diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 7240b17..db72b27 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 CONTRIBUTIONS & CHANGE HISTORY
 ==============================
 
+21-09-2018  - v4.4.2
+             * Fix for #163 - default to using IPv4
+
 23-08-2018  - v4.4.1
              * Fixes to TLS socket handling (PR#163)
              * Fix ipv6 address family handling (PR#155)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d2d42e7..5080bf2 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 
 **Comments to:** chandrashekhar.mullaparthi@gmail.com
 
-**Current Version:** 4.4
+**Current Version:** 4.4.2
 
 **Latest Version:** git://github.com/cmullaparthi/ibrowse.git
 
diff --git a/src/ibrowse.app.src b/src/ibrowse.app.src
index 7702e80..5882ff2 100644
--- a/src/ibrowse.app.src
+++ b/src/ibrowse.app.src
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {application, ibrowse,
         [{description, "Erlang HTTP client application"},
-         {vsn, "4.4.1"},
+         {vsn, "4.4.2"},
          {registered, [ibrowse_sup, ibrowse]},
          {applications, [kernel,stdlib]},
 	 {env, []},
diff --git a/src/ibrowse_http_client.erl b/src/ibrowse_http_client.erl
index 5faf074..e59228c 100644
--- a/src/ibrowse_http_client.erl
+++ b/src/ibrowse_http_client.erl
@@ -605,12 +605,18 @@
 
 get_sock_options(Host, Options, SSLOptions) ->
     Caller_socket_options = get_value(socket_options, Options, []),
-    Ipv6Options = case is_ipv6_host(Host) of
-        true ->
-            [inet6];
-        false ->
-            []
-    end,
+    PreferIPv6 = get_value(prefer_ipv6, Options, false),
+    Ipv6Options = case PreferIPv6 of
+                      true ->
+                          case is_ipv6_host(Host) of
+                              true ->
+                                  [inet6];
+                              false ->
+                                  []
+                          end;
+                      false ->
+                          []
+                  end,
     Other_sock_options = filter_sock_options(SSLOptions ++ Caller_socket_options ++ Ipv6Options),
     case lists:keysearch(nodelay, 1, Other_sock_options) of
         false ->