diff --git a/simple_iot.h b/simple_iot.h
index 2802172..bee6829 100644
--- a/simple_iot.h
+++ b/simple_iot.h
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@ private:
 	const char* _mqtt_pass;
 	const char* _mqtt_topic;
 	unsigned long _startup_complete_at = 0;
-	bool _chip_id_added = false;
 	bool _initialized = false;
 
 	void _setup();
@@ -67,14 +66,13 @@ private:
 	void _check_report_handlers();
 	String _get_report_handler_result(IOTReportHandler* h, bool force_update);
 public:
-	SimpleIOT(const char* wifi_ssid, const char* wifi_pass, String hostname);
+	SimpleIOT(const char* wifi_ssid, const char* wifi_pass, String hostname, bool append_chip_id=false);
 	void setStartupDelay(uint16_t delay);
 	void setMQTTData(const char* mqtt_host, uint16_t mqtt_port,
 	                 const char* mqtt_user, const char* mqtt_pass,
 	                 const char* mqtt_topic);
 	void setMQTTData(const char* mqtt_host, uint16_t mqtt_port,
 	                 const char* mqtt_topic);
-	void addChipIdToHostname();
 	void begin();
 	void loop();
 	bool act_on(String topic, IOTActionHandlerFunction f);
@@ -90,36 +88,23 @@ public:
  * @param hostname The hostname this device will use to identify itself.
  *                 It will be used as WiFi client name and for the mDNS stuff
  *                 of the OTA daemon.
- *
- * @see addChipIdToHostname()
+ * @param append_chip_id If true, the ESP's chipID will be appended to the hostname.
+ *                       This can be useful in networks with more than one ESPs with
+ *                       the given hostname. `test` becomes `test-13D93B0A`.
  */
-SimpleIOT::SimpleIOT(const char* wifi_ssid, const char* wifi_pass, String hostname) {
+SimpleIOT::SimpleIOT(const char* wifi_ssid, const char* wifi_pass, String hostname, bool append_chip_id) {
 	Serial.begin(74880);
 	_wifi_ssid = wifi_ssid;
 	_wifi_pass = wifi_pass;
+	if (append_chip_id) {
+		char* temp = new char[9];
+		snprintf(temp, 9, "-%08X", ESP.getChipId());
+		hostname.concat(temp);
+		delete temp;
+	}
 	_hostname = hostname;
 }
 
-/**
- * Appends the internal ID of the ESP8266 to the hostname given in the constructor.
- * This makes the hostname a network with multiple ESP8266s.
- *
- * Example: `iot_test` becomes `iot_text-13D93B0A`.
- *
- * @warning This method has to be called before calling begin().
- */
-void SimpleIOT::addChipIdToHostname() {
-	if (_initialized) return;
-	if (_chip_id_added) return;
-	char* temp = new char[9];
-	snprintf(temp, 9, "-%08X", ESP.getChipId());
-	String temp2(_hostname);
-	temp2.concat(temp);
-	delete temp;
-	_hostname = temp2.c_str();
-	_chip_id_added = true;
-}
-
 /**
  * Defines a startup delay to give a chance of doing an OTA update.
  * During development there are situations where a bug in code leads to quickly