:0:8}`
+  stippeddomain=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
+  stippeddomain=`echo $stippeddomain | sed 's|-||'`
+  username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:8}`
   if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
     # username already exists, try another
-    username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-    username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-    username=`echo ${username:0:7}`
+    username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:7}`
     if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
       # username already exists, try another
-      username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-      username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-      username=`echo ${username:0:6}`
+      username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:6}`
       if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
         # username already exists, try another
-        username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-        username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-        username=`echo ${username:0:5}`
+        username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:5}`
         if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
           # username already exists, try another
-          username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-          username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-          username=`echo ${username:0:9}`
+          username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:9}`
           if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
             # username already exists, try another
-            username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-            username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-            username=`echo ${username:0:10}`
+            username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:10}`
             if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
               # username already exists, try another
-              username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-              username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-              username=`echo ${username:0:11}`
+              username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:11}`
               if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
                 # username already exists, try another
-                username=`echo $domain | sed 's|\.||'`
-                username=`echo $username | sed 's|-||'`
-                username=`echo ${username:0:12}`
+                username=`echo ${stippeddomain:0:12}`
                 if grep -q "^$username:" /etc/passwd; then
                   echo "trouble setting unique username, specify '-u USERNAME' to use an existing username"
                   exit 1