diff --git a/.githooks/pre-commit b/.githooks/pre-commit
index 4fd4e4f5..9889db34 100755
--- a/.githooks/pre-commit
+++ b/.githooks/pre-commit
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 set -e;
+
+found=0
 git diff --cached --name-only | grep -q '.js$' && found=1
 if [ $found == 1 ]; then
-    make lint-js || exit 1
+    npm --prefix client run lint || exit 1
     npm run test --prefix client || exit 1
 fi
 
diff --git a/AGHTechDoc.md b/AGHTechDoc.md
index 0dcb001b..469c1c79 100644
--- a/AGHTechDoc.md
+++ b/AGHTechDoc.md
@@ -992,7 +992,7 @@ Response:
 
 		"protection_enabled": true | false,
 		"ratelimit": 1234,
-		"blocking_mode": "default" | "nxdomain" | "null_ip" | "custom_ip",
+		"blocking_mode": "default" | "refused" | "nxdomain" | "null_ip" | "custom_ip",
 		"blocking_ipv4": "1.2.3.4",
 		"blocking_ipv6": "1:2:3::4",
 		"edns_cs_enabled": true | false,
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@ Request:
 
 		"protection_enabled": true | false,
 		"ratelimit": 1234,
-		"blocking_mode": "default" | "nxdomain" | "null_ip" | "custom_ip",
+		"blocking_mode": "default" | "refused" | "nxdomain" | "null_ip" | "custom_ip",
 		"blocking_ipv4": "1.2.3.4",
 		"blocking_ipv6": "1:2:3::4",
 		"edns_cs_enabled": true | false,
diff --git a/client/src/__locales/en.json b/client/src/__locales/en.json
index a3514327..c1aaa839 100644
--- a/client/src/__locales/en.json
+++ b/client/src/__locales/en.json
@@ -240,6 +240,7 @@
     "blocking_mode": "Blocking mode",
     "default": "Default",
     "nxdomain": "NXDOMAIN",
+    "refused": "REFUSED",
     "null_ip": "Null IP",
     "custom_ip": "Custom IP",
     "blocking_ipv4": "Blocking IPv4",
@@ -254,7 +255,8 @@
     "rate_limit_desc": "The number of requests per second that a single client is allowed to make (0: unlimited)",
     "blocking_ipv4_desc": "IP address to be returned for a blocked A request",
     "blocking_ipv6_desc": "IP address to be returned for a blocked AAAA request",
-    "blocking_mode_default": "Default: Respond with NXDOMAIN when blocked by Adblock-style rule; respond with the IP address specified in the rule when blocked by /etc/hosts-style rule",
+    "blocking_mode_default": "Default: Respond with REFUSED when blocked by Adblock-style rule; respond with the IP address specified in the rule when blocked by /etc/hosts-style rule",
+    "blocking_mode_refused": "REFUSED: Respond with REFUSED code",
     "blocking_mode_nxdomain": "NXDOMAIN: Respond with NXDOMAIN code",
     "blocking_mode_null_ip": "Null IP: Respond with zero IP address (0.0.0.0 for A; :: for AAAA)",
     "blocking_mode_custom_ip": "Custom IP: Respond with a manually set IP address",
diff --git a/client/src/helpers/constants.js b/client/src/helpers/constants.js
index f29dbe51..cae6f597 100644
--- a/client/src/helpers/constants.js
+++ b/client/src/helpers/constants.js
@@ -293,8 +293,11 @@ export const QUERY_LOG_INTERVALS_DAYS = [1, 7, 30, 90];
 
 export const FILTERS_INTERVALS_HOURS = [0, 1, 12, 24, 72, 168];
 
+// Note that translation strings contain these modes (blocking_mode_CONSTANT)
+// i.e. blocking_mode_default, blocking_mode_null_ip
 export const BLOCKING_MODES = {
     default: 'default',
+    refused: 'refused',
     nxdomain: 'nxdomain',
     null_ip: 'null_ip',
     custom_ip: 'custom_ip',
diff --git a/dnsforward/dnsforward_http.go b/dnsforward/dnsforward_http.go
index 79e4ded7..d057f1e5 100644
--- a/dnsforward/dnsforward_http.go
+++ b/dnsforward/dnsforward_http.go
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ func (s *Server) handleGetConfig(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 
 func checkBlockingMode(req dnsConfigJSON) bool {
 	bm := req.BlockingMode
-	if !(bm == "default" || bm == "nxdomain" || bm == "null_ip" || bm == "custom_ip") {
+	if !(bm == "default" || bm == "refused" || bm == "nxdomain" || bm == "null_ip" || bm == "custom_ip") {
 		return false
 	}
 
diff --git a/dnsforward/dnsforward_test.go b/dnsforward/dnsforward_test.go
index a183d786..664a5c1b 100644
--- a/dnsforward/dnsforward_test.go
+++ b/dnsforward/dnsforward_test.go
@@ -263,7 +263,7 @@ func TestBlockedRequest(t *testing.T) {
 	addr := s.dnsProxy.Addr(proxy.ProtoUDP)
 
 	//
-	// NXDomain blocking
+	// Default blocking - REFUSED
 	//
 	req := dns.Msg{}
 	req.Id = dns.Id()
@@ -276,9 +276,7 @@ func TestBlockedRequest(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Couldn't talk to server %s: %s", addr, err)
 	}
-	if reply.Rcode != dns.RcodeNameError {
-		t.Fatalf("Wrong response: %s", reply.String())
-	}
+	assert.Equal(t, dns.RcodeRefused, reply.Rcode)
 
 	err = s.Stop()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -440,7 +438,7 @@ func TestBlockCNAME(t *testing.T) {
 	req := createTestMessage("badhost.")
 	reply, err := dns.Exchange(req, addr.String())
 	assert.Nil(t, err, nil)
-	assert.Equal(t, dns.RcodeNameError, reply.Rcode)
+	assert.Equal(t, dns.RcodeRefused, reply.Rcode)
 
 	// 'whitelist.example.org' has a canonical name 'null.example.org' which is blocked by filters
 	//   but 'whitelist.example.org' is in a whitelist:
@@ -455,7 +453,7 @@ func TestBlockCNAME(t *testing.T) {
 	req = createTestMessage("example.org.")
 	reply, err = dns.Exchange(req, addr.String())
 	assert.Nil(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, dns.RcodeNameError, reply.Rcode)
+	assert.Equal(t, dns.RcodeRefused, reply.Rcode)
 
 	_ = s.Stop()
 }
diff --git a/dnsforward/handle_dns.go b/dnsforward/handle_dns.go
index 3f0f7911..f864865b 100644
--- a/dnsforward/handle_dns.go
+++ b/dnsforward/handle_dns.go
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ func processInitial(ctx *dnsContext) int {
 	// disable Mozilla DoH
 	if (d.Req.Question[0].Qtype == dns.TypeA || d.Req.Question[0].Qtype == dns.TypeAAAA) &&
 		d.Req.Question[0].Name == "use-application-dns.net." {
-		d.Res = s.genNXDomain(d.Req)
+		d.Res = s.makeResponseREFUSED(d.Req)
 		return resultFinish
 	}
 
diff --git a/dnsforward/msg.go b/dnsforward/msg.go
index a1078539..fc4ecb51 100644
--- a/dnsforward/msg.go
+++ b/dnsforward/msg.go
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func (s *Server) genDNSFilterMessage(d *proxy.DNSContext, result *dnsfilter.Resu
 	m := d.Req
 
 	if m.Question[0].Qtype != dns.TypeA && m.Question[0].Qtype != dns.TypeAAAA {
-		return s.genNXDomain(m)
+		return s.makeResponseREFUSED(m)
 	}
 
 	switch result.Reason {
@@ -64,15 +64,20 @@ func (s *Server) genDNSFilterMessage(d *proxy.DNSContext, result *dnsfilter.Resu
 			// means that we should return NXDOMAIN for any blocked request
 
 			return s.genNXDomain(m)
+
+		} else if s.conf.BlockingMode == "refused" {
+			// means that we should return NXDOMAIN for any blocked request
+
+			return s.makeResponseREFUSED(m)
 		}
 
 		// Default blocking mode
 		// If there's an IP specified in the rule, return it
-		// If there is no IP, return NXDOMAIN
+		// If there is no IP, return REFUSED
 		if result.IP != nil {
 			return s.genResponseWithIP(m, result.IP)
 		}
-		return s.genNXDomain(m)
+		return s.makeResponseREFUSED(m)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -182,6 +187,14 @@ func (s *Server) genCNAMEAnswer(req *dns.Msg, cname string) *dns.CNAME {
 	return answer
 }
 
+// Create REFUSED DNS response
+func (s *Server) makeResponseREFUSED(request *dns.Msg) *dns.Msg {
+	resp := dns.Msg{}
+	resp.SetRcode(request, dns.RcodeRefused)
+	resp.RecursionAvailable = true
+	return &resp
+}
+
 func (s *Server) genNXDomain(request *dns.Msg) *dns.Msg {
 	resp := dns.Msg{}
 	resp.SetRcode(request, dns.RcodeNameError)
diff --git a/openapi/openapi.yaml b/openapi/openapi.yaml
index 7777c069..3e4dea55 100644
--- a/openapi/openapi.yaml
+++ b/openapi/openapi.yaml
@@ -1007,6 +1007,7 @@ components:
                     type: string
                     enum:
                         - default
+                        - refused
                         - nxdomain
                         - null_ip
                         - custom_ip