diff --git a/src/resolvers.c b/src/resolvers.c
index 6556cc8a5..518421eca 100644
--- a/src/resolvers.c
+++ b/src/resolvers.c
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ static int resolv_validate_dns_response(unsigned char *resp, unsigned char *bufe
 		len = resolv_read_name(resp, bufend, reader, tmpname, DNS_MAX_NAME_SIZE,
 		                    &offset, 0);
 		if (len == 0)
-			continue;
+			goto invalid_resp;
 
 		if (reader + offset + 10 >= bufend)
 			goto invalid_resp;
@@ -1466,11 +1466,8 @@ static int resolv_validate_dns_response(unsigned char *resp, unsigned char *bufe
 		offset = 0;
 		len = resolv_read_name(resp, bufend, reader, tmpname, DNS_MAX_NAME_SIZE, &offset, 0);
 
-		if (len == 0) {
-			pool_free(resolv_answer_item_pool, answer_record);
-			answer_record = NULL;
-			continue;
-		}
+		if (len == 0)
+			goto invalid_resp;
 
 		memcpy(answer_record->name, tmpname, len);
 		answer_record->name[len] = 0;