diff --git a/include/wassail/data/mpirun.hpp b/include/wassail/data/mpirun.hpp
index 28b6592..f82fa09 100644
--- a/include/wassail/data/mpirun.hpp
+++ b/include/wassail/data/mpirun.hpp
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@
 #ifndef _WASSAIL_DATA_MPIRUN_HPP
 #define _WASSAIL_DATA_MPIRUN_HPP
 
+#include <list>
 #include <string>
-#include <vector>
 #include <wassail/data/shell_command.hpp>
 
 namespace wassail {
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace wassail {
 
       std::string hostfile; /*!< Path to file containing list of hosts */
 
-      std::vector<std::string> hostlist; /*!< List of hosts */
+      std::list<std::string> hostlist; /*!< List of hosts */
 
       std::string mpirun_args; /*!< extra mpirun arguments */
 
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ namespace wassail {
        * \param[in] program MPI program to launch
        * \param[in] mpi_impl MPI implementation
        */
-      mpirun(uint32_t num_procs, std::vector<std::string> hostlist,
+      mpirun(uint32_t num_procs, std::list<std::string> hostlist,
              std::string program, mpi_impl_t mpi_impl = mpi_impl_t::OPENMPI)
           : mpirun(num_procs, 0, hostlist, "", program, "", 60, mpi_impl) {};
 
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ namespace wassail {
        * \param[in] mpi_impl MPI implementation
        */
       mpirun(uint32_t num_procs, uint32_t per_node,
-             std::vector<std::string> hostlist, std::string mpirun_args,
+             std::list<std::string> hostlist, std::string mpirun_args,
              std::string program, std::string program_args, uint8_t timeout,
              mpi_impl_t mpi_impl = mpi_impl_t::OPENMPI);
 
diff --git a/include/wassail/data/osu_micro_benchmarks.hpp b/include/wassail/data/osu_micro_benchmarks.hpp
index 7561de8..1c54c9e 100644
--- a/include/wassail/data/osu_micro_benchmarks.hpp
+++ b/include/wassail/data/osu_micro_benchmarks.hpp
@@ -73,8 +73,7 @@ namespace wassail {
        * \param[in] osu_benchmark OSU micro-benchmark to launch
        * \param[in] mpi_impl MPI implementation
        */
-      osu_micro_benchmarks(uint32_t num_procs,
-                           std::vector<std::string> hostlist,
+      osu_micro_benchmarks(uint32_t num_procs, std::list<std::string> hostlist,
                            osu_benchmark_t osu_benchmark,
                            mpi_impl_t mpi_impl = mpi_impl_t::OPENMPI)
           : osu_micro_benchmarks(num_procs, 0, hostlist, "", osu_benchmark, 60,
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ namespace wassail {
        * \param[in] mpi_impl MPI implementation
        */
       osu_micro_benchmarks(uint32_t num_procs, uint32_t per_node,
-                           std::vector<std::string> hostlist,
+                           std::list<std::string> hostlist,
                            std::string mpirun_args,
                            osu_benchmark_t osu_benchmark, uint8_t timeout,
                            mpi_impl_t mpi_impl = mpi_impl_t::OPENMPI)
diff --git a/src/data/mpirun.cpp b/src/data/mpirun.cpp
index ebe3369..9a37aa1 100644
--- a/src/data/mpirun.cpp
+++ b/src/data/mpirun.cpp
@@ -8,10 +8,10 @@
 #include "internal.hpp"
 
 #include <cstdlib>
+#include <list>
 #include <numeric>
 #include <stdexcept>
 #include <string>
-#include <vector>
 #include <wassail/data/mpirun.hpp>
 
 namespace wassail {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace wassail {
     }
 
     mpirun::mpirun(uint32_t num_procs, uint32_t per_node,
-                   std::vector<std::string> hostlist, std::string mpirun_args,
+                   std::list<std::string> hostlist, std::string mpirun_args,
                    std::string program, std::string program_args,
                    uint8_t timeout, mpi_impl_t mpi_impl)
         : mpi_impl(mpi_impl), hostlist(hostlist), mpirun_args(mpirun_args),
@@ -65,7 +65,8 @@ namespace wassail {
           /* create comma separated list */
           command += wassail::format(
               " -hosts {0}",
-              std::accumulate(hostlist.begin() + 1, hostlist.end(), hostlist[0],
+              std::accumulate(std::next(hostlist.begin()), hostlist.end(),
+                              hostlist.front(),
                               [](const std::string &a, std::string b) {
                                 return a + "," + b;
                               }));
@@ -105,7 +106,8 @@ namespace wassail {
           /* create comma separated list */
           command += wassail::format(
               " -H {0}",
-              std::accumulate(hostlist.begin() + 1, hostlist.end(), hostlist[0],
+              std::accumulate(std::next(hostlist.begin()), hostlist.end(),
+                              hostlist.front(),
                               [](const std::string &a, std::string b) {
                                 return a + "," + b;
                               }));
@@ -153,7 +155,7 @@ namespace wassail {
 
       d.hostfile = j.value(json::json_pointer("/configuration/hostfile"), "");
       d.hostlist = j.value(json::json_pointer("/configuration/hostlist"),
-                           std::vector<std::string>({}));
+                           std::list<std::string>({}));
 
       std::string mpi_impl =
           j.value(json::json_pointer("/configuration/mpi_impl"), "");
diff --git a/src/python/data.cpp b/src/python/data.cpp
index f09657f..4ceddfc 100644
--- a/src/python/data.cpp
+++ b/src/python/data.cpp
@@ -68,10 +68,10 @@ void py_data(py::module &m) {
       .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::string>())
       .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::string, wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
       .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::string, std::string>())
-      .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::vector<std::string>, std::string>())
+      .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::list<std::string>, std::string>())
       .def(py::init<uint32_t, uint32_t, std::string, std::string, std::string,
                     std::string, uint8_t, wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
-      .def(py::init<uint32_t, uint32_t, std::vector<std::string>, std::string,
+      .def(py::init<uint32_t, uint32_t, std::list<std::string>, std::string,
                     std::string, std::string, uint8_t,
                     wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
       .def("__str__",
@@ -103,13 +103,13 @@ void py_data(py::module &m) {
       .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::string,
                     wassail::data::osu_micro_benchmarks::osu_benchmark_t,
                     wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
-      .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::vector<std::string>,
+      .def(py::init<uint32_t, std::list<std::string>,
                     wassail::data::osu_micro_benchmarks::osu_benchmark_t,
                     wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
       .def(py::init<uint32_t, uint32_t, std::string, std::string,
                     wassail::data::osu_micro_benchmarks::osu_benchmark_t,
                     uint8_t, wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
-      .def(py::init<uint32_t, uint32_t, std::vector<std::string>, std::string,
+      .def(py::init<uint32_t, uint32_t, std::list<std::string>, std::string,
                     wassail::data::osu_micro_benchmarks::osu_benchmark_t,
                     uint8_t, wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t>())
       .def("__str__",
diff --git a/test/data/test_mpirun.cpp b/test/data/test_mpirun.cpp
index cc35715..c1425c9 100644
--- a/test/data/test_mpirun.cpp
+++ b/test/data/test_mpirun.cpp
@@ -9,9 +9,9 @@
 #include "3rdparty/catch/catch.hpp"
 #include "3rdparty/catch/catch_reporter_automake.hpp"
 
+#include <list>
 #include <string>
 #include <unistd.h>
-#include <vector>
 #include <wassail/data/mpirun.hpp>
 
 /* Some tests may fail if mpi is not setup */
@@ -50,8 +50,8 @@ TEST_CASE("mpirun hostfile usage") {
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("mpirun hostlist usage") {
-  auto d1 = wassail::data::mpirun(
-      2, std::vector<std::string>({"node1", "node2"}), "a.out");
+  auto d1 = wassail::data::mpirun(2, std::list<std::string>({"node1", "node2"}),
+                                  "a.out");
 
   if (getuid() == 0 and d1.allow_run_as_root) {
     REQUIRE(d1.command == "mpirun -n 2 -H node1,node2 --allow-run-as-root -x "
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ TEST_CASE("mpirun hostlist usage") {
   }
 
   auto d2 =
-      wassail::data::mpirun(2, std::vector<std::string>({"node1", "node2"}),
+      wassail::data::mpirun(2, std::list<std::string>({"node1", "node2"}),
                             "a.out", wassail::data::mpirun::mpi_impl_t::MPICH);
   REQUIRE(d2.command ==
           "MPIEXEC_TIMEOUT=60 mpirun -n 2 -hosts node1,node2 a.out");