diff --git a/direct/src/p3d/coreapi.pdef b/direct/src/p3d/coreapi.pdef
index 91763f9a87..2940b88031 100644
--- a/direct/src/p3d/coreapi.pdef
+++ b/direct/src/p3d/coreapi.pdef
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ from pandac.PandaModules import getModelPath, Filename, ConfigVariableFilename
 
 # Also see panda3d.pdef.
 
+packager.setHost('file:///c:/cygwin/home/drose/p3dstage',
+                 downloadUrl = 'file:///c:/cygwin/home/drose/p3dstage_1',
+                 mirrors = ['file:///c:/cygwin/home/drose/mirror1',
+                            'file:///c:/cygwin/home/drose/mirror2',
+                            'http://www.ddrose.com/~drose/mirror3',
+                            'http://www.ddrose.com/~drose/mirror4'])
+
 class coreapi(solo):
     # The special "coreapi" package.  As a "solo", this is just a
     # single .dll (or dylib, or whatever).
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.cpp b/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.cpp
index 87723ca89e..bf8498f95e 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.cpp
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.cpp
@@ -162,28 +162,7 @@ read_contents_file(const string &contents_filename) {
   if (xcontents != NULL) {
     // Look for the <host> entry; it might point us at a different
     // download URL, and it might mention some mirrors.
-    string host_url = PANDA_PACKAGE_HOST_URL;
-    TiXmlElement *xhost = xcontents->FirstChildElement("host");
-    if (xhost != NULL) {
-      const char *url = xhost->Attribute("url");
-      if (url != NULL && host_url == string(url)) {
-        // We're the primary host.  This is the normal case.
-        read_xhost(xhost);
-
-      } else {
-        // We're not the primary host; perhaps we're an alternate host.
-        TiXmlElement *xalthost = xhost->FirstChildElement("alt_host");
-        while (xalthost != NULL) {
-          const char *url = xalthost->Attribute("url");
-          if (url != NULL && host_url == string(url)) {
-            // Yep, we're this alternate host.
-            read_xhost(xhost);
-            break;
-          }
-          xalthost = xalthost->NextSiblingElement("alt_host");
-        }
-      }
-    }
+    find_host(xcontents);
 
     // Now look for the core API package.
     TiXmlElement *xpackage = xcontents->FirstChildElement("package");
@@ -207,6 +186,43 @@ read_contents_file(const string &contents_filename) {
   return false;
 }
 
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+//     Function: PPInstance::find_host
+//       Access: Private
+//  Description: Scans the <contents> element for the matching <host>
+//               element.
+////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+void PPInstance::
+find_host(TiXmlElement *xcontents) {
+  string host_url = PANDA_PACKAGE_HOST_URL;
+  TiXmlElement *xhost = xcontents->FirstChildElement("host");
+  if (xhost != NULL) {
+    const char *url = xhost->Attribute("url");
+    if (url != NULL && host_url == string(url)) {
+      // We're the primary host.  This is the normal case.
+      read_xhost(xhost);
+      return;
+
+    } else {
+      // We're not the primary host; perhaps we're an alternate host.
+      TiXmlElement *xalthost = xhost->FirstChildElement("alt_host");
+      while (xalthost != NULL) {
+        const char *url = xalthost->Attribute("url");
+        if (url != NULL && host_url == string(url)) {
+          // Yep, we're this alternate host.
+          read_xhost(xhost);
+          return;
+        }
+        xalthost = xalthost->NextSiblingElement("alt_host");
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Hmm, didn't find the URL we used mentioned.  Assume we're the
+    // primary host.
+    read_xhost(xhost);
+  }
+}
+
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 //     Function: PPInstance::read_xhost
 //       Access: Private
diff --git a/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.h b/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.h
index 37e6ffa819..f9b5c48c0b 100644
--- a/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.h
+++ b/direct/src/plugin_activex/PPInstance.h
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ protected:
     int CopyFile( const std::string& from, const std::string& to );
 
     bool read_contents_file(const std::string &contents_filename);
+    void find_host(TiXmlElement *xcontents);
     void read_xhost(TiXmlElement *xhost);
     void add_mirror(std::string mirror_url);
     void choose_random_mirrors(std::vector<std::string> &result, int num_mirrors);