diff --git a/jina/parsers/peapods/pod.py b/jina/parsers/peapods/pod.py
index 28b07314bf3e9..c297570a18f32 100644
--- a/jina/parsers/peapods/pod.py
+++ b/jina/parsers/peapods/pod.py
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ def mixin_base_pod_parser(parser):
         choices=list(PollingType),
         default=PollingType.ANY,
         help='''
-The polling strategy of the Pod (when `parallel>1`) 
+The polling strategy of the Pod (when `parallel>1`)
 - ANY: only one (whoever is idle) Pea polls the message
 - ALL: all Peas poll the message (like a broadcast)
 ''',
@@ -64,12 +64,9 @@ def mixin_base_pod_parser(parser):
     )
     gp.add_argument(
         '--peas-hosts',
-        action=KVAppendAction,
-        metavar='KEY: VALUE',
-        nargs='*',
-        help='''The hosts of the peas when parallel greater than 1,
-        pea have a new host address if the pea_id present in the map.
-        otherwise pea host will be identical to the host of pod.
-        Represented as a key value pair in argument.
-        key is the pea_id, and value is the host address.''',
+        nargs='+',
+        type=str,
+        help='''The hosts of the peas when parallel greater than 1.
+        Peas will be evenly distributed among the hosts. By default,
+        peas are running in the same host as the pod.''',
     )
diff --git a/jina/peapods/pods/helper.py b/jina/peapods/pods/helper.py
index b94de28953705..879f5e3daf96c 100644
--- a/jina/peapods/pods/helper.py
+++ b/jina/peapods/pods/helper.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import copy
 from argparse import Namespace
 from typing import List, Optional
+from itertools import cycle
 
 from ... import __default_host__
 from ...enums import SchedulerType, SocketType, PeaRoleType
@@ -12,8 +13,15 @@ def _set_peas_args(
     args: Namespace, head_args: Optional[Namespace] = None, tail_args: Namespace = None
 ) -> List[Namespace]:
     result = []
+    _host_list = (
+        args.peas_hosts
+        if args.peas_hosts
+        else [
+            args.host,
+        ]
+    )
 
-    for idx in range(args.parallel):
+    for idx, pea_host in zip(range(args.parallel), cycle(_host_list)):
         _args = copy.deepcopy(args)
 
         if args.parallel > 1:
@@ -21,7 +29,7 @@ def _set_peas_args(
             _args.pea_role = PeaRoleType.PARALLEL
             _args.identity = random_identity()
             if _args.peas_hosts:
-                _args.host = _args.peas_hosts.get(str(_args.pea_id), args.host)
+                _args.host = pea_host
             if _args.name:
                 _args.name += f'/{_args.pea_id}'
             else:
diff --git a/tests/distributed/test_index_query_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml b/tests/distributed/test_index_query_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml
index 1781d104632e8..93ff97319bee1 100644
--- a/tests/distributed/test_index_query_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml
+++ b/tests/distributed/test_index_query_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ pods:
     polling: all
     host: $JINA_INDEXER_HOST
     peas_hosts:
-      1: $JINA_ENCODER_HOST
+      - $JINA_ENCODER_HOST
     port_expose: 8000
   - name: slice
     uses: slice.yml
diff --git a/tests/distributed/test_simple_distributed_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml b/tests/distributed/test_simple_distributed_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml
index ecc1a27eeb5f1..11482f91b98ec 100644
--- a/tests/distributed/test_simple_distributed_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml
+++ b/tests/distributed/test_simple_distributed_with_shards/flow_distributed_peas_in_pod.yml
@@ -10,12 +10,12 @@ pods:
     parallel: 3
     host: $JINA_POD1_HOST
     peas_hosts:
-      1: $JINA_POD2_HOST
+      - $JINA_POD2_HOST
     port_expose: 8000
   - name: pod2
     uses: _pass
     parallel: 3
     host: $JINA_POD2_HOST
     peas_hosts:
-      1: $JINA_POD1_HOST
+      - $JINA_POD1_HOST
     port_expose: 8000
diff --git a/tests/unit/peapods/pods/test_pods.py b/tests/unit/peapods/pods/test_pods.py
index 8498f54946c52..79401c648f949 100644
--- a/tests/unit/peapods/pods/test_pods.py
+++ b/tests/unit/peapods/pods/test_pods.py
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ def test_pod_args_remove_uses_ba():
 
 def test_pod_remote_pea_without_parallel():
     args = set_pod_parser().parse_args(
-        ['--peas-hosts', '1: 0.0.0.1', '--parallel', str(1)]
+        ['--peas-hosts', '0.0.0.1', '--parallel', str(1)]
     )
     with Pod(args) as pod:
         peas = pod.peas
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ def test_pod_remote_pea_parallel_pea_host_set_partially(
     expected_host_out,
 ):
     args = set_pod_parser().parse_args(
-        ['--peas-hosts', f'1: {pea1_host}', '--parallel', str(2), '--host', pod_host]
+        ['--peas-hosts', f'{pea1_host}', '--parallel', str(2), '--host', pod_host]
     )
     assert args.host == pod_host
     pod = Pod(args)
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ def test_pod_remote_pea_parallel_pea_host_set_partially(
             assert v.host == args.host
         else:
             for pea_arg in v:
-                if pea_arg.pea_id == 1:
+                if pea_arg.pea_id in (1, 2):
                     assert pea_arg.host == pea1_host
                     assert pea_arg.host_in == expected_host_in
                     assert pea_arg.host_out == expected_host_out
@@ -232,8 +232,8 @@ def test_pod_remote_pea_parallel_pea_host_set_completely(
     args = set_pod_parser().parse_args(
         [
             '--peas-hosts',
-            f'1: {peas_hosts[0]}',
-            f'2: {peas_hosts[1]}',
+            f'{peas_hosts[0]}',
+            f'{peas_hosts[1]}',
             '--parallel',
             str(2),
             '--host',