diff --git a/agent/dns.go b/agent/dns.go
index c26d264c36920..21e58da4a7e12 100644
--- a/agent/dns.go
+++ b/agent/dns.go
@@ -413,7 +413,7 @@ func (d *DNSServer) handlePtr(resp dns.ResponseWriter, req *dns.Msg) {
 	m.SetReply(req)
 	m.Compress = !cfg.DisableCompression
 	m.Authoritative = true
-	recursionAvailable := len(cfg.Recursors) > 0 && atomic.LoadUint32(&(d.recursorEnabled)) != 1
+	recursionAvailable := atomic.LoadUint32(&(d.recursorEnabled)) != 1
 	m.RecursionAvailable = recursionAvailable
 
 	// Only add the SOA if requested