diff --git a/net/dns/resolver/forwarder_test.go b/net/dns/resolver/forwarder_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..32b7dc352
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/dns/resolver/forwarder_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2021 Tailscale Inc & AUTHORS All rights reserved.
+// Use of this source code is governed by a BSD-style
+// license that can be found in the LICENSE file.
+
+package resolver
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"reflect"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"inet.af/netaddr"
+)
+
+func (rr resolverAndDelay) String() string {
+	return fmt.Sprintf("%v+%v", rr.ipp, rr.startDelay)
+}
+
+func TestResolversWithDelays(t *testing.T) {
+	// query
+	q := func(ss ...string) (ipps []netaddr.IPPort) {
+		for _, s := range ss {
+			ipps = append(ipps, netaddr.MustParseIPPort(s))
+		}
+		return
+	}
+	// output
+	o := func(ss ...string) (rr []resolverAndDelay) {
+		for _, s := range ss {
+			var d time.Duration
+			if i := strings.Index(s, "+"); i != -1 {
+				var err error
+				d, err = time.ParseDuration(s[i+1:])
+				if err != nil {
+					panic(fmt.Sprintf("parsing duration in %q: %v", s, err))
+				}
+				s = s[:i]
+			}
+			rr = append(rr, resolverAndDelay{
+				ipp:        netaddr.MustParseIPPort(s),
+				startDelay: d,
+			})
+		}
+		return
+	}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name string
+		in   []netaddr.IPPort
+		want []resolverAndDelay
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "unknown-no-delays",
+			in:   q("1.2.3.4:53", "2.3.4.5:53"),
+			want: o("1.2.3.4:53", "2.3.4.5:53"),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "google-all-ipv4",
+			in:   q("8.8.8.8:53", "8.8.4.4:53"),
+			want: o("8.8.8.8:53", "8.8.4.4:53+200ms"),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "google-only-ipv6",
+			in:   q("[2001:4860:4860::8888]:53", "[2001:4860:4860::8844]:53"),
+			want: o("[2001:4860:4860::8888]:53", "[2001:4860:4860::8844]:53+200ms"),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "google-all-four",
+			in:   q("8.8.8.8:53", "8.8.4.4:53", "[2001:4860:4860::8888]:53", "[2001:4860:4860::8844]:53"),
+			want: o("8.8.8.8:53", "8.8.4.4:53+200ms", "[2001:4860:4860::8888]:53+2.5s", "[2001:4860:4860::8844]:53+2.7s"),
+		},
+		{
+			name: "quad9-one-v4-one-v6",
+			in:   q("9.9.9.9:53", "[2620:fe::fe]:53"),
+			want: o("9.9.9.9:53", "[2620:fe::fe]:53+200ms"),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got := resolversWithDelays(tt.in)
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Errorf("got %v; want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+}