diff --git a/middleware/etcd/debug_test.go b/middleware/etcd/debug_test.go
index 9e50b6930..cf1a65129 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/debug_test.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/debug_test.go
@@ -113,8 +113,8 @@ var dnsTestCasesDebug = []test.Case{
 			test.A("dom.skydns.test. 300 IN A 127.0.0.2"),
 		},
 		Extra: []dns.RR{
-			test.TXT(`skydns.test.skydns.dom.a.	300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.1:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
-			test.TXT(`skydns.test.skydns.dom.sub.b.	300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.2:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
+			test.TXT(`a.dom.skydns.test. 300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.1:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
+			test.TXT(`b.sub.dom.skydns.test. 300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.2:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
 		},
 	},
 	{
@@ -123,8 +123,8 @@ var dnsTestCasesDebug = []test.Case{
 			test.SOA("skydns.test. 300 IN SOA ns.dns.skydns.test. hostmaster.skydns.test. 1463943291 7200 1800 86400 60"),
 		},
 		Extra: []dns.RR{
-			test.TXT(`skydns.test.skydns.dom.a.	300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.1:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
-			test.TXT(`skydns.test.skydns.dom.sub.b.	300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.2:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
+			test.TXT(`a.dom.skydns.test. 300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.1:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
+			test.TXT(`b.sub.dom.skydns.test. 300	CH	TXT	"127.0.0.2:0(10,0,,false)[0,]"`),
 		},
 	},
 }
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/etcd.go b/middleware/etcd/etcd.go
index eb0eb5c43..4176f1cb8 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/etcd.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/etcd.go
@@ -32,12 +32,12 @@ type Etcd struct {
 // this name. This is used when find matches when completing SRV lookups
 // for instance.
 func (g Etcd) Records(name string, exact bool) ([]msg.Service, error) {
-	path, star := g.PathWithWildcard(name)
+	path, star := msg.PathWithWildcard(name, g.PathPrefix)
 	r, err := g.Get(path, true)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	segments := strings.Split(g.Path(name), "/")
+	segments := strings.Split(msg.Path(name, g.PathPrefix), "/")
 	switch {
 	case exact && r.Node.Dir:
 		return nil, nil
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/handler.go b/middleware/etcd/handler.go
index ac0f701dd..bf87afcd6 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/handler.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/handler.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (e Etcd) ServeDNS(ctx context.Context, w dns.ResponseWriter, r *dns.Msg) (i
 	}
 
 	if e.debug != "" {
-		// substitute this name with the original when we return the request.
+		// Substitute this name with the original when we return the request.
 		state.Clear()
 		state.Req.Question[0].Name = e.debug
 	}
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ func (e Etcd) ServeDNS(ctx context.Context, w dns.ResponseWriter, r *dns.Msg) (i
 func (e Etcd) Err(zone string, rcode int, state middleware.State, debug []msg.Service) (int, error) {
 	m := new(dns.Msg)
 	m.SetRcode(state.Req, rcode)
+	m.Authoritative, m.RecursionAvailable, m.Compress = true, true, true
 	m.Ns, _, _ = e.SOA(zone, state)
 	m.Extra = servicesToTxt(debug)
 	state.SizeAndDo(m)
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/lookup.go b/middleware/etcd/lookup.go
index 15b6afe19..1223f85a4 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/lookup.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/lookup.go
@@ -213,13 +213,13 @@ func (e Etcd) SRV(zone string, state middleware.State) (records, extra []dns.RR,
 			}
 			// e.AAA(zone, state1, nil) as well...?
 		case ip.To4() != nil:
-			serv.Host = e.Domain(serv.Key)
+			serv.Host = msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 			srv := serv.NewSRV(state.QName(), weight)
 
 			records = append(records, srv)
 			extra = append(extra, serv.NewA(srv.Target, ip.To4()))
 		case ip.To4() == nil:
-			serv.Host = e.Domain(serv.Key)
+			serv.Host = msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 			srv := serv.NewSRV(state.QName(), weight)
 
 			records = append(records, srv)
@@ -278,11 +278,11 @@ func (e Etcd) MX(zone string, state middleware.State) (records, extra []dns.RR,
 			}
 			// e.AAAA as well
 		case ip.To4() != nil:
-			serv.Host = e.Domain(serv.Key)
+			serv.Host = msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 			records = append(records, serv.NewMX(state.QName()))
 			extra = append(extra, serv.NewA(serv.Host, ip.To4()))
 		case ip.To4() == nil:
-			serv.Host = e.Domain(serv.Key)
+			serv.Host = msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 			records = append(records, serv.NewMX(state.QName()))
 			extra = append(extra, serv.NewAAAA(serv.Host, ip.To16()))
 		}
@@ -340,11 +340,11 @@ func (e Etcd) NS(zone string, state middleware.State) (records, extra []dns.RR,
 		case ip == nil:
 			return nil, nil, debug, fmt.Errorf("NS record must be an IP address: %s", serv.Host)
 		case ip.To4() != nil:
-			serv.Host = e.Domain(serv.Key)
+			serv.Host = msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 			records = append(records, serv.NewNS(state.QName()))
 			extra = append(extra, serv.NewA(serv.Host, ip.To4()))
 		case ip.To4() == nil:
-			serv.Host = e.Domain(serv.Key)
+			serv.Host = msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 			records = append(records, serv.NewNS(state.QName()))
 			extra = append(extra, serv.NewAAAA(serv.Host, ip.To16()))
 		}
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/path.go b/middleware/etcd/msg/path.go
similarity index 74%
rename from middleware/etcd/path.go
rename to middleware/etcd/msg/path.go
index 2cd87ac86..16c1bbd60 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/path.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/msg/path.go
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-package etcd
+package msg
 
 import (
 	"path"
@@ -9,16 +9,16 @@ import (
 
 // Path converts a domainname to an etcd path. If s looks like service.staging.skydns.local.,
 // the resulting key will be /skydns/local/skydns/staging/service .
-func (e Etcd) Path(s string) string {
+func Path(s, prefix string) string {
 	l := dns.SplitDomainName(s)
 	for i, j := 0, len(l)-1; i < j; i, j = i+1, j-1 {
 		l[i], l[j] = l[j], l[i]
 	}
-	return path.Join(append([]string{"/" + e.PathPrefix + "/"}, l...)...)
+	return path.Join(append([]string{"/" + prefix + "/"}, l...)...)
 }
 
 // Domain is the opposite of Path.
-func (e Etcd) Domain(s string) string {
+func Domain(s string) string {
 	l := strings.Split(s, "/")
 	// start with 1, to strip /skydns
 	for i, j := 1, len(l)-1; i < j; i, j = i+1, j-1 {
@@ -32,15 +32,15 @@ func (e Etcd) Domain(s string) string {
 // later find the matching names.  So service.*.skydns.local, will look for all
 // services under skydns.local and will later check for names that match
 // service.*.skydns.local.  If a wildcard is found the returned bool is true.
-func (e Etcd) PathWithWildcard(s string) (string, bool) {
+func PathWithWildcard(s, prefix string) (string, bool) {
 	l := dns.SplitDomainName(s)
 	for i, j := 0, len(l)-1; i < j; i, j = i+1, j-1 {
 		l[i], l[j] = l[j], l[i]
 	}
 	for i, k := range l {
 		if k == "*" || k == "any" {
-			return path.Join(append([]string{"/" + e.PathPrefix + "/"}, l[:i]...)...), true
+			return path.Join(append([]string{"/" + prefix + "/"}, l[:i]...)...), true
 		}
 	}
-	return path.Join(append([]string{"/" + e.PathPrefix + "/"}, l...)...), false
+	return path.Join(append([]string{"/" + prefix + "/"}, l...)...), false
 }
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/path_test.go b/middleware/etcd/msg/path_test.go
similarity index 71%
rename from middleware/etcd/path_test.go
rename to middleware/etcd/msg/path_test.go
index feebb4210..a9ec59713 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/path_test.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/msg/path_test.go
@@ -1,11 +1,10 @@
-package etcd
+package msg
 
 import "testing"
 
 func TestPath(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, path := range []string{"mydns", "skydns"} {
-		e := Etcd{PathPrefix: path}
-		result := e.Path("service.staging.skydns.local.")
+		result := Path("service.staging.skydns.local.", path)
 		if result != "/"+path+"/local/skydns/staging/service" {
 			t.Errorf("Failure to get domain's path with prefix: %s", result)
 		}
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/msg/service.go b/middleware/etcd/msg/service.go
index e851df978..76d74a463 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/msg/service.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/msg/service.go
@@ -39,13 +39,13 @@ type Service struct {
 // RR returns an RR representation of s. It is in a condensed form to minimize space
 // when this is returned in a DNS message.
 // The RR will look like:
-//	skydns.local.skydns.east.production.rails.1. 300 CH TXT "service1.example.com:8080(10,0,,false)[0,]"
-//                      etcd Key                     Ttl               Host:Port          <   see below   >
+//	1.rails.production.east.skydns.local. 300 CH TXT "service1.example.com:8080(10,0,,false)[0,]"
+//                      etcd Key              Ttl               Host:Port          <   see below   >
 // between parens: (Priority, Weight, Text (only first 200 bytes!), Mail)
 // between blockquotes: [TargetStrip,Group]
 // If the record is synthesised by CoreDNS (i.e. no lookup in etcd happened):
 //
-//	skydns.local.skydns.east.production.rails.1. 300 CH TXT "service1.example.com:8080(10,0,,false)[0,]"
+//	TODO(miek): what to put here?
 //
 func (s *Service) RR() *dns.TXT {
 	l := len(s.Text)
@@ -56,8 +56,7 @@ func (s *Service) RR() *dns.TXT {
 	t.Hdr.Class = dns.ClassCHAOS
 	t.Hdr.Ttl = s.Ttl
 	t.Hdr.Rrtype = dns.TypeTXT
-	// TODO(miek): key guaranteerd to be > 1?
-	t.Hdr.Name = strings.Replace(s.Key[1:], "/", ".", -1) + "." // TODO(miek): slightly more like etcd.Domain()
+	t.Hdr.Name = Domain(s.Key)
 
 	t.Txt = make([]string, 1)
 	t.Txt[0] = fmt.Sprintf("%s:%d(%d,%d,%s,%t)[%d,%s]",
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/setup_test.go b/middleware/etcd/setup_test.go
index a695d43ce..1810e8e70 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/setup_test.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/setup_test.go
@@ -47,12 +47,12 @@ func set(t *testing.T, e Etcd, k string, ttl time.Duration, m *msg.Service) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
-	path, _ := e.PathWithWildcard(k)
+	path, _ := msg.PathWithWildcard(k, e.PathPrefix)
 	e.Client.Set(ctx, path, string(b), &etcdc.SetOptions{TTL: ttl})
 }
 
 func delete(t *testing.T, e Etcd, k string) {
-	path, _ := e.PathWithWildcard(k)
+	path, _ := msg.PathWithWildcard(k, e.PathPrefix)
 	e.Client.Delete(ctx, path, &etcdc.DeleteOptions{Recursive: false})
 }
 
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/stub.go b/middleware/etcd/stub.go
index 83611b896..2d4c14c24 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/stub.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/stub.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/miekg/coredns/middleware/etcd/msg"
 	"github.com/miekg/coredns/middleware/proxy"
 
 	"github.com/miekg/dns"
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ func (e *Etcd) updateStubZones() {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		domain := e.Domain(serv.Key)
+		domain := msg.Domain(serv.Key)
 		labels := dns.SplitDomainName(domain)
 
 		// If the remaining name equals any of the zones we have, we ignore it.