diff --git a/mirage/server/dns_server_mirage.ml b/mirage/server/dns_server_mirage.ml
index 9db507745..3ee3f8f15 100644
--- a/mirage/server/dns_server_mirage.ml
+++ b/mirage/server/dns_server_mirage.ml
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
       end
     in
 
-    let rec close ip =
+    let rec close ~timer ip =
       (match Ipaddr.Map.find_opt ip !tcp_out with
        | None -> Lwt.return_unit
        | Some f -> T.close f) >>= fun () ->
@@ -187,12 +187,15 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
       let elapsed = M.elapsed_ns () in
       let state', out = Dns_server.Secondary.closed !state now elapsed ip in
       state := state' ;
-      request (ip, out)
-    and read_and_handle ip f =
+      if not timer then
+        request ~timer (ip, out)
+      else
+        Lwt.return_unit
+    and read_and_handle ~timer ip f =
       Dns.read_tcp f >>= function
       | Error () ->
         Log.debug (fun m -> m "removing %a from tcp_out" Ipaddr.pp ip) ;
-        close ip
+        close ~timer ip
       | Ok data ->
         inc `Tcp_query;
         let now = Ptime.v (P.now_d_ps ()) in
@@ -208,15 +211,15 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
            Dns.send_tcp (Dns.flow f) x >>= function
            | Error () ->
              Log.debug (fun m -> m "removing %a from tcp_out" Ipaddr.pp ip) ;
-             close ip >|= fun () -> Error ()
+             close ~timer ip >|= fun () -> Error ()
            | Ok () -> Lwt.return (Ok ())) >>= fun r ->
         (match out with
          | None -> Lwt.return_unit
-         | Some (ip, data) -> request_one (ip, data)) >>= fun () ->
+         | Some (ip, data) -> request_one ~timer (ip, data)) >>= fun () ->
         match r with
-        | Ok () -> read_and_handle ip f
+        | Ok () -> read_and_handle ~timer ip f
         | Error () -> Lwt.return_unit
-    and request (ip, data) =
+    and request ~timer (ip, data) =
       inc `Notify;
       let dport = 53 in
       match Ipaddr.Map.find_opt ip !tcp_out with
@@ -228,13 +231,13 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
           | Error e ->
             Log.err (fun m -> m "error %a while establishing tcp connection to %a:%d"
                         T.pp_error e Ipaddr.pp ip dport) ;
-            close ip
+            close ~timer ip
           | Ok flow ->
             tcp_out := Ipaddr.Map.add ip flow !tcp_out ;
             Dns.send_tcp_multiple flow data >>= function
-            | Error () -> close ip
+            | Error () -> close ~timer ip
             | Ok () ->
-              Lwt.async (fun () -> read_and_handle ip (Dns.of_flow flow)) ;
+              Lwt.async (fun () -> read_and_handle ~timer ip (Dns.of_flow flow)) ;
               Lwt.return_unit
         end
       | Some flow ->
@@ -245,8 +248,8 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
                        Ipaddr.pp ip dport) ;
           T.close flow >>= fun () ->
           tcp_out := Ipaddr.Map.remove ip !tcp_out ;
-          request (ip, data)
-    and request_one (ip, d) = request (ip, [ d ])
+          request ~timer (ip, data)
+    and request_one ~timer (ip, d) = request ~timer (ip, [ d ])
     in
 
     let udp_cb ~src ~dst:_ ~src_port buf =
@@ -260,7 +263,7 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
       maybe_update_state t >>= fun () ->
       (match out with
        | None -> ()
-       | Some (ip, cs) -> Lwt.async (fun () -> request_one (ip, cs))) ;
+       | Some (ip, cs) -> Lwt.async (fun () -> request_one ~timer:false (ip, cs))) ;
       match answer with
       | None -> Lwt.return_unit
       | Some out -> inc `Udp_answer; Dns.send_udp stack port src src_port out
@@ -287,7 +290,7 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
           maybe_update_state t >>= fun () ->
           (match out with
            | None -> ()
-           | Some (ip, cs) -> Lwt.async (fun () -> request_one (ip, cs)));
+           | Some (ip, cs) -> Lwt.async (fun () -> request_one ~timer:false (ip, cs)));
           match answer with
           | None ->
             Log.warn (fun m -> m "no TCP output") ;
@@ -309,7 +312,7 @@ module Make (P : Mirage_clock.PCLOCK) (M : Mirage_clock.MCLOCK) (TIME : Mirage_t
       let t, out = Dns_server.Secondary.timer !state now elapsed in
       maybe_update_state t >>= fun () ->
       List.iter (fun (ip, cs) ->
-          Lwt.async (fun () -> request (ip, cs))) out ;
+          Lwt.async (fun () -> request ~timer:true (ip, cs))) out ;
       TIME.sleep_ns (Duration.of_sec timer) >>= fun () ->
       time ()
     in