diff --git a/INSTALL b/INSTALL
index 86a8e5c..37d04f9 100644
--- a/INSTALL
+++ b/INSTALL
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ postfix-policyd-spf-perl:
 
   Perl 5.6
   version
+  NetAddr-IP 4
   Mail-SPF (not Mail-SPF-Query)
 
 Installing
diff --git a/debian/control b/debian/control
index f74c9a6..b04b78a 100644
--- a/debian/control
+++ b/debian/control
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Standards-Version: 3.7.2
 
 Package: postfix-policyd-spf-perl
 Architecture: all
-Depends: libversion-perl, libmail-spf-perl, ${perl:Depends}
+Depends: libversion-perl, libnetaddr-ip-perl (>= 4), libmail-spf-perl, ${perl:Depends}
 Recommends: postfix
 Description: pure-Perl Postfix policy daemon for RFC 4408 compliant SPF checking
  postfix-policyd-spf-perl is a Postfix SMTPd policy server for SPF checking.
diff --git a/postfix-policyd-spf-perl b/postfix-policyd-spf-perl
index 19277b2..9c6c92c 100755
--- a/postfix-policyd-spf-perl
+++ b/postfix-policyd-spf-perl
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ use strict;
 
 use IO::Handle;
 use Sys::Syslog qw(:DEFAULT setlogsock);
+use NetAddr::IP;
 use Mail::SPF;
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------
@@ -37,6 +38,10 @@ my $spf_server = Mail::SPF::Server->new();
 
 # Leaving this to make it easier to add more handlers later:
 my @HANDLERS = (
+    {
+        name => 'exempt_localhost',
+        code => \&exempt_localhost
+    },
     {
         name => 'sender_policy_framework',
         code => \&sender_policy_framework
@@ -58,6 +63,11 @@ my $syslog_facility = 'mail';
 my $syslog_options  = 'pid';
 my $syslog_ident    = 'postfix/policy-spf';
 
+use constant localhost_addresses => map(
+    NetAddr::IP->new($_),
+    qw(  127.0.0.0/8  ::ffff:127.0.0.0/104  ::1  )
+);  # Does Postfix ever say "client_address=::ffff:<ipv4-address>"?
+
 # ----------------------------------------------------------
 #                      initialization
 # ----------------------------------------------------------
@@ -115,26 +125,21 @@ while (<STDIN>) {
     my %responses;
     # Skip SPF check for local connections
 
-    if ($attr{client_address}=~ /^127\./) {
-        $action = "PREPEND X-SPF skipped - localhost is always allowed."
-    }
-    else {
-        foreach my $handler (@HANDLERS) {
-            my $handler_name = $handler->{name};
-            my $handler_code = $handler->{code};
-        
-            my $response = $handler_code->(attr => \%attr);
-        
-            if ($VERBOSE) {
-                syslog(debug => "handler %s: %s", $handler_name, $response);
-            }
-        
-            # Picks whatever response is not dunno
-            if ($response and $response !~ /^dunno/i) {
-                syslog(info => "handler %s: is decisive.", $handler_name);
-                $action = $response;
-                last;
-            }
+    foreach my $handler (@HANDLERS) {
+        my $handler_name = $handler->{name};
+        my $handler_code = $handler->{code};
+    
+        my $response = $handler_code->(attr => \%attr);
+    
+        if ($VERBOSE) {
+            syslog(debug => "handler %s: %s", $handler_name, $response);
+        }
+    
+        # Picks whatever response is not 'DUNNO'
+        if ($response and $response !~ /^DUNNO/i) {
+            syslog(info => "handler %s: is decisive.", $handler_name);
+            $action = $response;
+            last;
         }
     }
 
@@ -145,8 +150,22 @@ while (<STDIN>) {
 }
 
 # ----------------------------------------------------------
-#                     plugin: SPF
+#                handler: localhost exemption
 # ----------------------------------------------------------
+
+sub exempt_localhost {
+    my %options = @_;
+    my $attr = $options{attr};
+    my $client_address = NetAddr::IP->new($attr->{client_address});
+    return 'PREPEND X-Comment SPF not applicable to localhost connection, skipped check'
+        if grep($_->contains($client_address), localhost_addresses);
+    return 'DUNNO';
+}
+
+# ----------------------------------------------------------
+#                        handler: SPF
+# ----------------------------------------------------------
+
 sub sender_policy_framework {
     my %options = @_;
     my $attr = $options{attr};
@@ -169,7 +188,7 @@ sub sender_policy_framework {
             info => "%s:HELO check failed - Mail::SPF->new(%s, %s, %s) failed: %s",
             $attr->{queue_id}, $attr->{client_address}, $attr->{sender}, $attr->{helo_name}, $errmsg
         );
-        return "DUNNO";
+        return 'DUNNO';
     } 
     else {
         my $helo_result         = $spf_server->process($helo_request);
@@ -217,7 +236,7 @@ sub sender_policy_framework {
             info => "%s: Mail From (sender) check failed - Mail::SPF->new(%s, %s, %s) failed: %s",
             $attr->{queue_id}, $attr->{client_address}, $attr->{sender}, $attr->{helo_name}, $errmsg
         );
-        return "DUNNO";
+        return 'DUNNO';
     } 
     else {
         my $mfrom_result        = $spf_server->process($mfrom_request);