diff --git a/lib/ns/query.c b/lib/ns/query.c
index 712bee0871..ff8856127f 100644
--- a/lib/ns/query.c
+++ b/lib/ns/query.c
@@ -7653,8 +7653,19 @@ query_usestale(query_ctx_t *qctx, isc_result_t result) {
 	qctx_freedata(qctx);
 
 	if (dns_view_staleanswerenabled(qctx->client->view)) {
-		dns_db_attach(qctx->client->view->cachedb, &qctx->db);
-		qctx->version = NULL;
+		isc_result_t ret;
+		ret = query_getdb(qctx->client, qctx->client->query.qname,
+				  qctx->client->query.qtype, qctx->options,
+				  &qctx->zone, &qctx->db, &qctx->version,
+				  &qctx->is_zone);
+		if (ret != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
+			/*
+			 * Failed to get the database, unexpected, but let us
+			 * at least abandon serve-stale.
+			 */
+			return (false);
+		}
+
 		qctx->client->query.dboptions |= DNS_DBFIND_STALEOK;
 		if (FETCH_RECTYPE_NORMAL(qctx->client) != NULL) {
 			dns_resolver_destroyfetch(