diff --git a/src/seeder/dns.h b/src/seeder/dns.h
--- a/src/seeder/dns.h
+++ b/src/seeder/dns.h
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
 #include <cstddef>
 #include <cstdint>
 
+// Total number of bytes in the DNS counts sections
+// 4 sections each 2 bytes long
+static const int DNS_HEADER_COUNTS_SIZE = 8;
+
 struct addr_t {
     int v;
     union {
diff --git a/src/seeder/dns.cpp b/src/seeder/dns.cpp
--- a/src/seeder/dns.cpp
+++ b/src/seeder/dns.cpp
@@ -163,11 +163,13 @@
     int ret = write_name(outpos, outend, name, offset);
     if (ret) {
         error = ret;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
     if (outend - *outpos < 8) {
         error = -4;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
     // type
     *((*outpos)++) = typ >> 8;
@@ -181,9 +183,6 @@
     *((*outpos)++) = (ttl >> 8) & 0xFF;
     *((*outpos)++) = ttl & 0xFF;
     return 0;
-error:
-    *outpos = oldpos;
-    return error;
 }
 
 static int write_record_a(uint8_t **outpos, const uint8_t *outend,
@@ -200,7 +199,8 @@
     }
     if (outend - *outpos < 6) {
         error = -5;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
     // rdlength
     *((*outpos)++) = 0;
@@ -210,9 +210,6 @@
         *((*outpos)++) = ip->data.v4[i];
     }
     return 0;
-error:
-    *outpos = oldpos;
-    return error;
 }
 
 static int write_record_aaaa(uint8_t **outpos, const uint8_t *outend,
@@ -229,7 +226,8 @@
     }
     if (outend - *outpos < 6) {
         error = -5;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
     // rdlength
     *((*outpos)++) = 0;
@@ -239,9 +237,6 @@
         *((*outpos)++) = ip->data.v6[i];
     }
     return 0;
-error:
-    *outpos = oldpos;
-    return error;
 }
 
 static int write_record_ns(uint8_t **outpos, const uint8_t *outend,
@@ -259,7 +254,8 @@
     int error = 0;
     if (outend - *outpos < 2) {
         error = -5;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
 
     (*outpos) += 2;
@@ -267,16 +263,13 @@
     ret = write_name(outpos, outend, ns, -1);
     if (ret) {
         error = ret;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
 
     curpos[-2] = (*outpos - curpos) >> 8;
     curpos[-1] = (*outpos - curpos) & 0xFF;
     return 0;
-
-error:
-    *outpos = oldpos;
-    return error;
 }
 
 static int write_record_soa(uint8_t **outpos, const uint8_t *outend,
@@ -296,7 +289,8 @@
     int error = 0;
     if (outend - *outpos < 2) {
         error = -5;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
 
     (*outpos) += 2;
@@ -304,18 +298,21 @@
     ret = write_name(outpos, outend, mname, -1);
     if (ret) {
         error = ret;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
 
     ret = write_name(outpos, outend, rname, -1);
     if (ret) {
         error = ret;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
 
     if (outend - *outpos < 20) {
         error = -5;
-        goto error;
+        *outpos = oldpos;
+        return error;
     }
 
     *((*outpos)++) = (serial >> 24) & 0xFF;
@@ -341,10 +338,13 @@
     curpos[-2] = (*outpos - curpos) >> 8;
     curpos[-1] = (*outpos - curpos) & 0xFF;
     return 0;
+}
 
-error:
-    *outpos = oldpos;
-    return error;
+static void setErrorAndZeroCounts(int error, uint8_t *sendMessage) {
+    // set error
+    sendMessage[3] |= error & 0xF;
+    // set counts
+    memset(sendMessage, 0, DNS_HEADER_COUNTS_SIZE);
 }
 
 static ssize_t dnshandle(dns_opt_t *opt, const uint8_t *inbuf, size_t insize,
@@ -372,14 +372,16 @@
     if (inbuf[2] & 128) {
         /* fprintf(stdout, "Got response?\n"); */
         error = 1;
-        goto error;
+        setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+        return 12;
     }
 
     // check opcode
     if (((inbuf[2] & 120) >> 3) != 0) {
         /* fprintf(stdout, "Opcode nonzero?\n"); */
         error = 4;
-        goto error;
+        setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+        return 12;
     }
 
     // unset TC
@@ -391,13 +393,15 @@
     if (nquestion == 0) {
         /* fprintf(stdout, "No questions?\n"); */
         error = 0;
-        goto error;
+        setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+        return 12;
     }
 
     if (nquestion > 1) {
         /* fprintf(stdout, "Multiple questions %i?\n", nquestion); */
         error = 4;
-        goto error;
+        setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+        return 12;
     }
 
     {
@@ -408,12 +412,14 @@
         int ret = parse_name(&inpos, inend, inbuf, name, 256);
         if (ret == -1) {
             error = 1;
-            goto error;
+            setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+            return 12;
         }
 
         if (ret == -2) {
             error = 5;
-            goto error;
+            setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+            return 12;
         }
 
         int namel = strlen(name), hostl = strlen(opt->host);
@@ -421,12 +427,14 @@
             (namel < hostl + 2 || name[namel - hostl - 1] != '.' ||
              strcasecmp(name + namel - hostl, opt->host))) {
             error = 5;
-            goto error;
+            setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+            return 12;
         }
 
         if (inend - inpos < 4) {
             error = 1;
-            goto error;
+            setErrorAndZeroCounts(error, outbuf);
+            return 12;
         }
 
         // copy question to output
@@ -557,20 +565,6 @@
 
         return outpos - outbuf;
     }
-
-error:
-    // set error
-    outbuf[3] |= error & 0xF;
-    // set counts
-    outbuf[4] = 0;
-    outbuf[5] = 0;
-    outbuf[6] = 0;
-    outbuf[7] = 0;
-    outbuf[8] = 0;
-    outbuf[9] = 0;
-    outbuf[10] = 0;
-    outbuf[11] = 0;
-    return 12;
 }
 
 static int listenSocket = -1;