diff --git a/libpod/container_internal_common.go b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
index f603c51dcf..3a0e46be7c 100644
--- a/libpod/container_internal_common.go
+++ b/libpod/container_internal_common.go
@@ -2012,7 +2012,11 @@ func (c *Container) generateResolvConf() error {
 	// If the user provided dns, it trumps all; then dns masq; then resolv.conf
 	keepHostServers := false
 	if len(nameservers) == 0 {
-		keepHostServers = true
+		// when no network name servers or not netavark use host servers
+		// for aardvark dns we only want our single server in there
+		if len(networkNameServers) == 0 || networkBackend != string(types.Netavark) {
+			keepHostServers = true
+		}
 		// first add the nameservers from the networks status
 		nameservers = networkNameServers
 		// slirp4netns has a built in DNS forwarder.
diff --git a/test/system/500-networking.bats b/test/system/500-networking.bats
index 3b797be089..29c28173d3 100644
--- a/test/system/500-networking.bats
+++ b/test/system/500-networking.bats
@@ -663,7 +663,7 @@ EOF
     is "$output" "search example.com.*" "correct search domain"
     local store=$output
     if is_netavark; then
-	is "$store" ".*nameserver $subnet.1.*" "integrated dns nameserver is set"
+        assert "$store" == "search example.com${nl}nameserver $subnet.1" "only integrated dns nameserver is set"
     else
 	is "$store" ".*nameserver 1.1.1.1${nl}nameserver $searchIP${nl}nameserver 1.0.0.1${nl}nameserver 8.8.8.8" "nameserver order is correct"
     fi