diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/CoreModules/ServiceConnectorsOut/Grid/RemoteGridServiceConnector.cs b/OpenSim/Region/CoreModules/ServiceConnectorsOut/Grid/RemoteGridServiceConnector.cs
index ee17093a1c..cd67d882ee 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/CoreModules/ServiceConnectorsOut/Grid/RemoteGridServiceConnector.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/CoreModules/ServiceConnectorsOut/Grid/RemoteGridServiceConnector.cs
@@ -52,7 +52,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.CoreModules.ServiceConnectorsOut.Grid
                 MethodBase.GetCurrentMethod().DeclaringType);
 
         private bool m_Enabled = false;
-        private string m_ThisGatekeeper = string.Empty;
+        private string m_ThisGatekeeperURI = string.Empty;
+        private string m_ThisGatekeeperHost = string.Empty;
+        private string m_ThisGatekeeperIP = string.Empty;
 
         private IGridService m_LocalGridService;
         private IGridService m_RemoteGridService;
@@ -126,13 +128,12 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.CoreModules.ServiceConnectorsOut.Grid
             if(m_RegionInfoCache == null)
                 m_RegionInfoCache = new RegionInfoCache();
 
-            m_ThisGatekeeper = Util.GetConfigVarFromSections<string>(source, "GatekeeperURI",
+            m_ThisGatekeeperURI = Util.GetConfigVarFromSections<string>(source, "GatekeeperURI",
                 new string[] { "Startup", "Hypergrid", "GridService" }, String.Empty);
             // Legacy. Remove soon!
-            m_ThisGatekeeper = gridConfig.GetString("Gatekeeper", m_ThisGatekeeper);
-
-            Util.checkServiceURI(m_ThisGatekeeper, out m_ThisGatekeeper);
+            m_ThisGatekeeperURI = gridConfig.GetString("Gatekeeper", m_ThisGatekeeperURI);
 
+            Util.checkServiceURI(m_ThisGatekeeperURI, out m_ThisGatekeeperURI, out m_ThisGatekeeperHost, out m_ThisGatekeeperIP);
             return true;
         }
 
@@ -247,14 +248,17 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.CoreModules.ServiceConnectorsOut.Grid
             string regionName = name;
             if(name.Contains("."))
             {
-                if(string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(m_ThisGatekeeper))
+                if(string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(m_ThisGatekeeperIP))
                     return rinfo; // no HG
 
                 string regionURI = "";
-                if(!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionName) || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(regionName))
+                string regionHost = "";
+                if (!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionHost, out regionName))
                     return rinfo; // invalid
-                if(m_ThisGatekeeper != regionURI)
+                if (!m_ThisGatekeeperHost.Equals(regionHost, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase) && !m_ThisGatekeeperIP.Equals(regionHost))
                     return rinfo; // not local grid
+                if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(regionName))
+                    return m_RemoteGridService.GetDefaultRegions(scopeID)[0];
             }
 
             rinfo = m_RemoteGridService.GetRegionByName(scopeID, regionName);
@@ -273,17 +277,22 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.CoreModules.ServiceConnectorsOut.Grid
             string regionName = name;
             if(name.Contains("."))
             {
-                if(string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(m_ThisGatekeeper))
+                if(string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(m_ThisGatekeeperURI))
                     return rinfo; // no HG
 
                 string regionURI = "";
-                if(!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionName) || string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(regionName))
+                string regionHost = "";
+                if (!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionHost, out regionName))
                     return rinfo; // invalid
-                if(m_ThisGatekeeper != regionURI)
+                if (!m_ThisGatekeeperHost.Equals(regionHost, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase) && !m_ThisGatekeeperIP.Equals(regionHost))
                     return rinfo; // not local grid
             }
 
-            List<GridRegion> grinfo = m_RemoteGridService.GetRegionsByName(scopeID, regionName, maxNumber);
+            List<GridRegion> grinfo = null;
+            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(regionName))
+                grinfo = m_RemoteGridService.GetDefaultRegions(scopeID);
+            else
+                grinfo = m_RemoteGridService.GetRegionsByName(scopeID, regionName, maxNumber);
 
             if (grinfo != null)
             {
diff --git a/OpenSim/Services/GridService/GridService.cs b/OpenSim/Services/GridService/GridService.cs
index 7140b32226..3c961fef40 100755
--- a/OpenSim/Services/GridService/GridService.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Services/GridService/GridService.cs
@@ -502,14 +502,19 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
             if (count < maxNumber && m_AllowHypergridMapSearch && name.Contains("."))
             {
                 string regionURI = "";
+                string regionHost = "";
                 string regionName = "";
-                if(!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionName))
+                if (!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionHost, out regionName))
                     return null;
 
                 string mapname;
-                bool localGrid = m_HypergridLinker.IsLocalGrid(regionURI);
-                if(localGrid)
+                bool localGrid = m_HypergridLinker.IsLocalGrid(regionHost);
+                if (localGrid)
+                {
+                    if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(regionName))
+                        return GetDefaultRegions(scopeID);
                     mapname = regionName;
+                }
                 else
                     mapname = regionURI + regionName;
 
@@ -595,13 +600,23 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
             {
                 string regionURI = "";
                 string regionName = "";
-                if(!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionName))
+                string regionHost = "";
+                if (!Util.buildHGRegionURI(name, out regionURI, out regionHost, out regionName))
                     return null;
 
                 string mapname;
-                bool localGrid = m_HypergridLinker.IsLocalGrid(regionURI);
-                if(localGrid)
+                bool localGrid = m_HypergridLinker.IsLocalGrid(regionHost);
+                if (localGrid)
+                {
+                    if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(regionName))
+                    {
+                        List< GridRegion> defregs = GetDefaultRegions(scopeID);
+                        if(defregs == null)
+                            return null;
+                        return defregs[0];
+                    }
                     mapname = regionName;
+                }
                 else
                     mapname = regionURI + regionName;
 
diff --git a/OpenSim/Services/GridService/HypergridLinker.cs b/OpenSim/Services/GridService/HypergridLinker.cs
index 4ee2eb5679..c428d95a66 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Services/GridService/HypergridLinker.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Services/GridService/HypergridLinker.cs
@@ -65,8 +65,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
         protected UUID m_ScopeID = UUID.Zero;
 //        protected bool m_Check4096 = true;
         protected string m_MapTileDirectory = string.Empty;
-        protected string m_ThisGatekeeper = string.Empty;
-        protected Uri m_ThisGatekeeperURI = null;
+        protected string m_ThisGatekeeperURI = string.Empty;
+        protected string m_ThisGatekeeperHost = string.Empty;
+        protected string m_ThisGateKeeperIP = string.Empty;
 
         protected GridRegion m_DefaultRegion;
         protected GridRegion DefaultRegion
@@ -124,24 +125,15 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
 
             m_MapTileDirectory = gridConfig.GetString("MapTileDirectory", "maptiles");
 
-            m_ThisGatekeeper = Util.GetConfigVarFromSections<string>(config, "GatekeeperURI",
+            m_ThisGatekeeperURI = Util.GetConfigVarFromSections<string>(config, "GatekeeperURI",
                 new string[] { "Startup", "Hypergrid", "GridService" }, String.Empty);
-            // Legacy. Remove soon!
-            m_ThisGatekeeper = gridConfig.GetString("Gatekeeper", m_ThisGatekeeper);
-            try
-            {
-                m_ThisGatekeeperURI = new Uri(m_ThisGatekeeper);
-            }
-            catch
-            {
-                m_log.WarnFormat("[HYPERGRID LINKER]: Malformed URL in [GridService], variable Gatekeeper = {0}", m_ThisGatekeeper);
-            }
+            m_ThisGatekeeperURI = gridConfig.GetString("Gatekeeper", m_ThisGatekeeperURI);
 
-            m_ThisGatekeeper = m_ThisGatekeeperURI.AbsoluteUri;
-            if(m_ThisGatekeeperURI.Port == 80)
-                m_ThisGatekeeper = m_ThisGatekeeper.Trim(new char[] { '/', ' ' }) +":80/";
-            else if(m_ThisGatekeeperURI.Port == 443)
-                m_ThisGatekeeper = m_ThisGatekeeper.Trim(new char[] { '/', ' ' }) +":443/";
+            if(!Util.checkServiceURI(m_ThisGatekeeperURI, out m_ThisGatekeeperURI, out m_ThisGatekeeperHost, out m_ThisGateKeeperIP))
+            {
+                m_log.ErrorFormat("[HYPERGRID LINKER]: Malformed URL in [GridService], variable Gatekeeper = {0}", m_ThisGatekeeperURI);
+                throw new Exception("Failed to resolve gatekeeper external IP, please check GatekeeperURI configuration");
+            }
 
             m_GatekeeperConnector = new GatekeeperServiceConnector(m_AssetService);
 
@@ -197,9 +189,13 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
             return TryLinkRegionToCoords(scopeID, mapName, xloc, yloc, UUID.Zero, out reason);
         }
 
-        public bool IsLocalGrid(string serverURI)
+        public bool IsLocalGrid(string UriHost)
         {
-            return serverURI == m_ThisGatekeeper;
+            if(String.IsNullOrEmpty(UriHost))
+                return true;
+            if(m_ThisGatekeeperHost.Equals(UriHost, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase))
+                return true;
+            return m_ThisGateKeeperIP.Equals(UriHost);
         }
 
         public GridRegion TryLinkRegionToCoords(UUID scopeID, string mapName, int xloc, int yloc, UUID ownerID, out string reason)
@@ -208,9 +204,10 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
             GridRegion regInfo = null;
 
             string serverURI = string.Empty;
+            string regionHost = string.Empty;
             string regionName = string.Empty;
 
-            if(!Util.buildHGRegionURI(mapName, out serverURI, out regionName))
+            if (!Util.buildHGRegionURI(mapName, out serverURI, out regionHost, out regionName))
             {
                 reason = "Wrong URI format for link-region";
                 return null;
@@ -277,9 +274,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.GridService
             regInfo.EstateOwner = ownerID;
 
             // Make sure we're not hyperlinking to regions on this grid!
-            if (m_ThisGatekeeperURI != null)
+            if (String.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(m_ThisGateKeeperIP))
             {
-                if (regInfo.ExternalHostName == m_ThisGatekeeperURI.Host && regInfo.HttpPort == m_ThisGatekeeperURI.Port)
+                if (m_ThisGatekeeperHost.Equals(regInfo.ExternalHostName, StringComparison.InvariantCultureIgnoreCase) || m_ThisGateKeeperIP.Equals(regInfo.ExternalHostName))
                 {
                     m_log.InfoFormat("[HYPERGRID LINKER]: Cannot hyperlink to regions on the same grid");
                     reason = "Cannot hyperlink to regions on the same grid";