diff --git a/playbooks/vhost_reboot.yml b/playbooks/vhost_reboot.yml
index 40fd487935..3a4a658124 100644
--- a/playbooks/vhost_reboot.yml
+++ b/playbooks/vhost_reboot.yml
@@ -19,9 +19,10 @@
 - name: find instances
   vars_prompt:
   - name: target
-    prompt: What is the target vhost
+    prompt: What is the target vhost (to reboot)
     private: false
-  hosts: "{{ target }}"
+  # Use a simple regexp to ignore spaces people might accidentally paste.
+  hosts: "{{ target | regex_search('[-a-z0-9.]+')}}"
   gather_facts: false
   user: root
 
diff --git a/playbooks/vhost_update.yml b/playbooks/vhost_update.yml
index f45ff59d31..d43a86773b 100644
--- a/playbooks/vhost_update.yml
+++ b/playbooks/vhost_update.yml
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@
 - name: Find instances
   vars_prompt:
   - name: target
-    prompt: What is the target vhost
+    prompt: What is the target vhost (to upgrade)
     private: false
-  hosts: "{{ target }}"
+  # Use a simple regexp to ignore spaces people might accidentally paste.
+  hosts: "{{ target | regex_search('[-a-z0-9.]+')}}"
   gather_facts: false
   user: root