diff --git a/lib/ns/query.c b/lib/ns/query.c
index f413ddee19..2248e4b0b3 100644
--- a/lib/ns/query.c
+++ b/lib/ns/query.c
@@ -7441,6 +7441,14 @@ root_key_sentinel_return_servfail(query_ctx_t *qctx, isc_result_t result) {
  */
 static bool
 query_usestale(query_ctx_t *qctx) {
+	if ((qctx->client->query.dboptions & DNS_DBFIND_STALEOK) != 0) {
+		/*
+		 * Query was already using stale, if that didn't work the
+		 * last time, it won't work this time either.
+		 */
+		return (false);
+	}
+
 	qctx_clean(qctx);
 	qctx_freedata(qctx);
 
@@ -7548,7 +7556,7 @@ query_gotanswer(query_ctx_t *qctx, isc_result_t res) {
 			 "query_gotanswer: unexpected error: %s",
 			 isc_result_totext(result));
 		CCTRACE(ISC_LOG_ERROR, errmsg);
-		if (qctx->resuming && query_usestale(qctx)) {
+		if (query_usestale(qctx)) {
 			/*
 			 * If serve-stale is enabled, query_usestale() already
 			 * set up 'qctx' for looking up a stale response.