diff --git a/elasticsearch/client/__init__.py b/elasticsearch/client/__init__.py
index 00c0066e..f0930c31 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/client/__init__.py
+++ b/elasticsearch/client/__init__.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import weakref
+import logging
 
 from ..transport import Transport
 from ..exceptions import NotFoundError, TransportError
@@ -6,6 +7,8 @@ from .indices import IndicesClient
 from .cluster import ClusterClient
 from .utils import query_params, _make_path
 
+logger = logging.getLogger('elasticsearch')
+
 def _normalize_hosts(hosts):
     """
     Helper function to transform hosts argument to
@@ -15,10 +18,23 @@ def _normalize_hosts(hosts):
     if hosts is None:
         return [{}]
 
+    # passed in just one string
+    if isinstance(hosts, (type(''), type(u''))):
+        hosts = [hosts]
+
     out = []
     # normalize hosts to dicts
     for i, host in enumerate(hosts):
         if isinstance(host, (type(''), type(u''))):
+            host = host.strip('/')
+            # remove schema information
+            if '://' in host:
+                logger.warn(
+                    "List of nodes should not include schema information (http://): %r.",
+                    host
+                )
+                host = host[host.index('://') + 3:]
+
             h = {"host": host}
             if ':' in host:
                 # TODO: detect auth urls
diff --git a/test_elasticsearch/test_client/__init__.py b/test_elasticsearch/test_client/__init__.py
index 800ecb0b..9ffba6a8 100644
--- a/test_elasticsearch/test_client/__init__.py
+++ b/test_elasticsearch/test_client/__init__.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from mock import patch
+
 from elasticsearch.client import _normalize_hosts
 
 from ..test_cases import TestCase, ElasticsearchTestCase
@@ -18,6 +20,22 @@ class TestNormalizeHosts(TestCase):
     def test_dicts_are_left_unchanged(self):
         self.assertEquals([{"host": "local", "extra": 123}], _normalize_hosts([{"host": "local", "extra": 123}]))
 
+    @patch('elasticsearch.client.logger')
+    def test_schema_is_stripped_out(self, logger):
+        self.assertEquals(
+            [{"host": "elasticsearch.org", "port": 9200}],
+            _normalize_hosts(["http://elasticsearch.org:9200/"])
+        )
+        # schema triggers a warning
+        self.assertEquals(1, logger.warn.call_count)
+
+    def test_single_string_is_wrapped_in_list(self):
+        self.assertEquals(
+            [{"host": "elasticsearch.org"}],
+            _normalize_hosts("elasticsearch.org")
+        )
+
+
 class TestClient(ElasticsearchTestCase):
     def test_from_in_search(self):
         self.client.search(index='i', doc_type='t', from_=10)