diff --git a/bin/tests/system/qmin/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/qmin/tests.sh
index d104161f40..6cf8d2b9d0 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/qmin/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/qmin/tests.sh
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ $DIG $DIGOPTS -x 2001:4f8::1 @10.53.0.6 >dig.out.test$n || ret=1
 grep "status: NOERROR" dig.out.test$n >/dev/null || ret=1
 grep "1.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.8.f.4.0.1.0.0.2.ip6.arpa. 1 IN PTR nee.com." dig.out.test$n >/dev/null || ret=1
 sleep 1
-grep -v ADDR ans2/query.log >ans2/query.log.trimmed
+grep -F "ip6.arpa." ans2/query.log >ans2/query.log.trimmed
 cat <<__EOF | diff ans2/query.log.trimmed - >/dev/null || ret=1
 NS 1.0.0.2.ip6.arpa.
 NS 8.f.4.0.1.0.0.2.ip6.arpa.
@@ -512,18 +512,22 @@ n=$((n + 1))
 echo_i "query for .stale is properly minimized when qname-minimization is in strict mode (stale cache) ($n)"
 ret=0
 $CLEANQL
+$RNDCCMD 10.53.0.6 flush
 $DIG $DIGOPTS @10.53.0.6 txt a.b.stale. >dig.out.test$n || ret=1
 grep "status: NOERROR" dig.out.test$n >/dev/null || ret=1
 grep "a\.b\.stale\..*1.*IN.*TXT.*hooray" dig.out.test$n >/dev/null || ret=1
 sleep 1
 sort ans2/query.log >ans2/query.log.sorted
 cat <<__EOF | diff ans2/query.log.sorted - >/dev/null || ret=1
+ADDR ns.b.stale.
+ADDR ns2.stale.
 NS b.stale.
 NS stale.
 __EOF
 test -f ans3/query.log && ret=1
 sort ans4/query.log >ans4/query.log.sorted
 cat <<__EOF | diff ans4/query.log.sorted - >/dev/null || ret=1
+ADDR ns.b.stale.
 NS b.stale.
 TXT a.b.stale.
 __EOF
@@ -535,17 +539,21 @@ n=$((n + 1))
 echo_i "query for .stale is properly minimized when qname-minimization is in relaxed mode (stale cache) ($n)"
 ret=0
 $CLEANQL
+$RNDCCMD 10.53.0.7 flush
 $DIG $DIGOPTS @10.53.0.7 txt a.b.stale. >dig.out.test$n || ret=1
 grep "status: NOERROR" dig.out.test$n >/dev/null || ret=1
 grep "a\.b\.stale\..*1.*IN.*TXT.*hooray" dig.out.test$n >/dev/null || ret=1
 sleep 1
 sort ans2/query.log >ans2/query.log.sorted
 cat <<__EOF | diff ans2/query.log.sorted - >/dev/null || ret=1
+ADDR ns.b.stale.
+ADDR ns2.stale.
 NS b.stale.
 __EOF
 test -f ans3/query.log && ret=1
 sort ans4/query.log >ans4/query.log.sorted
 cat <<__EOF | diff ans4/query.log.sorted - >/dev/null || ret=1
+ADDR ns.b.stale.
 TXT a.b.stale.
 __EOF
 for ans in ans2 ans3 ans4; do mv -f $ans/query.log query-$ans-$n.log 2>/dev/null || true; done
diff --git a/lib/dns/qpcache.c b/lib/dns/qpcache.c
index cccf522694..ab8f22add2 100644
--- a/lib/dns/qpcache.c
+++ b/lib/dns/qpcache.c
@@ -2087,45 +2087,35 @@ qpcache_findzonecut(dns_db_t *db, const dns_name_t *name, unsigned int options,
 
 	for (header = node->data; header != NULL; header = header_next) {
 		header_next = header->next;
+		bool ns = (header->type == dns_rdatatype_ns ||
+			   header->type == DNS_SIGTYPE(dns_rdatatype_ns));
 		if (check_stale_header(node, header, &nlocktype, nlock, &search,
 				       &header_prev))
 		{
-			/*
-			 * The function dns_qp_lookup found us a matching
-			 * node for 'name' and stored the result in 'dcname'.
-			 * This is the deepest known zonecut in our database.
-			 * However, this node may be stale and if serve-stale
-			 * is not enabled (in other words 'stale-answer-enable'
-			 * is set to no), this node may not be used as a
-			 * zonecut we know about. If so, find the deepest
-			 * zonecut from this node up and return that instead.
-			 */
-			NODE_UNLOCK(nlock, &nlocktype);
-			result = find_deepest_zonecut(
-				&search, node, nodep, foundname, rdataset,
-				sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
-			dns_name_copy(foundname, dcname);
-			goto tree_exit;
-		} else if (EXISTS(header) && !ANCIENT(header)) {
-			/*
-			 * If we found a type we were looking for, remember
-			 * it.
-			 */
-			if (header->type == dns_rdatatype_ns) {
+			if (ns) {
 				/*
-				 * Remember a NS rdataset even if we're
-				 * not specifically looking for it, because
-				 * we might need it later.
+				 * We found a cached NS, but was either
+				 * ancient or it was stale and serve-stale
+				 * is disabled, so this node can't be used
+				 * as a zone cut we know about. Instead we
+				 * bail out and call find_deepest_zonecut()
+				 * below.
 				 */
+				break;
+			}
+		} else if (EXISTS(header) && !ANCIENT(header)) {
+			if (header->type == dns_rdatatype_ns) {
 				found = header;
+				if (foundsig != NULL) {
+					break;
+				}
 			} else if (header->type ==
 				   DNS_SIGTYPE(dns_rdatatype_ns))
 			{
-				/*
-				 * If we need the NS rdataset, we'll also
-				 * need its signature.
-				 */
 				foundsig = header;
+				if (found != NULL) {
+					break;
+				}
 			}
 			header_prev = header;
 		} else {
@@ -2135,12 +2125,14 @@ qpcache_findzonecut(dns_db_t *db, const dns_name_t *name, unsigned int options,
 
 	if (found == NULL) {
 		/*
-		 * No NS records here.
+		 * No active NS records found. Call find_deepest_zonecut()
+		 * to look for them in nodes above this one.
 		 */
 		NODE_UNLOCK(nlock, &nlocktype);
 		result = find_deepest_zonecut(&search, node, nodep, foundname,
 					      rdataset,
 					      sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
+		dns_name_copy(foundname, dcname);
 		goto tree_exit;
 	}