diff --git a/agent/dns.go b/agent/dns.go
index cc508749a..5156ced7a 100644
--- a/agent/dns.go
+++ b/agent/dns.go
@@ -829,7 +829,7 @@ func (d *DNSServer) computeRCode(err error) int {
 		return dns.RcodeSuccess
 	}
 	dErr := err.Error()
-	if dErr == structs.ErrNoDCPath.Error() || dErr == consul.ErrQueryNotFound.Error() {
+	if structs.IsErrNoDCPath(err) || dErr == consul.ErrQueryNotFound.Error() {
 		return dns.RcodeNameError
 	}
 	return dns.RcodeServerFailure
diff --git a/agent/structs/errors.go b/agent/structs/errors.go
index 9d04b1ed5..0f0334e1d 100644
--- a/agent/structs/errors.go
+++ b/agent/structs/errors.go
@@ -26,6 +26,10 @@ var (
 	ErrDCNotAvailable             = errors.New(errDCNotAvailable)
 )
 
+func IsErrNoDCPath(err error) bool {
+	return err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), errNoDCPath)
+}
+
 func IsErrNoLeader(err error) bool {
 	return err != nil && strings.Contains(err.Error(), errNoLeader)
 }