diff --git a/scripts/install b/scripts/install
index b76efed..07de56d 100755
--- a/scripts/install
+++ b/scripts/install
@@ -16,13 +16,17 @@ ynh_app_setting_set --app=$app --key=password_couchdb_admin --value="$password_c
 # skip the installation steps below
 ynh_script_progression --message="Installing CouchDB..." --weight=60
 
-# @@ todo: why is 'cookie string' and 'admin password' below the same?
+# A CouchDB node has an Erlang magic cookie value set at startup.
+# This value must match for all nodes in the cluster. If they do not match,
+# attempts to connect the node to the cluster will be rejected.
+couchdb_magic_cookie=$(openssl rand 256 | base64 -w 0)
+
 echo "\
 couchdb couchdb/mode select standalone
 couchdb couchdb/mode seen true
 couchdb couchdb/bindaddress string 127.0.0.1
 couchdb couchdb/bindaddress seen true
-couchdb couchdb/cookie string $password_couchdb_admin
+couchdb couchdb/cookie string $couchdb_magic_cookie
 couchdb couchdb/adminpass password $password_couchdb_admin
 couchdb couchdb/adminpass seen true
 couchdb couchdb/adminpass_again password $password_couchdb_admin