diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli_test.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli_test.go
index bdf9116a0..221bf55fa 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli_test.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/cli_test.go
@@ -769,7 +769,7 @@ func TestPrefsFromUpArgs(t *testing.T) {
 			args: upArgsT{
 				exitNodeIP: "foo",
 			},
-			wantErr: `invalid value "foo" for --exit-node; must be IP or unique node name`,
+			wantErr: `invalid value "foo" for --exit-node; must be IP or hostname`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "error_exit_node_allow_lan_without_exit_node",
diff --git a/cmd/tailscale/cli/exitnode.go b/cmd/tailscale/cli/exitnode.go
index 0445b66ae..7ba4859d7 100644
--- a/cmd/tailscale/cli/exitnode.go
+++ b/cmd/tailscale/cli/exitnode.go
@@ -138,7 +138,7 @@ func runExitNodeList(ctx context.Context, args []string) error {
 	fmt.Fprintln(w)
 	fmt.Fprintln(w)
 	fmt.Fprintln(w, "# To view the complete list of exit nodes for a country, use `tailscale exit-node list --filter=` followed by the country name.")
-	fmt.Fprintln(w, "# To use an exit node, use `tailscale set --exit-node=` followed by the hostname or IP.")
+	fmt.Fprintln(w, "# To use an exit node, use `tailscale set --exit-node=` followed by the IP or hostname.")
 	if hasAnyExitNodeSuggestions(peers) {
 		fmt.Fprintln(w, "# To have Tailscale suggest an exit node, use `tailscale exit-node suggest`.")
 	}
diff --git a/ipn/prefs.go b/ipn/prefs.go
index 1492bae38..9125df2c1 100644
--- a/ipn/prefs.go
+++ b/ipn/prefs.go
@@ -896,8 +896,17 @@ func exitNodeIPOfArg(s string, st *ipnstate.Status) (ip netip.Addr, err error) {
 	}
 	match := 0
 	for _, ps := range st.Peer {
-		baseName := dnsname.TrimSuffix(ps.DNSName, st.MagicDNSSuffix)
-		if !strings.EqualFold(s, baseName) && !strings.EqualFold(s, ps.DNSName) {
+		// Compare to the peer name in three forms:
+		//
+		//	- base name ("example")
+		//	- FQDN ("example.tail1234.ts.net.")
+		// 	- FQDN sans dot ("example.tail1234.ts.net", as returned by `tailscale exit-node list`
+		//	  and the admin console)
+		//
+		fqdn := ps.DNSName
+		baseName := dnsname.TrimSuffix(fqdn, st.MagicDNSSuffix)
+		fqdnSansDot := dnsname.TrimSuffix(fqdn, ".")
+		if !strings.EqualFold(s, baseName) && !strings.EqualFold(s, fqdn) && !strings.EqualFold(s, fqdnSansDot) {
 			continue
 		}
 		match++
@@ -911,7 +920,7 @@ func exitNodeIPOfArg(s string, st *ipnstate.Status) (ip netip.Addr, err error) {
 	}
 	switch match {
 	case 0:
-		return ip, fmt.Errorf("invalid value %q for --exit-node; must be IP or unique node name", s)
+		return ip, fmt.Errorf("invalid value %q for --exit-node; must be IP or hostname", s)
 	case 1:
 		if !isRemoteIP(st, ip) {
 			return ip, ExitNodeLocalIPError{s}
diff --git a/ipn/prefs_test.go b/ipn/prefs_test.go
index 24c8f194e..e16a5b519 100644
--- a/ipn/prefs_test.go
+++ b/ipn/prefs_test.go
@@ -1009,7 +1009,7 @@ func TestExitNodeIPOfArg(t *testing.T) {
 			name:    "no_match",
 			arg:     "unknown",
 			st:      &ipnstate.Status{MagicDNSSuffix: ".foo"},
-			wantErr: `invalid value "unknown" for --exit-node; must be IP or unique node name`,
+			wantErr: `invalid value "unknown" for --exit-node; must be IP or hostname`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "name",
@@ -1041,6 +1041,21 @@ func TestExitNodeIPOfArg(t *testing.T) {
 			},
 			want: mustIP("1.0.0.2"),
 		},
+		{
+			name: "name_fqdn_sans_dot",
+			arg:  "skippy.foo",
+			st: &ipnstate.Status{
+				MagicDNSSuffix: ".foo",
+				Peer: map[key.NodePublic]*ipnstate.PeerStatus{
+					key.NewNode().Public(): {
+						DNSName:        "skippy.foo.",
+						TailscaleIPs:   []netip.Addr{mustIP("1.0.0.2")},
+						ExitNodeOption: true,
+					},
+				},
+			},
+			want: mustIP("1.0.0.2"),
+		},
 		{
 			name: "name_not_exit",
 			arg:  "skippy",
@@ -1067,7 +1082,7 @@ func TestExitNodeIPOfArg(t *testing.T) {
 					},
 				},
 			},
-			wantErr: `invalid value "skippy.bar." for --exit-node; must be IP or unique node name`,
+			wantErr: `invalid value "skippy.bar." for --exit-node; must be IP or hostname`,
 		},
 		{
 			name: "ambiguous",