diff --git a/lib/dns/resolver.c b/lib/dns/resolver.c
index dd944f8670..5936d16274 100644
--- a/lib/dns/resolver.c
+++ b/lib/dns/resolver.c
@@ -4667,13 +4667,18 @@ fctx_create(dns_resolver_t *res, isc_loop_t *loop, const dns_name_t *name,
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Are there too many simultaneous queries for this domain?
+	 * Exempt prefetch queries from the fetches-per-zone quota check
 	 */
-	result = fcount_incr(fctx, false);
-	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-		result = fctx->res->quotaresp[dns_quotatype_zone];
-		inc_stats(res, dns_resstatscounter_zonequota);
-		goto cleanup_nameservers;
+	if ((fctx->options & DNS_FETCHOPT_PREFETCH) == 0) {
+		/*
+		 * Are there too many simultaneous queries for this domain?
+		 */
+		result = fcount_incr(fctx, false);
+		if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
+			result = fctx->res->quotaresp[dns_quotatype_zone];
+			inc_stats(res, dns_resstatscounter_zonequota);
+			goto cleanup_nameservers;
+		}
 	}
 
 	log_ns_ttl(fctx, "fctx_create");