diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 7e8f690..7ca91f4 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub chunk_size: usize,
     pub database_url: String,
     pub coordinator_bind: SocketAddr,
-    pub coordinator_addr: SocketAddr,
+    pub coordinator_addr: String,
     pub worker_name: String,
 }
 
@@ -59,12 +59,7 @@ impl Config {
                 .unwrap_or_else(|| "0.0.0.0:666".parse().expect("valid default bind address")),
             coordinator_addr: cli
                 .coordinator_addr
-                .or_else(|| parse_socket_addr("COORDINATOR_ADDR", "127.0.0.1:666").ok())
-                .unwrap_or_else(|| {
-                    "127.0.0.1:666"
-                        .parse()
-                        .expect("valid default coordinator address")
-                }),
+                .unwrap_or_else(|| read_env("COORDINATOR_ADDR", "127.0.0.1:666")),
             worker_name: cli.worker_name.unwrap_or_else(default_worker_name),
         })
     }
@@ -76,7 +71,7 @@ struct CliArgs {
     cidr_file: Option<PathBuf>,
     database_url: Option<String>,
     coordinator_bind: Option<SocketAddr>,
-    coordinator_addr: Option<SocketAddr>,
+    coordinator_addr: Option<String>,
     worker_name: Option<String>,
     port: Option<u16>,
     timeout_ms: Option<u64>,
@@ -108,11 +103,7 @@ impl CliArgs {
                     )?)?);
                 }
                 "--connect" => {
-                    cli.coordinator_addr = Some(parse_socket_addr_literal(&next_value(
-                        args,
-                        &mut index,
-                        "--connect",
-                    )?)?);
+                    cli.coordinator_addr = Some(next_value(args, &mut index, "--connect")?);
                 }
                 "--name" => {
                     cli.worker_name = Some(next_value(args, &mut index, "--name")?);
diff --git a/src/worker.rs b/src/worker.rs
index 8a4d968..1909f8b 100644
--- a/src/worker.rs
+++ b/src/worker.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ pub async fn run_worker(config: Config, ui: Arc<TerminalUi>) -> Result<()> {
         ui.print_banner();
     }
 
-    let stream = connect_with_retry(config.coordinator_addr).await?;
+    let stream = connect_with_retry(&config.coordinator_addr).await?;
     let (read_half, mut write_half) = stream.into_split();
     let mut lines = BufReader::new(read_half).lines();
     write_half
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ pub async fn run_worker(config: Config, ui: Arc<TerminalUi>) -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-async fn connect_with_retry(addr: std::net::SocketAddr) -> Result<TcpStream> {
+async fn connect_with_retry(addr: &str) -> Result<TcpStream> {
     let mut attempts = 0usize;
 
     loop {