diff --git a/ex/q/q.go b/ex/q/q.go
index fcc1cf80..ba12a5e7 100644
--- a/ex/q/q.go
+++ b/ex/q/q.go
@@ -47,8 +47,6 @@ func main() {
 		flag.PrintDefaults()
 	}
 
-	conf, _ := dns.ClientConfigFromFile("/etc/resolv.conf")
-	nameserver := "@" + conf.Servers[0]
 	qtype := uint16(0)
 	qclass := uint16(dns.ClassINET)
 	var qname []string
@@ -70,6 +68,8 @@ func main() {
 		}
 	}
 
+	var nameserver string
+
 Flags:
 	for i := 0; i < flag.NArg(); i++ {
 		// If it starts with @ it is a nameserver
@@ -109,6 +109,15 @@ Flags:
 		qtype = dns.TypeA
 	}
 
+	if len(nameserver) == 0 {
+		conf, err := dns.ClientConfigFromFile("/etc/resolv.conf")
+		if err != nil {
+			fmt.Fprintln(os.Stderr, err)
+			os.Exit(2)
+		}
+		nameserver = "@" + conf.Servers[0]
+	}
+
 	nameserver = string([]byte(nameserver)[1:]) // chop off @
 	// if the nameserver is from /etc/resolv.conf the [ and ] are already
 	// added, thereby breaking net.ParseIP. Check for this and don't