diff --git a/test/200_dns_test.sh b/test/200_dns_test.sh
index f4d8c998..78a845a5 100755
--- a/test/200_dns_test.sh
+++ b/test/200_dns_test.sh
@@ -15,6 +15,4 @@ start_container_with_dns $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
 
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
 
-assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig MX $NAME | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
-
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/250_dns_negative_test.sh b/test/250_dns_negative_test.sh
index f89b6698..bcab7baa 100755
--- a/test/250_dns_negative_test.sh
+++ b/test/250_dns_negative_test.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ start_suite "Negative DNS queries"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 launch
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 --name c1
-assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig A foo.weave.local | grep 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
-assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig A foo.invalid | grep 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
+
+# unsupported query types, unknown names, and unknown domains should
+# all trigger NXDOMAIN
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig MX c1.weave.local | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig A  xx.weave.local | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
+assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig A  xx.invalid     | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/255_dns_restart_test.sh b/test/255_dns_restart_test.sh
index 9c8a0e54..d1d8e198 100755
--- a/test/255_dns_restart_test.sh
+++ b/test/255_dns_restart_test.sh
@@ -14,12 +14,10 @@ start_container          $HOST1 $C2/24 --name=c2 -h $NAME
 start_container_with_dns $HOST1 $C1/24 --name=c1
 
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
-assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig MX $NAME | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
 
 weave_on $HOST1 stop
 weave_on $HOST1 launch
 
 assert_dns_record $HOST1 c1 $NAME $C2
-assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c1 dig MX $NAME | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
 
 end_suite
diff --git a/test/295_dns_large_response_test.sh b/test/295_dns_large_response_test.sh
index 81dba0fb..96c35153 100755
--- a/test/295_dns_large_response_test.sh
+++ b/test/295_dns_large_response_test.sh
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ for i in $(seq $N); do
 done
 weave_on $HOST1 dns-add $IPS $CID -h $NAME
 
-assert_raises "exec_on $HOST1 c0 dig MX $NAME | grep -q 'status: NXDOMAIN'"
-
 check() {
     assert "exec_on $HOST1 c0 dig +short $* $NAME A | grep -v ';;' | wc -l" $N
 }