diff --git a/weavedns/README.md b/weavedns/README.md
index 83576f7c..1eb8b262 100644
--- a/weavedns/README.md
+++ b/weavedns/README.md
@@ -134,6 +134,21 @@ that you can use unqualified hostnames. Use `--dns-search=.` to make
 the resolver use the container's domain, or e.g.,
 `--dns-search=weave.local` to make it look in `weave.local`.
 
+### Using a different local domain
+
+By default, WeaveDNS uses `weave.local.` as the domain for names on the
+Weave network. In general users do not need to change this domain, but you
+can force WeaveDNS to use a different domain by launching it
+with the `--domain` argument. For example,
+
+```bash
+$ weave launch-dns 10.2.254.1/24 --domain="mycompany.local."
+```
+
+The local domain should end with `local.`, since these names are
+link-local as per [RFC6762](https://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc6762),
+(though this is not strictly neccessary).
+
 ### Adding containers to DNS
 
 If DNS is started after you've attached a container to the weave
diff --git a/weavedns/main.go b/weavedns/main.go
index 476282b8..b7ae993a 100644
--- a/weavedns/main.go
+++ b/weavedns/main.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func main() {
 		justVersion bool
 		ifaceName   string
 		apiPath     string
-		localDomain string
+		domain      string
 		dnsPort     int
 		httpPort    int
 		wait        int
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ func main() {
 	flag.BoolVar(&justVersion, "version", false, "print version and exit")
 	flag.StringVar(&ifaceName, "iface", "", "name of interface to use for multicast")
 	flag.StringVar(&apiPath, "api", "unix:///var/run/docker.sock", "path to Docker API socket")
-	flag.StringVar(&localDomain, "localDomain", weavedns.DefaultLocalDomain, "local domain (ie, 'weave.local.')")
+	flag.StringVar(&domain, "domain", weavedns.DefaultLocalDomain, "local domain (ie, 'weave.local.')")
 	flag.IntVar(&wait, "wait", 0, "number of seconds to wait for interface to be created and come up")
 	flag.IntVar(&dnsPort, "dnsport", weavedns.DefaultServerPort, "port to listen to DNS requests")
 	flag.IntVar(&httpPort, "httpport", 6785, "port to listen to HTTP requests")
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func main() {
 	srvConfig := weavedns.DNSServerConfig{
 		Port:        dnsPort,
 		CacheLen:    cacheLen,
-		LocalDomain: localDomain,
+		LocalDomain: domain,
 		Timeout:     timeout,
 		UDPBufLen:   udpbuf,
 	}
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ func main() {
 	Debug.Printf("Starting the signals handler")
 	go handleSignals(srv)
 
-	go weavedns.ListenHTTP(version, srv, localDomain, zone, httpPort)
+	go weavedns.ListenHTTP(version, srv, domain, zone, httpPort)
 	err = srv.Start()
 	if err != nil {
 		Error.Fatal("Failed to start the WeaveDNS server", err)