diff --git a/internal/dnsforward/dnsforward.go b/internal/dnsforward/dnsforward.go
index d21346a7..cc9f6bbc 100644
--- a/internal/dnsforward/dnsforward.go
+++ b/internal/dnsforward/dnsforward.go
@@ -601,7 +601,7 @@ func (s *Server) prepareInternalDNS() (boot upstream.Resolver, err error) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	err = s.prepareUpstreamSettings(boot)
+	err = s.prepareUpstreamSettings(s.bootstrap)
 	if err != nil {
 		// Don't wrap the error, because it's informative enough as is.
 		return s.bootstrap, err