diff --git a/src/net/dnsconfig_unix.go b/src/net/dnsconfig_unix.go
index b8858137225..683ae71812a 100644
--- a/src/net/dnsconfig_unix.go
+++ b/src/net/dnsconfig_unix.go
@@ -92,8 +92,10 @@ func dnsReadConfig(filename string) *dnsConfig {
 				switch {
 				case hasPrefix(s, "ndots:"):
 					n, _, _ := dtoi(s[6:])
-					if n < 1 {
-						n = 1
+					if n < 0 {
+						n = 0
+					} else if n > 15 {
+						n = 15
 					}
 					conf.ndots = n
 				case hasPrefix(s, "timeout:"):
diff --git a/src/net/dnsconfig_unix_test.go b/src/net/dnsconfig_unix_test.go
index 9fd6dbf982a..89695c30993 100644
--- a/src/net/dnsconfig_unix_test.go
+++ b/src/net/dnsconfig_unix_test.go
@@ -60,6 +60,36 @@ var dnsReadConfigTests = []struct {
 			search:   []string{"domain.local."},
 		},
 	},
+	{
+		name: "testdata/invalid-ndots-resolv.conf",
+		want: &dnsConfig{
+			servers:  defaultNS,
+			ndots:    0,
+			timeout:  5 * time.Second,
+			attempts: 2,
+			search:   []string{"domain.local."},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		name: "testdata/large-ndots-resolv.conf",
+		want: &dnsConfig{
+			servers:  defaultNS,
+			ndots:    15,
+			timeout:  5 * time.Second,
+			attempts: 2,
+			search:   []string{"domain.local."},
+		},
+	},
+	{
+		name: "testdata/negative-ndots-resolv.conf",
+		want: &dnsConfig{
+			servers:  defaultNS,
+			ndots:    0,
+			timeout:  5 * time.Second,
+			attempts: 2,
+			search:   []string{"domain.local."},
+		},
+	},
 	{
 		name: "testdata/openbsd-resolv.conf",
 		want: &dnsConfig{
diff --git a/src/net/testdata/invalid-ndots-resolv.conf b/src/net/testdata/invalid-ndots-resolv.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..084c1643dea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/net/testdata/invalid-ndots-resolv.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+options ndots:invalid
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/net/testdata/large-ndots-resolv.conf b/src/net/testdata/large-ndots-resolv.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..72968eee916
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/net/testdata/large-ndots-resolv.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+options ndots:16
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/net/testdata/negative-ndots-resolv.conf b/src/net/testdata/negative-ndots-resolv.conf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c11e0cc4033
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/net/testdata/negative-ndots-resolv.conf
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+options ndots:-1
\ No newline at end of file