diff --git a/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command.go b/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command.go
index f3095f7398..2348d02e86 100644
--- a/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command.go
+++ b/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command.go
@@ -84,6 +84,9 @@ func (cs *commandService) CreateConnection(
 
 	resource := req.GetResource()
 	podName := resource.GetContainerInfo().GetHostname()
+	if podName == "" {
+		podName = resource.GetHostInfo().GetHostname()
+	}
 	cs.logger.Info(fmt.Sprintf("Creating connection for nginx pod: %s", podName))
 
 	owner, _, err := cs.getPodOwner(podName)
diff --git a/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command_test.go b/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command_test.go
index 5acde66376..7b5830bcd8 100644
--- a/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/nginx/agent/command_test.go
@@ -163,6 +163,32 @@ func TestCreateConnection(t *testing.T) {
 				},
 			},
 		},
+		{
+			name: "uses regular hostname if container info not set",
+			ctx:  createGrpcContext(),
+			request: &pb.CreateConnectionRequest{
+				Resource: &pb.Resource{
+					Info: &pb.Resource_HostInfo{
+						HostInfo: &pb.HostInfo{
+							Hostname: "nginx-pod",
+						},
+					},
+					Instances: []*pb.Instance{
+						{
+							InstanceMeta: &pb.InstanceMeta{
+								InstanceId:   "nginx-id",
+								InstanceType: pb.InstanceMeta_INSTANCE_TYPE_NGINX,
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			response: &pb.CreateConnectionResponse{
+				Response: &pb.CommandResponse{
+					Status: pb.CommandResponse_COMMAND_STATUS_OK,
+				},
+			},
+		},
 		{
 			name:      "request is nil",
 			request:   nil,