diff --git a/man/systemd-resolved.service.xml b/man/systemd-resolved.service.xml
index 34f05bd8b0..f7be0793cf 100644
--- a/man/systemd-resolved.service.xml
+++ b/man/systemd-resolved.service.xml
@@ -217,13 +217,11 @@
 
       <listitem><para>If a query does not match any configured routing domain (either per-link or global), it
       is sent to all DNS servers that are configured on links with the <varname>DefaultRoute=</varname>
-      option set.</para></listitem>
+      option set, as well as the globally configured DNS server.</para></listitem>
 
-      <listitem><para>If no links are configured with <varname>DefaultRoute=</varname>, it is sent to the
-      globally configured DNS server.</para></listitem>
-
-      <listitem><para>If there is no link configured as <varname>DefaultRoute=</varname> and no global DNS
-      server configured, one of the compiled-in fallback DNS servers is used.</para></listitem>
+      <listitem><para>If there are no DNS servers configured on any link also configured as
+      <varname>DefaultRoute=</varname> and no global DNS server configured, one of the compiled-in fallback
+      DNS servers is used.</para></listitem>
 
       <listitem><para>Otherwise the unicast DNS query fails, as no suitable DNS servers can be determined.
       </para></listitem>
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-dns-scope.c b/src/resolve/resolved-dns-scope.c
index 3bb7c0aa21..4d4e952dac 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-dns-scope.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-dns-scope.c
@@ -779,7 +779,10 @@ DnsScopeMatch dns_scope_good_domain(
                         return DNS_SCOPE_NO;
 
                 /* Prefer suitable per-link scopes where possible */
-                return s->link ? DNS_SCOPE_MAYBE : DNS_SCOPE_LAST_RESORT;
+                if (dns_server_is_fallback(dns_scope_get_dns_server(s)))
+                        return DNS_SCOPE_LAST_RESORT;
+
+                return DNS_SCOPE_MAYBE;
         }
 
         case DNS_PROTOCOL_MDNS: {
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.c b/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.c
index 70894977eb..b48d8e1417 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.c
@@ -100,9 +100,7 @@ int dns_server_new(
         /* A new DNS server that isn't fallback is added and the one
          * we used so far was a fallback one? Then let's try to pick
          * the new one */
-        if (type != DNS_SERVER_FALLBACK &&
-            m->current_dns_server &&
-            m->current_dns_server->type == DNS_SERVER_FALLBACK)
+        if (type != DNS_SERVER_FALLBACK && dns_server_is_fallback(m->current_dns_server))
                 manager_set_dns_server(m, NULL);
 
         if (ret)
@@ -909,7 +907,7 @@ DnsServer *manager_get_dns_server(Manager *m) {
                  * servers */
 
                 HASHMAP_FOREACH(l, m->links)
-                        if (l->dns_servers) {
+                        if (l->dns_servers && l->default_route) {
                                 found = true;
                                 break;
                         }
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.h b/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.h
index 5e1d5698f6..7d7d294c82 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.h
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-dns-server.h
@@ -182,4 +182,8 @@ void dns_server_unref_stream(DnsServer *s);
 
 DnsScope *dns_server_scope(DnsServer *s);
 
+static inline bool dns_server_is_fallback(DnsServer *s) {
+        return s && s->type == DNS_SERVER_FALLBACK;
+}
+
 int dns_server_dump_state_to_json(DnsServer *server, sd_json_variant **ret);
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c b/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c
index f5a3b0e36b..5e9e5bf17a 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-link-bus.c
@@ -463,8 +463,7 @@ int bus_link_method_set_default_route(sd_bus_message *message, void *userdata, s
         bus_client_log(message, "dns default route change");
 
         if (l->default_route != b) {
-                l->default_route = b;
-
+                link_set_default_route(l, b);
                 (void) link_save_user(l);
                 (void) manager_write_resolv_conf(l->manager);
 
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-link.c b/src/resolve/resolved-link.c
index bb43a73de4..928137b967 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-link.c
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-link.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ static int link_update_default_route(Link *l) {
         if (r < 0)
                 goto clear;
 
-        l->default_route = r > 0;
+        link_set_default_route(l, r > 0);
         return 0;
 
 clear:
@@ -766,6 +766,20 @@ void link_next_dns_server(Link *l, DnsServer *if_current) {
         link_set_dns_server(l, l->dns_servers);
 }
 
+void link_set_default_route(Link *l, bool b) {
+        assert(l);
+
+        if (l->default_route == b)
+                return;
+
+        l->default_route = b;
+
+        /* If we are currently using the fallback servers, changing a link to be default-route means
+         * we should reconsider whether or not the fallback servers are necessary. */
+        if (b && dns_server_is_fallback(l->manager->current_dns_server))
+                manager_set_dns_server(l->manager, NULL);
+}
+
 DnsOverTlsMode link_get_dns_over_tls_mode(Link *l) {
         assert(l);
 
diff --git a/src/resolve/resolved-link.h b/src/resolve/resolved-link.h
index 0695a6ff83..482a4b4148 100644
--- a/src/resolve/resolved-link.h
+++ b/src/resolve/resolved-link.h
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ void link_allocate_scopes(Link *l);
 DnsServer* link_set_dns_server(Link *l, DnsServer *s);
 DnsServer* link_get_dns_server(Link *l);
 void link_next_dns_server(Link *l, DnsServer *if_current);
+void link_set_default_route(Link *l, bool b);
 
 DnssecMode link_get_dnssec_mode(Link *l);
 bool link_dnssec_supported(Link *l);