diff --git a/middleware/etcd/handler.go b/middleware/etcd/handler.go
index 8e15c1b1a..38e1b51cd 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/handler.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/handler.go
@@ -30,6 +30,9 @@ func (e Etcd) ServeDNS(ctx context.Context, w dns.ResponseWriter, r *dns.Msg) (i
 
 	zone := middleware.Zones(e.Zones).Matches(state.Name())
 	if zone == "" {
+		if e.Next == nil {
+			return dns.RcodeServerFailure, nil
+		}
 		return e.Next.ServeDNS(ctx, w, r)
 	}
 
diff --git a/middleware/etcd/stub_test.go b/middleware/etcd/stub_test.go
index d1eee5b61..ed3c49a29 100644
--- a/middleware/etcd/stub_test.go
+++ b/middleware/etcd/stub_test.go
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@ func TestStubLookup(t *testing.T) {
 			continue
 		}
 		resp := rec.Msg()
+		if resp == nil {
+			// etcd not running?
+			continue
+		}
 
 		sort.Sort(test.RRSet(resp.Answer))
 		sort.Sort(test.RRSet(resp.Ns))