diff --git a/pkg/services/dns/dns.go b/pkg/services/dns/dns.go
index 1cfe0b6cb..bda5711b9 100644
--- a/pkg/services/dns/dns.go
+++ b/pkg/services/dns/dns.go
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
 package dns
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"net"
 	"net/http"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/containers/gvisor-tap-vsock/pkg/types"
 	"github.com/miekg/dns"
@@ -15,8 +16,51 @@ import (
 )
 
 type dnsHandler struct {
-	zones     []types.Zone
-	zonesLock sync.RWMutex
+	zones      []types.Zone
+	zonesLock  sync.RWMutex
+	dnsClient  *dns.Client
+	nameserver string
+}
+
+func newDnsHandler(zones []types.Zone) *dnsHandler {
+
+	dnsClient, nameserver := readAndCreateClient()
+
+	return &dnsHandler{
+		zones:      zones,
+		dnsClient:  dnsClient,
+		nameserver: nameserver,
+	}
+
+}
+
+func readAndCreateClient() (*dns.Client, string) {
+	conf, err := dns.ClientConfigFromFile("/etc/resolv.conf")
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+		os.Exit(2)
+	}
+	nameserver := conf.Servers[0]
+
+	// if the nameserver is from /etc/resolv.conf the [ and ] are already
+	// added, thereby breaking net.ParseIP. Check for this and don't
+	// fully qualify such a name
+	if nameserver[0] == '[' && nameserver[len(nameserver)-1] == ']' {
+		nameserver = nameserver[1 : len(nameserver)-1]
+	}
+	if i := net.ParseIP(nameserver); i != nil {
+		nameserver = net.JoinHostPort(nameserver, conf.Port)
+	} else {
+		nameserver = dns.Fqdn(nameserver) + ":" + conf.Port
+	}
+	client := new(dns.Client)
+	client.Net = "udp"
+
+	client.DialTimeout = 2 * time.Second
+	client.ReadTimeout = 2 * time.Second
+	client.WriteTimeout = 2 * time.Second
+
+	return client, nameserver
 }
 
 func (h *dnsHandler) handle(w dns.ResponseWriter, r *dns.Msg, responseMessageSize int) {
@@ -85,116 +129,30 @@ func (h *dnsHandler) addAnswers(m *dns.Msg) {
 			}
 		}
 
-		resolver := net.Resolver{
-			PreferGo: false,
+		// need to create new message struct, as reusing original message struct leading
+		// to request errors
+		message := &dns.Msg{
+			MsgHdr: dns.MsgHdr{
+				Authoritative:     m.Authoritative,
+				AuthenticatedData: m.AuthenticatedData,
+				CheckingDisabled:  m.CheckingDisabled,
+				RecursionDesired:  m.RecursionDesired,
+				Opcode:            m.Opcode,
+			},
+			Question: make([]dns.Question, 1),
 		}
-		switch q.Qtype {
-		case dns.TypeA:
-			ips, err := resolver.LookupIPAddr(context.TODO(), q.Name)
-			if err != nil {
-				m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
-				return
-			}
-			for _, ip := range ips {
-				if len(ip.IP.To4()) != net.IPv4len {
-					continue
-				}
-				m.Answer = append(m.Answer, &dns.A{
-					Hdr: dns.RR_Header{
-						Name:   q.Name,
-						Rrtype: dns.TypeA,
-						Class:  dns.ClassINET,
-						Ttl:    0,
-					},
-					A: ip.IP.To4(),
-				})
-			}
-		case dns.TypeCNAME:
-			cname, err := resolver.LookupCNAME(context.TODO(), q.Name)
-			if err != nil {
-				m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
-				return
-			}
-			m.Answer = append(m.Answer, &dns.CNAME{
-				Hdr: dns.RR_Header{
-					Name:   q.Name,
-					Rrtype: dns.TypeCNAME,
-					Class:  dns.ClassINET,
-					Ttl:    0,
-				},
-				Target: cname,
-			})
-		case dns.TypeMX:
-			records, err := resolver.LookupMX(context.TODO(), q.Name)
-			if err != nil {
-				m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
-				return
-			}
-			for _, mx := range records {
-				m.Answer = append(m.Answer, &dns.MX{
-					Hdr: dns.RR_Header{
-						Name:   q.Name,
-						Rrtype: dns.TypeMX,
-						Class:  dns.ClassINET,
-						Ttl:    0,
-					},
-					Mx:         mx.Host,
-					Preference: mx.Pref,
-				})
-			}
-		case dns.TypeNS:
-			records, err := resolver.LookupNS(context.TODO(), q.Name)
-			if err != nil {
-				m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
-				return
-			}
-			for _, ns := range records {
-				m.Answer = append(m.Answer, &dns.NS{
-					Hdr: dns.RR_Header{
-						Name:   q.Name,
-						Rrtype: dns.TypeNS,
-						Class:  dns.ClassINET,
-						Ttl:    0,
-					},
-					Ns: ns.Host,
-				})
-			}
-		case dns.TypeSRV:
-			_, records, err := resolver.LookupSRV(context.TODO(), "", "", q.Name)
-			if err != nil {
-				m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
-				return
-			}
-			for _, srv := range records {
-				m.Answer = append(m.Answer, &dns.SRV{
-					Hdr: dns.RR_Header{
-						Name:   q.Name,
-						Rrtype: dns.TypeSRV,
-						Class:  dns.ClassINET,
-						Ttl:    0,
-					},
-					Port:     srv.Port,
-					Priority: srv.Priority,
-					Target:   srv.Target,
-					Weight:   srv.Weight,
-				})
-			}
-		case dns.TypeTXT:
-			records, err := resolver.LookupTXT(context.TODO(), q.Name)
-			if err != nil {
-				m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
-				return
-			}
-			m.Answer = append(m.Answer, &dns.TXT{
-				Hdr: dns.RR_Header{
-					Name:   q.Name,
-					Rrtype: dns.TypeTXT,
-					Class:  dns.ClassINET,
-					Ttl:    0,
-				},
-				Txt: records,
-			})
+		message.Question[0] = q
+		message.Id = dns.Id()
+
+		r, _, err := h.dnsClient.Exchange(message, h.nameserver)
+
+		if err != nil {
+			m.Rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
+			fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error: %v \n", err)
+			return
 		}
+
+		m.Answer = append(m.Answer, r.Answer...)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -205,7 +163,7 @@ type Server struct {
 }
 
 func New(udpConn net.PacketConn, tcpLn net.Listener, zones []types.Zone) (*Server, error) {
-	handler := &dnsHandler{zones: zones}
+	handler := newDnsHandler(zones)
 	return &Server{udpConn: udpConn, tcpLn: tcpLn, handler: handler}, nil
 }