diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9041165..0593a88 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ You can also set the log verbosity per single testcase. The greater verbosity wi
 | `--server URL`                 |                    | Overwrites base url to the api                                                        |
 | `--report-file newReportFile`  |                    | Overwrites the report file name from the `apitest.yml` config with `newReportFile`    |
 | `--report-format junit`        |                    | Overwrites the report format from the `apitest.yml` config with `junit`               |
-| `--replace-host [host][:port]` |                    | Overwrites built-in server host in template function `replace_host`                   |
+| `--replace-host host`          |                    | Overwrites built-in server host in template function `replace_host`                   |
 
 ### Additional parameters
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ You can also set the log verbosity per single testcase. The greater verbosity wi
 
 - Run all tests in the directory **apitests** with **http server host replacement** for those templates using **replace_host** template function
 ```bash
-./apitest -d apitests --replace-host my.fancy.host:8989
+./apitest -d apitests --replace-host my.fancy.host
 ```
 
 # Manifest
@@ -2455,7 +2455,7 @@ Example how to range over 100 objects
 
 ## `replace_host [url]`
 
-**replace_host** replaces the host and port in the given `url` with the actual address of the built-in HTTP server (see below). This address, taken from the `manifest.json` can be overwritten with the command line parameter `--replace-host`.
+**replace_host** replaces the host in the given `url` with the actual address of the built-in HTTP server (see below). This address, taken from the `manifest.json` can be overwritten with the command line parameter `--replace-host`.
 
 As an example, the URL `http://localhost/myimage.jpg` would be changed into `http://localhost:8788/myimage.jpg` following the example below.
 
diff --git a/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go b/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go
index 522eef5..dc23935 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go
+++ b/pkg/lib/template/template_loader.go
@@ -349,13 +349,7 @@ func (loader *Loader) Render(
 			if loader.HTTPServerHost == "" {
 				return srcURL, nil
 			}
-			// Parse source URL or fail
-			parsedURL, err := url.Parse(srcURL)
-			if err != nil {
-				return "", err
-			}
-			parsedURL.Host = loader.HTTPServerHost
-			return parsedURL.String(), nil
+			return replaceHost(srcURL, loader.HTTPServerHost)
 		},
 		"server_url": func() *url.URL {
 			u := new(url.URL)
@@ -522,3 +516,21 @@ func getRowsFromInput(rowsInput any) []map[string]any {
 	}
 	return rows
 }
+
+// replaceHost uses host of serverHost and replaces it in srcURL
+func replaceHost(srcURL, serverHost string) (string, error) {
+	if strings.Contains(serverHost, ":") {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("replaceHost: host must not include scheme or port")
+	}
+	// Parse source URL or fail
+	parsedURL, err := url.Parse(srcURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	if parsedURL.Host == "" && parsedURL.Scheme != "" {
+		parsedURL.Scheme = serverHost
+	} else {
+		parsedURL.Host = serverHost
+	}
+	return parsedURL.String(), nil
+}
diff --git a/pkg/lib/template/template_loader_test.go b/pkg/lib/template/template_loader_test.go
index 7d0c15a..497a28d 100644
--- a/pkg/lib/template/template_loader_test.go
+++ b/pkg/lib/template/template_loader_test.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/programmfabrik/apitest/pkg/lib/datastore"
 	"github.com/programmfabrik/apitest/pkg/lib/test_utils"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 
 	"github.com/programmfabrik/apitest/pkg/lib/api"
 	"github.com/programmfabrik/apitest/pkg/lib/filesystem"
@@ -456,5 +457,33 @@ func Test_DataStore_QJson(t *testing.T) {
 			test_utils.AssertJsonStringEquals(t, string(res), testCase.expected)
 		})
 	}
+}
+
+func TestReplaceHost(t *testing.T) {
+	var (
+		h   string
+		err error
+	)
+
+	h, err = replaceHost("localhost:9925", "192.168.122.56:8978")
+	if !assert.Error(t, err) {
+		return
+	}
+
+	h, err = replaceHost("localhost:9925", "192.168.122.56")
+	if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		return
+	}
+	if !assert.Equal(t, "192.168.122.56:9925", h) {
+		return
+	}
+
+	h, err = replaceHost("http://localhost:8978", "192.168.122.56")
+	if !assert.NoError(t, err) {
+		return
+	}
+	if !assert.Equal(t, "http://192.168.122.56", h) {
+		return
+	}
 
 }