diff --git a/.changes/unreleased/Changed-20250210-165532.yaml b/.changes/unreleased/Changed-20250210-165532.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c5b38bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/unreleased/Changed-20250210-165532.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+kind: Changed
+body: Hosts passed to `exec host` now checked against default SSH config files
+time: 2025-02-10T16:55:32.936776556-06:00
diff --git a/cmd/host.go b/cmd/host.go
index 62f27d2..ff805ab 100644
--- a/cmd/host.go
+++ b/cmd/host.go
@@ -15,8 +15,10 @@ var (
 	}
 )
 
-// Holds command list to run
+// Holds list of hosts to run commands on
 var hostsList []string
+
+// Holds command list to run
 var cmdList []string
 
 func init() {
@@ -48,7 +50,13 @@ func Host(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) {
 	for _, h := range hostsList {
 		_, hostFound := backyConfOpts.Hosts[h]
 		if !hostFound {
-			logging.ExitWithMSG("host "+h+" not found", 1, &backyConfOpts.Logger)
+			// check if h exists in the config file
+			hostFoundInConfig, s := backy.CheckIfHostHasHostName(h)
+			if !hostFoundInConfig {
+				logging.ExitWithMSG("host "+h+" not found", 1, &backyConfOpts.Logger)
+			}
+			// create host with hostname and host
+			backyConfOpts.Hosts[h] = &backy.Host{Host: h, HostName: s}
 		}
 	}
 	if cmdList == nil {
diff --git a/pkg/backy/ssh.go b/pkg/backy/ssh.go
index 8cdbbc7..f0a11bb 100644
--- a/pkg/backy/ssh.go
+++ b/pkg/backy/ssh.go
@@ -757,3 +757,12 @@ func (h *Host) DetectOS(opts *ConfigOpts) (string, error) {
 	osName := string(output)
 	return osName, nil
 }
+
+func CheckIfHostHasHostName(host string) (bool, string) {
+	HostName, err := ssh_config.DefaultUserSettings.GetStrict(host, "HostName")
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, ""
+	}
+	println(HostName)
+	return HostName != "", HostName
+}