diff --git a/app/Livewire/Modals/HostShell.php b/app/Livewire/Modals/HostShell.php
index c606f82..f67639b 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Modals/HostShell.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Modals/HostShell.php
@@ -10,14 +10,16 @@ use Illuminate\Validation\ValidationException;
 use LivewireUI\Modal\ModalComponent;
 
 /**
- * Form modal: configure the SSH login for the "Clusev host" terminal. Stores a single
- * HostCredential (encrypted) so the terminal sidecar can SSH into the actual host instead of
- * opening a shell in its own container. On edit, leaving the secret blank keeps the stored one.
- * The clear-text secret is never echoed back into the form.
+ * Form modal: configure the SSH login for the "Clusev host" terminal. The target is ALWAYS the local
+ * machine Clusev runs on (the Docker host, reached at host.docker.internal — fixed, not a free-form
+ * host, because an arbitrary machine is what fleet servers are for). The operator only supplies the
+ * login (user + password/key, and the port). Stores a single encrypted HostCredential; on edit a
+ * blank secret keeps the stored one, and the clear-text secret is never echoed back into the form.
  */
 class HostShell extends ModalComponent
 {
-    public string $host = 'host.docker.internal';
+    /** The host terminal always targets the local machine; not operator-editable. */
+    private const HOST = 'host.docker.internal';
 
     public int $port = 22;
 
@@ -42,7 +44,6 @@ class HostShell extends ModalComponent
         $hc = HostCredential::current();
         if ($hc !== null) {
             $this->configured = true;
-            $this->host = $hc->host;
             $this->port = $hc->port;
             $this->username = $hc->username;
             $this->authType = $hc->auth_type;
@@ -56,7 +57,6 @@ class HostShell extends ModalComponent
     protected function rules(): array
     {
         return [
-            'host' => ['required', 'string', 'max:255'],
             'port' => ['required', 'integer', 'min:1', 'max:65535'],
             'username' => ['required', 'string', 'max:120'],
             'authType' => ['required', Rule::in(['password', 'key'])],
@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ class HostShell extends ModalComponent
     protected function validationAttributes(): array
     {
         return [
-            'host' => __('terminal.host_field_host'),
             'port' => __('terminal.host_field_port'),
             'username' => __('terminal.host_field_user'),
             'authType' => __('terminal.host_field_auth'),
@@ -95,7 +94,7 @@ class HostShell extends ModalComponent
         }
 
         $hc = $existing ?? new HostCredential;
-        $hc->host = trim($data['host']);
+        $hc->host = self::HOST; // always the local machine — not operator-editable
         $hc->port = (int) $data['port'];
         $hc->username = trim($data['username']);
         $hc->auth_type = $data['authType'] === 'key' ? 'key' : 'password';
diff --git a/app/Livewire/Terminal/Index.php b/app/Livewire/Terminal/Index.php
index c408808..6637202 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Terminal/Index.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Terminal/Index.php
@@ -102,7 +102,8 @@ class Index extends Component
             'serverCount' => $serverCount,
             'showSearch' => $serverCount > self::SEARCH_THRESHOLD,
             'hostConfigured' => $host !== null,
-            'hostTarget' => $host !== null ? $host->username.'@'.$host->host : null,
+            // The host is always the local machine, so the tile shows just the login user.
+            'hostTarget' => $host?->username,
         ])->title($this->title());
     }
 }
diff --git a/lang/de/terminal.php b/lang/de/terminal.php
index c8c9db9..5b2270e 100644
--- a/lang/de/terminal.php
+++ b/lang/de/terminal.php
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ return [
     // Host-Login-Einrichtung (Clusev-Host-Terminal)
     'host_setup_title' => 'Clusev-Host-Login',
     'host_setup_subtitle' => 'SSH-Zugang zum Clusev-Host. Damit wird das Terminal ein echtes Login auf der Maschine — kein Container.',
-    'host_field_host' => 'Host / IP',
-    'host_field_host_hint' => 'Standard: die Maschine, auf der Clusev läuft (Docker-Host). So lassen — oder eine andere IP/Host eintragen.',
     'host_field_port' => 'Port',
     'host_field_user' => 'Benutzer',
     'host_field_auth' => 'Authentifizierung',
diff --git a/lang/en/terminal.php b/lang/en/terminal.php
index e8ee508..f1f2192 100644
--- a/lang/en/terminal.php
+++ b/lang/en/terminal.php
@@ -28,8 +28,6 @@ return [
     // Host login setup (Clusev host terminal)
     'host_setup_title' => 'Clusev host login',
     'host_setup_subtitle' => 'SSH access to the Clusev host. This makes the terminal a real login on the machine — not a container.',
-    'host_field_host' => 'Host / IP',
-    'host_field_host_hint' => 'Default: the machine Clusev runs on (the Docker host). Leave it — or enter another IP/host.',
     'host_field_port' => 'Port',
     'host_field_user' => 'User',
     'host_field_auth' => 'Authentication',
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/modals/host-shell.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/modals/host-shell.blade.php
index 60eca0c..1114983 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/modals/host-shell.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/modals/host-shell.blade.php
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@
     </div>
 
     <div class="mt-4 space-y-3">
+        {{-- Target is fixed to the local machine (the Docker host) — only the login is asked for. --}}
         <div class="grid grid-cols-1 gap-3 sm:grid-cols-3">
             <div class="sm:col-span-2">
-                <label class="mb-1 block font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-3">{{ __('terminal.host_field_host') }}</label>
-                <input wire:model="host" type="text" placeholder="host.docker.internal"
+                <label class="mb-1 block font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-3">{{ __('terminal.host_field_user') }}</label>
+                <input wire:model="username" type="text" placeholder="root"
                        class="h-9 w-full rounded-md border border-line bg-inset px-3 font-mono text-sm text-ink placeholder:text-ink-4 focus:border-accent/40 focus:outline-none" />
-                @error('host')<p class="mt-1 flex items-center gap-1.5 font-mono text-[11px] text-offline"><x-icon name="alert" class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />{{ $message }}</p>@enderror
-                <p class="mt-1.5 font-mono text-[11px] leading-relaxed text-ink-4">{{ __('terminal.host_field_host_hint') }}</p>
+                @error('username')<p class="mt-1 flex items-center gap-1.5 font-mono text-[11px] text-offline"><x-icon name="alert" class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />{{ $message }}</p>@enderror
             </div>
             <div>
                 <label class="mb-1 block font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-3">{{ __('terminal.host_field_port') }}</label>
@@ -26,13 +26,6 @@
             </div>
         </div>
 
-        <div>
-            <label class="mb-1 block font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-3">{{ __('terminal.host_field_user') }}</label>
-            <input wire:model="username" type="text" placeholder="root"
-                   class="h-9 w-full rounded-md border border-line bg-inset px-3 font-mono text-sm text-ink placeholder:text-ink-4 focus:border-accent/40 focus:outline-none" />
-            @error('username')<p class="mt-1 flex items-center gap-1.5 font-mono text-[11px] text-offline"><x-icon name="alert" class="h-3.5 w-3.5 shrink-0" />{{ $message }}</p>@enderror
-        </div>
-
         <div>
             <label class="mb-1 block font-mono text-[11px] uppercase tracking-wider text-ink-3">{{ __('terminal.host_field_auth') }}</label>
             <select wire:model.live="authType"
diff --git a/tests/Feature/TerminalTest.php b/tests/Feature/TerminalTest.php
index 2c4653b..e6d669c 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/TerminalTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/TerminalTest.php
@@ -178,7 +178,6 @@ class TerminalTest extends TestCase
     public function test_host_shell_modal_saves_the_singleton(): void
     {
         Livewire::test(HostShell::class)
-            ->set('host', '10.0.0.1')
             ->set('port', 22)
             ->set('username', 'root')
             ->set('authType', 'password')
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ class TerminalTest extends TestCase
 
         $hc = HostCredential::current();
         $this->assertNotNull($hc);
-        $this->assertSame('10.0.0.1', $hc->host);
+        $this->assertSame('host.docker.internal', $hc->host); // fixed to the local machine, not operator-set
         $this->assertSame('root', $hc->username);
         $this->assertSame('hunter2pw', $hc->secret); // round-trips through the encrypted cast
     }