diff --git a/bin/lwresd/main.c b/bin/lwresd/main.c
index a68e876e4c..9af83d81ab 100644
--- a/bin/lwresd/main.c
+++ b/bin/lwresd/main.c
@@ -213,7 +213,8 @@ parse_resolv_conf(isc_mem_t *mem) {
 	int i;
 
 	lwctx = NULL;
-	lwresult = lwres_context_create(&lwctx, mem, mem_alloc, mem_free);
+	lwresult = lwres_context_create(&lwctx, mem, mem_alloc, mem_free,
+					LWRES_CONTEXT_SERVERMODE);
 	if (lwresult != LWRES_R_SUCCESS)
 		return;
 
@@ -404,7 +405,8 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		cmgr[i].mctx = mem;
 		cmgr[i].lwctx = NULL;
 		result = lwres_context_create(&cmgr[i].lwctx, mem,
-					      mem_alloc, mem_free);
+					      mem_alloc, mem_free,
+					      LWRES_CONTEXT_SERVERMODE);
 		if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
 			isc_task_detach(&cmgr[i].task);
 			break;
diff --git a/bin/tests/lwres_test.c b/bin/tests/lwres_test.c
index 222a48ebc3..16f8a6ea71 100644
--- a/bin/tests/lwres_test.c
+++ b/bin/tests/lwres_test.c
@@ -257,9 +257,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 	ctx = NULL;
 #ifdef USE_ISC_MEM
-	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, mem, mem_alloc, mem_free);
+	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, mem, mem_alloc, mem_free, 0);
 #else
-	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 #endif
 
 	CHECK(ret, "lwres_context_create");
diff --git a/bin/tests/lwresconf_test.c b/bin/tests/lwresconf_test.c
index f39356411c..980395adf5 100644
--- a/bin/tests/lwresconf_test.c
+++ b/bin/tests/lwresconf_test.c
@@ -71,9 +71,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
 
 	ctx = NULL;
 #ifdef USE_ISC_MEM
-	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, mem, mem_alloc, mem_free);
+	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, mem, mem_alloc, mem_free, 0);
 #else
-	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	ret = lwres_context_create(&ctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 #endif
 	CHECK(ret, "lwres_context_create");
 
diff --git a/lib/lwres/context.c b/lib/lwres/context.c
index c87f25fdb2..c2643352d3 100644
--- a/lib/lwres/context.c
+++ b/lib/lwres/context.c
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ context_connect(lwres_context_t *);
 lwres_result_t
 lwres_context_create(lwres_context_t **contextp, void *arg,
 		     lwres_malloc_t malloc_function,
-		     lwres_free_t free_function)
+		     lwres_free_t free_function,
+		     unsigned int flags)
 {
 	lwres_context_t *ctx;
 
@@ -87,7 +88,8 @@ lwres_context_create(lwres_context_t **contextp, void *arg,
 	ctx->timeout = LWRES_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT;
 	ctx->serial = (lwres_uint32_t)ctx; /* XXXMLG */
 
-	(void)context_connect(ctx); /* XXXMLG */
+	if ((flags & LWRES_CONTEXT_SERVERMODE) == 0)
+		(void)context_connect(ctx); /* XXXMLG */
 
 	/*
 	 * Init resolv.conf bits.
diff --git a/lib/lwres/getaddrinfo.c b/lib/lwres/getaddrinfo.c
index 92e360f7de..37fc85e985 100644
--- a/lib/lwres/getaddrinfo.c
+++ b/lib/lwres/getaddrinfo.c
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
  * The Berkeley Software Design Inc. software License Agreement specifies
  * the terms and conditions for redistribution.
  *
- *	BSDI $Id: getaddrinfo.c,v 1.21 2000/06/15 21:52:21 explorer Exp $
+ *	BSDI $Id: getaddrinfo.c,v 1.22 2000/06/15 23:48:07 explorer Exp $
  */
 
 #include <config.h>
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ add_ipv4(const char *hostname, int flags, struct addrinfo **aip,
 	lwres_result_t lwres;
 	int result = 0;
 
-	lwres = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	lwres = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 	if (lwres != 0)
 		ERR(EAI_FAIL);
 	if (hostname == NULL && (flags & AI_PASSIVE) == 0) {
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ add_ipv6(const char *hostname, int flags, struct addrinfo **aip,
 	lwres_result_t lwres;
 	int result = 0;
 
-	lwres = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	lwres = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 	if (lwres != 0)
 		ERR(EAI_FAIL);
 
diff --git a/lib/lwres/getipnode.c b/lib/lwres/getipnode.c
index 504bd5f582..14932fed17 100644
--- a/lib/lwres/getipnode.c
+++ b/lib/lwres/getipnode.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ lwres_getipnodebyname(const char *name, int af, int flags, int *error_num) {
 		return (copyandmerge(&he, NULL, af, error_num));
 	}
 
-	n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 	if (n != 0) {
 		*error_num = NO_RECOVERY;
 		goto cleanup;
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ lwres_getipnodebyaddr(const void *src, size_t len, int af, int *error_num) {
 
 		if (af == AF_INET6)
 			cp += 12;
-		n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 		if (n == 0)
 			n = lwres_getnamebyaddr(lwrctx, LWRES_ADDRTYPE_V4,
 						INADDRSZ, cp, &by);
@@ -306,7 +306,7 @@ lwres_getipnodebyaddr(const void *src, size_t len, int af, int *error_num) {
 		return (NULL);
 	}
 
-	n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+	n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 	if (n == 0)
 		n = lwres_getnamebyaddr(lwrctx, LWRES_ADDRTYPE_V6, IN6ADDRSZ,
 					src, &by);
diff --git a/lib/lwres/getnameinfo.c b/lib/lwres/getnameinfo.c
index bf6474b3a9..b493a603ee 100644
--- a/lib/lwres/getnameinfo.c
+++ b/lib/lwres/getnameinfo.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ lwres_getnameinfo(const struct sockaddr *sa, size_t salen, char *host,
 			INSIST(0);
 		}
 
-		n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+		n = lwres_context_create(&lwrctx, NULL, NULL, NULL, 0);
 		if (n == 0)
 			n = lwres_getnamebyaddr(lwrctx, lwf, afd->a_addrlen,
 						addr, &by);
diff --git a/lib/lwres/include/lwres/context.h b/lib/lwres/include/lwres/context.h
index 78f44cda3e..e5a01a3670 100644
--- a/lib/lwres/include/lwres/context.h
+++ b/lib/lwres/include/lwres/context.h
@@ -49,10 +49,18 @@ typedef void (*lwres_free_t)(void *arg, void *mem, size_t length);
  * Share /etc/resolv.conf data between contexts.
  */
 
+/*
+ * _SERVERMODE
+ *	Don't allocate and connect a socket to the server, since the
+ *	caller _is_ a server.
+ */
+#define LWRES_CONTEXT_SERVERMODE	0x00000001U
+
 lwres_result_t
 lwres_context_create(lwres_context_t **contextp, void *arg,
 		     lwres_malloc_t malloc_function,
-		     lwres_free_t free_function);
+		     lwres_free_t free_function,
+		     unsigned int flags);
 /*
  * Allocate a lwres context.  This is used in all lwres calls.
  *