diff --git a/cli/cmd/host/update.go b/cli/cmd/host/update.go
index ef830191..d01ea104 100644
--- a/cli/cmd/host/update.go
+++ b/cli/cmd/host/update.go
@@ -40,16 +40,34 @@ var hostUpdateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 				log.Fatal(err)
 			}
 		} else {
-			apiHost.ID = args[0]
-			apiHost.EndpointIP = endpoint
-			apiHost.EndpointIPv6 = endpoint6
-			apiHost.Name = name
-			apiHost.ListenPort = listenPort
-			apiHost.MTU = mtu
-			apiHost.IsStaticPort = isStaticPort
-			apiHost.IsStatic = isStatic
-			apiHost.IsDefault = isDefault
-			apiHost.PersistentKeepalive = keepAlive
+			apiHost = functions.GetHost(args[0])
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("endpoint") {
+				apiHost.EndpointIP = endpoint
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("endpoint6") {
+				apiHost.EndpointIPv6 = endpoint6
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("name") {
+				apiHost.Name = name
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("listen_port") {
+				apiHost.ListenPort = listenPort
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("mtu") {
+				apiHost.MTU = mtu
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("static_port") {
+				apiHost.IsStaticPort = isStaticPort
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("static_endpoint") {
+				apiHost.IsStatic = isStatic
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("default") {
+				apiHost.IsDefault = isDefault
+			}
+			if cmd.Flags().Changed("keep_alive") {
+				apiHost.PersistentKeepalive = keepAlive
+			}
 		}
 		functions.PrettyPrint(functions.UpdateHost(args[0], apiHost))
 	},
diff --git a/cli/functions/host.go b/cli/functions/host.go
index 04346829..736d4e26 100644
--- a/cli/functions/host.go
+++ b/cli/functions/host.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package functions
 
 import (
+	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
+	"log"
 	"net/http"
 
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/models"
@@ -21,6 +23,31 @@ func DeleteHost(hostID string, force bool) *models.ApiHost {
 	return request[models.ApiHost](http.MethodDelete, fmt.Sprintf("/api/hosts/%s?force=%t", hostID, force), nil)
 }
 
+// GetHost - fetches a host
+func GetHost(hostID string) *models.ApiHost {
+	resp := request[models.SuccessResponse](http.MethodGet, fmt.Sprintf("/api/hosts/%s", hostID), nil)
+	if resp.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		log.Fatalf("Error Status: %d Response: %s", resp.Code, resp.Message)
+	}
+
+	if resp.Response == nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Empty response")
+	}
+
+	bytes, err := json.Marshal(resp.Response)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Error reading Response: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	var host models.ApiHost
+	err = json.Unmarshal(bytes, &host)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("Error unmarshalling JSON: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	return &host
+}
+
 // UpdateHost - update a host
 func UpdateHost(hostID string, body *models.ApiHost) *models.ApiHost {
 	return request[models.ApiHost](http.MethodPut, "/api/hosts/"+hostID, body)
diff --git a/controllers/hosts.go b/controllers/hosts.go
index 154faf9a..b00877f7 100644
--- a/controllers/hosts.go
+++ b/controllers/hosts.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/servercfg"
 	"golang.org/x/crypto/bcrypt"
 	"golang.org/x/exp/slog"
+	"gorm.io/gorm"
 )
 
 func hostHandlers(r *mux.Router) {
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ func hostHandlers(r *mux.Router) {
 		Methods(http.MethodPost)
 	r.HandleFunc("/api/hosts/{hostid}", logic.SecurityCheck(true, http.HandlerFunc(updateHost))).
 		Methods(http.MethodPut)
+	r.HandleFunc("/api/hosts/{hostid}", logic.SecurityCheck(true, http.HandlerFunc(getHost))).
+		Methods(http.MethodGet)
 	// used by netclient
 	r.HandleFunc("/api/hosts/{hostid}", AuthorizeHost(http.HandlerFunc(deleteHost))).
 		Methods(http.MethodDelete)
@@ -671,6 +674,41 @@ func deleteHost(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	logic.ReturnSuccessResponseWithJson(w, r, apiHostData, "deleted host "+currHost.Name)
 }
 
+// @Summary     Fetches a Netclient host from Netmaker server
+// @Router      /api/hosts/{hostid} [get]
+// @Tags        Hosts
+// @Security    oauth
+// @Produce     json
+// @Param       hostid path string true "Host ID"
+// @Success     200 {object} models.ApiHost
+// @Failure     500 {object} models.ErrorResponse
+func getHost(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+	hostIDStr := mux.Vars(r)["hostid"]
+	hostID, err := uuid.Parse(hostIDStr)
+	if err != nil {
+		err = fmt.Errorf("failed to parse host id: %w", err)
+		logic.ReturnErrorResponse(w, r, logic.FormatError(err, logic.BadReq))
+		return
+	}
+	host := &schema.Host{
+		ID: hostID,
+	}
+	err = host.Get(r.Context())
+	if err != nil {
+		logger.Log(0, r.Header.Get("user"), "failed to fetch a host:", err.Error())
+
+		apiErr := logic.Internal
+		if errors.Is(err, gorm.ErrRecordNotFound) {
+			apiErr = logic.NotFound
+		}
+
+		logic.ReturnErrorResponse(w, r, logic.FormatError(err, apiErr))
+		return
+	}
+	apiHostData := models.NewApiHostFromSchemaHost(host)
+	logic.ReturnSuccessResponseWithJson(w, r, apiHostData, "fetched host "+host.Name)
+}
+
 // @Summary     Bulk delete hosts
 // @Router      /api/v1/hosts/bulk [delete]
 // @Tags        Hosts
diff --git a/scripts/nm-quick.sh b/scripts/nm-quick.sh
index d6c19c93..48782af1 100755
--- a/scripts/nm-quick.sh
+++ b/scripts/nm-quick.sh
@@ -183,7 +183,23 @@ configure_netclient() {
 	echo "Host ID: $HOST_ID"
 	# set as a default host
 	set +e
-	nmctl host update $HOST_ID --default
+	GET_RESPONSE=$(curl -s -w "\n%{http_code}" -X GET "https://api.${NETMAKER_BASE_DOMAIN}/api/hosts/${HOST_ID}" \
+		-H "Authorization: Bearer ${MASTER_KEY}" \
+		-H "Content-Type: application/json")
+	GET_HTTP_CODE=$(echo "$GET_RESPONSE" | tail -n1)
+	HOST_JSON=$(echo "$GET_RESPONSE" | head -n -1)
+	if [ "$GET_HTTP_CODE" != "200" ]; then
+		echo "Warning: failed to fetch host (HTTP $GET_HTTP_CODE), skipping set default"
+	else
+		UPDATED_HOST_JSON=$(echo "$HOST_JSON" | jq '.Response | .isdefault = true')
+		PUT_HTTP_CODE=$(curl -s -o /dev/null -w "%{http_code}" -X PUT "https://api.${NETMAKER_BASE_DOMAIN}/api/hosts/${HOST_ID}" \
+			-H "Authorization: Bearer ${MASTER_KEY}" \
+			-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+			-d "$UPDATED_HOST_JSON")
+		if [ "$PUT_HTTP_CODE" != "200" ]; then
+			echo "Warning: failed to set host as default (HTTP $PUT_HTTP_CODE), skipping"
+		fi
+	fi
 	sleep 5
 	# nmctl node create_remote_access_gateway netmaker $NODE_ID
 	# sleep 2