diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py
index 5058cc74..2d558417 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/config.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ def read_config(inipath):
 class Config:
     def __init__(self, inipath, params):
         self._inipath = inipath
-        self.mailname = self.mail_domain = params["mailname"]
+        self.mail_domain = params["mail_domain"]
         self.max_user_send_per_minute = int(params["max_user_send_per_minute"])
         self.filtermail_smtp_port = int(params["filtermail_smtp_port"])
         self.postfix_reinject_port = int(params["postfix_reinject_port"])
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ class Config:
         return open(self._inipath, "rb")
 
 
-def write_initial_config(inipath, mailname):
+def write_initial_config(inipath, mail_domain):
     from importlib.resources import files
 
     inidir = files(__package__).joinpath("ini")
-    content = inidir.joinpath("chatmail.ini.f").read_text().format(mailname=mailname)
-    if mailname.endswith(".testrun.org"):
+    content = inidir.joinpath("chatmail.ini.f").read_text().format(mail_domain=mail_domain)
+    if mail_domain.endswith(".testrun.org"):
         override_inipath = inidir.joinpath("override-testrun.ini")
         privacy = iniconfig.IniConfig(override_inipath)["privacy"]
         lines = []
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f
index 3b95f854..ba578c73 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/ini/chatmail.ini.f
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 [params]
 
 # mail domain (MUST be set to fully qualified chat mail domain)
-mailname = {mailname}
+mail_domain = {mail_domain}
 
 #
 # If you only do private test deploys, you don't need to modify any settings below
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/newemail.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/newemail.py
index 4fbc0df6..9fd8fef6 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/newemail.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/newemail.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import json
 import random
 
-mailname_path = "/etc/mailname"
+mail_domain_path = "/etc/mailname"
 
 
 def create_newemail_dict(domain):
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ def create_newemail_dict(domain):
 
 
 def print_new_account():
-    domain = open(mailname_path).read().strip()
+    domain = open(mail_domain_path).read().strip()
     creds = create_newemail_dict(domain=domain)
 
     print("Content-Type: application/json")
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/plugin.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/plugin.py
index 4a7e708a..e9383fbc 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/plugin.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/plugin.py
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ from chatmaild.config import read_config, write_initial_config
 def make_config(tmp_path):
     inipath = tmp_path.joinpath("chatmail.ini")
 
-    def make_conf(mailname):
-        write_initial_config(inipath, mailname=mailname)
+    def make_conf(mail_domain):
+        write_initial_config(inipath, mail_domain=mail_domain)
         return read_config(inipath)
 
     return make_conf
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ def example_config(make_config):
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def maildomain(example_config):
-    return example_config.mailname
+    return example_config.mail_domain
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_config.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_config.py
index b95aed90..fb9ab2fc 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_config.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from chatmaild.config import read_config
 
 def test_read_config_basic(make_config):
     config = make_config("chat.example.org")
-    assert config.mailname == "chat.example.org"
+    assert config.mail_domain == "chat.example.org"
     assert not config.privacy_supervisor and not config.privacy_mail
     assert not config.privacy_pdo and not config.privacy_postal
 
@@ -11,12 +11,12 @@ def test_read_config_basic(make_config):
     inipath.write_text(inipath.read_text().replace("60", "37"))
     config = read_config(inipath)
     assert config.max_user_send_per_minute == 37
-    assert config.mailname == "chat.example.org"
+    assert config.mail_domain == "chat.example.org"
 
 
 def test_read_config_testrun(make_config):
     config = make_config("something.testrun.org")
-    assert config.mailname == "something.testrun.org"
+    assert config.mail_domain == "something.testrun.org"
     assert len(config.privacy_postal.split("\n")) > 1
     assert len(config.privacy_supervisor.split("\n")) > 1
     assert len(config.privacy_pdo.split("\n")) > 1
diff --git a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_newmail.py b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_newmail.py
index 8d13f981..f67718d5 100644
--- a/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_newmail.py
+++ b/chatmaild/src/chatmaild/tests/test_newmail.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def test_create_newemail_dict():
 def test_print_new_account(capsys, monkeypatch, maildomain, tmpdir):
     p = tmpdir.join("mailname")
     p.write(maildomain)
-    monkeypatch.setattr(chatmaild.newemail, "mailname_path", str(p))
+    monkeypatch.setattr(chatmaild.newemail, "mail_domain_path", str(p))
     print_new_account()
     out, err = capsys.readouterr()
     lines = out.split("\n")
diff --git a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/__init__.py b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/__init__.py
index bb06c28f..d1dd66fc 100644
--- a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/__init__.py
+++ b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/__init__.py
@@ -347,8 +347,8 @@ def _configure_nginx(domain: str, debug: bool = False) -> bool:
 
 
 def check_config(config):
-    mailname = config.mailname
-    if mailname != "testrun.org" and not mailname.endswith(".testrun.org"):
+    mail_domain = config.mail_domain
+    if mail_domain != "testrun.org" and not mail_domain.endswith(".testrun.org"):
         blocked_words = "merlinux schmieder testrun.org".split()
         for value in config.__dict__.values():
             if any(x in value for x in blocked_words):
diff --git a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/cmdeploy.py b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/cmdeploy.py
index 7756b7f0..8588fea0 100644
--- a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/cmdeploy.py
+++ b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/cmdeploy.py
@@ -52,17 +52,17 @@ def run_cmd(args, out):
     """Deploy chatmail services on the remote server."""
 
     env = os.environ.copy()
-    env["CHATMAIL_DOMAIN"] = args.config.mailname
+    env["CHATMAIL_DOMAIN"] = args.config.mail_domain
     deploypy = "deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/deploy.py"
     pyinf = "pyinfra --dry" if args.dry_run else "pyinfra"
-    cmd = f"{pyinf} --ssh-user root {args.config.mailname} {deploypy}"
+    cmd = f"{pyinf} --ssh-user root {args.config.mail_domain} {deploypy}"
     out.check_call(cmd, env=env)
 
 
 def dns_cmd(args, out):
     """Generate dns zone file."""
     template = importlib.resources.files(__package__).joinpath("chatmail.zone.f")
-    ssh = f"ssh root@{args.config.mailname}"
+    ssh = f"ssh root@{args.config.mail_domain}"
 
     def read_dkim_entries(entry):
         lines = []
@@ -77,16 +77,16 @@ def dns_cmd(args, out):
     dkim_entry = read_dkim_entries(out.shell_output(f"{ssh} -- opendkim-genzone -F"))
 
     out(
-        f"[writing {args.config.mailname} zone data (using space as separator) to stdout output]",
+        f"[writing {args.config.mail_domain} zone data (using space as separator) to stdout output]",
         green=True,
     )
     print(
         template.read_text()
         .format(
             acme_account_url=acme_account_url,
-            email=f"root@{args.config.mailname}",
+            email=f"root@{args.config.mail_domain}",
             sts_id=datetime.datetime.now().strftime("%Y%m%d%H%M"),
-            chatmail_domain=args.config.mailname,
+            chatmail_domain=args.config.mail_domain,
             dkim_entry=dkim_entry,
         )
         .strip()
@@ -96,9 +96,9 @@ def dns_cmd(args, out):
 def status_cmd(args, out):
     """Display status for online chatmail instance."""
 
-    ssh = f"ssh root@{args.config.mailname}"
+    ssh = f"ssh root@{args.config.mail_domain}"
 
-    out.green(f"chatmail domain: {args.config.mailname}")
+    out.green(f"chatmail domain: {args.config.mail_domain}")
     if args.config.privacy_mail:
         out.green("privacy settings: present")
     else:
diff --git a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/postfix/main.cf.j2 b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/postfix/main.cf.j2
index 8ca20acd..6a082e07 100644
--- a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/postfix/main.cf.j2
+++ b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/postfix/main.cf.j2
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-myorigin = {{ config.mailname }}
+myorigin = {{ config.mail_domain }}
 
 smtpd_banner = $myhostname ESMTP $mail_name (Debian/GNU)
 biff = no
@@ -16,8 +16,8 @@ readme_directory = no
 compatibility_level = 2
 
 # TLS parameters
-smtpd_tls_cert_file=/var/lib/acme/live/{{ config.mailname }}/fullchain
-smtpd_tls_key_file=/var/lib/acme/live/{{ config.mailname }}/privkey
+smtpd_tls_cert_file=/var/lib/acme/live/{{ config.mail_domain }}/fullchain
+smtpd_tls_key_file=/var/lib/acme/live/{{ config.mail_domain }}/privkey
 smtpd_tls_security_level=may
 
 smtp_tls_CApath=/etc/ssl/certs
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ smtp_tls_session_cache_database = btree:${data_directory}/smtp_scache
 smtp_tls_policy_maps = socketmap:inet:127.0.0.1:8461:postfix
 
 smtpd_relay_restrictions = permit_mynetworks permit_sasl_authenticated defer_unauth_destination
-myhostname = {{ config.mailname }}
+myhostname = {{ config.mail_domain }}
 alias_maps = hash:/etc/aliases
 alias_database = hash:/etc/aliases
 
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ inet_interfaces = all
 inet_protocols = all
 
 virtual_transport = lmtp:unix:private/dovecot-lmtp
-virtual_mailbox_domains = {{ config.mailname }}
+virtual_mailbox_domains = {{ config.mail_domain }}
 
 smtpd_milters = unix:opendkim/opendkim.sock
 non_smtpd_milters = $smtpd_milters
diff --git a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/www.py b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/www.py
index 779086ac..40bebe2e 100644
--- a/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/www.py
+++ b/deploy-chatmail/src/deploy_chatmail/www.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ def build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config):
 
 
 def _build_webpages(src_dir, build_dir, config):
-    mail_domain = config.mailname
+    mail_domain = config.mail_domain
     assert src_dir.exists(), src_dir
     if not build_dir.exists():
         build_dir.mkdir()
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ def main():
     inipath = reporoot.joinpath("chatmail.ini")
     config = read_config(inipath)
     config.webdev = True
-    assert config.mailname
+    assert config.mail_domain
     www_path = reporoot.joinpath("www")
     src_path = www_path.joinpath("src")
     stats = None
diff --git a/tests/conftest.py b/tests/conftest.py
index cbbf75a0..2e96facd 100644
--- a/tests/conftest.py
+++ b/tests/conftest.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ def chatmail_config(pytestconfig):
 
 @pytest.fixture
 def maildomain(chatmail_config):
-    return chatmail_config.mailname
+    return chatmail_config.mail_domain
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
diff --git a/tests/test_cmdeploy.py b/tests/test_cmdeploy.py
index c38fb930..107fa66a 100644
--- a/tests/test_cmdeploy.py
+++ b/tests/test_cmdeploy.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ class TestCmdline:
         main(["init", "chat.example.org"])
         inipath = tmp_path.joinpath("chatmail.ini")
         config = read_config(inipath)
-        assert config.mailname == "chat.example.org"
+        assert config.mail_domain == "chat.example.org"
 
     def test_init_not_overwrite(self):
         main(["init", "chat.example.org"])