NullPointer when building Topology data for netconf node when Host Name fails to resolve

With the following config file present in etc/opendaylight/current/ ODL is unable to startup ; hangs at the point shown in the logs and throws countless errors about missing models:

Exception in thread "config-pusher" java.lang.IllegalStateException: Unable to push configuration due to missing yang models. Required yang models that are missing: [urn:opendaylight:params:xml:ns:yang:controller:config:netconf:client:dispatcher?module=odl-netconfig-client-cfg&revision=2014-04-08, urn:opendaylight:params:xml:ns:yang:controller:config:netconf?module=odl-netconf-cfg&revision=2014-04-08, urn:opendaylight:params:xml:ns:yang:controller:md:sal:connector:netconf?module=odl-sal-netconf-connector-cfg&revision=2013-10-28]

Problem is readily reproducible.

Removing the config file and reloading allows the controller to start up.