diff --git a/koji/daemon.py b/koji/daemon.py
index 1fab1635..2fe583c1 100644
--- a/koji/daemon.py
+++ b/koji/daemon.py
@@ -1039,8 +1039,7 @@ class TaskManager(object):
 
     def getNextTask(self):
         self.ready = self.readyForTask()
-        self.session.host.updateHost(self.task_load, self.ready)
-        self.session.host.setHostData(json.dumps(self._get_host_data()))
+        self.session.host.updateHost(self.task_load, self.ready, data=self._get_host_data())
         if not self.ready:
             self.logger.info("Not ready for task")
             return False
diff --git a/kojihub/kojihub.py b/kojihub/kojihub.py
index 1abb21d9..90f7d5e9 100644
--- a/kojihub/kojihub.py
+++ b/kojihub/kojihub.py
@@ -14704,10 +14704,19 @@ class HostExports(object):
         host.verify()
         return host.id
 
-    def updateHost(self, task_load, ready):
+    def updateHost(self, task_load, ready, data=None):
+        """Update host data
+
+        :param float task_load: current task load
+        :param bool ready: whether the host is ready to take a task
+        :param dict data: data for the scheduler
+
+        """
         host = Host()
         host.verify()
         host.updateHost(task_load, ready)
+        if data is not None:
+            scheduler.set_host_data(host.id, data)
 
     def getLoadData(self):
         host = Host()
@@ -14761,21 +14770,21 @@ class HostExports(object):
         return task.setWeight(weight)
 
     def setHostData(self, hostdata):
-        """Builder will update all its resources
+        """Provide host data for the scheduler
 
-        Initial implementation contains:
-          - available task methods
-          - maxjobs
-          - host readiness
+        :param dict hostdata: host data
+
+        For backwards compatibility, we also accept hostdata as a string containing a
+        json-encoded dictionary.
         """
         host = Host()
         host.verify()
-        upsert = UpsertProcessor(
-            table='scheduler_host_data',
-            keys=['host_id'],
-            data={'host_id': host.id, 'data': hostdata},
-        )
-        upsert.execute()
+        if isinstance(hostdata, str):
+            # for backwards compatibility
+            data = json.loads(hostdata)
+        else:
+            data = hostdata
+        scheduler.set_host_data(host.id, hostdata)
 
     def getTasks(self):
         host = Host()
diff --git a/kojihub/scheduler.py b/kojihub/scheduler.py
index 12ae9894..511fcd82 100644
--- a/kojihub/scheduler.py
+++ b/kojihub/scheduler.py
@@ -153,6 +153,17 @@ def get_host_data(hostID=None):
     return query.execute()
 
 
+def set_host_data(hostID, data):
+    if not isinstance(data, dict):
+        raise koji.ParameterError('Host data should be a dictionary')
+    upsert = UpsertProcessor(
+        table='scheduler_host_data',
+        keys=['host_id'],
+        data={'host_id': hostID, 'data': json.dumps(data)},
+    )
+    upsert.execute()
+
+
 class TaskRunsQuery(QueryView):
 
     tables = ['scheduler_task_runs']