diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 33380ad4..73de3ce5 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ byobu (4.14) unreleased; urgency=low
     - import constants
   * usr/lib/byobu/date:
     - add trailing whitespace back
+  * usr/lib/byobu/.shutil:
+    - fix slow/lag associated with testing for metadata server
 
  -- Dustin Kirkland <kirkland@ubuntu.com>  Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:16:29 -0500
 
diff --git a/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil b/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil
index 4fb4526b..fb2c2b13 100755
--- a/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil
+++ b/usr/lib/byobu/.shutil
@@ -105,7 +105,14 @@ readfile() {
 }
 
 metadata_available() {
-	wget -q -O- --timeout=1 http://169.254.169.254
+	# This is really ugly.  We need a reliable, fast way of determining
+	# if a metadata service is available, that does NOT slow down non-ec2
+	# machines.
+	if grep -qs "^domain ec2.internal" /etc/resolv.conf; then
+		wget -q -O- --timeout=1 http://169.254.169.254
+	else
+		false
+	fi
 }
 
 status_freq() {