diff --git a/backend.go b/backend.go
index 90366da..fa8c952 100644
--- a/backend.go
+++ b/backend.go
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ func (tx *Btx) Do() (rrs []dns.RR, err error) {
     return tx.doRootDomain()
   }
 
-  if tx.basename == "x--nmc" {
+  if tx.basename == "x--nmc" && tx.b.s.cfg.SelfName == "" {
     return tx.doMetaDomain()
   }
 
@@ -180,6 +180,11 @@ func (tx *Btx) Do() (rrs []dns.RR, err error) {
 }
 
 func (tx *Btx) doRootDomain() (rrs []dns.RR, err error) {
+  nsname := tx.b.s.cfg.SelfName
+  if nsname == "" {
+    nsname = "this.x--nmc." + tx.rootname
+  }
+
   soa := &dns.SOA {
     Hdr: dns.RR_Header {
       Name: absname(tx.rootname),
@@ -187,7 +192,7 @@ func (tx *Btx) doRootDomain() (rrs []dns.RR, err error) {
       Class: dns.ClassINET,
       Rrtype: dns.TypeSOA,
     },
-    Ns: absname("this.x--nmc." + tx.rootname),
+    Ns: absname(nsname),
     Mbox: ".",
     Serial: 1,
     Refresh: 600,
@@ -203,7 +208,7 @@ func (tx *Btx) doRootDomain() (rrs []dns.RR, err error) {
       Class: dns.ClassINET,
       Rrtype: dns.TypeNS,
     },
-    Ns: absname("this.x--nmc." + tx.rootname),
+    Ns: absname(nsname),
   }
 
   rrs = []dns.RR{ soa, ns, }
diff --git a/ncdns.go b/ncdns.go
index 3cd12fb..f6b6b0e 100644
--- a/ncdns.go
+++ b/ncdns.go
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ type ServerConfig struct {
   NamecoinRPCAddress  string `default:"localhost:8336" usage:"Namecoin RPC server address"`
   CacheMaxEntries     int    `default:"1000" usage:"Maximum name cache entries"`
   SelfIP              string `default:"127.127.127.127" usage:"The canonical IP address for this service"`
+  SelfName            string `default:"" usage:"Canonical name for this nameserver (default: autogenerated psuedo-hostname resolving to SelfIP; SelfIP is not used if this is set)"`
 }
 
 func (s *Server) doRunListener(ds *dns.Server) {
@@ -182,7 +183,11 @@ func (s *Server) handle(rw dns.ResponseWriter, reqMsg *dns.Msg) {
 
     err := tx.addAnswers()
     if err != nil {
-      if tx.rcode == 0 {
+      if err == ErrNoResults {
+        tx.rcode = 0
+      } else if err == ErrNoSuchDomain {
+        tx.rcode = dns.RcodeNameError
+      } else if tx.rcode == 0 {
         log.Infoe(err, "Handler error, doing SERVFAIL")
         tx.rcode = dns.RcodeServerFailure
       }
@@ -337,13 +342,13 @@ func (tx *Tx) addAnswersAuthoritative(rrs []dns.RR, origerr error) error {
   //                       appropriate zone, fail with REFUSED
   //   ErrNoSuchDomain  -- there are no records at this name of ANY type, nor are there at any
   //                       direct or indirect descendant domain; fail with NXDOMAIN
-  //   ErrNoResult      -- There are no records of the given type of class. However, there are
+  //   ErrNoResults     -- There are no records of the given type of class. However, there are
   //                       other records at the given domain and/or records at a direct or
   //                       indirect descendant domain; NOERROR
   //   any other error  -- SERVFAIL
   //
   // If it succeeds:
-  //   If there are zero records, treat the response as ErrNoResult above. Otherwise, each record
+  //   If there are zero records, treat the response as ErrNoResults above. Otherwise, each record
   //   can be classified into one of the following categories:
   //
   //     - A NS record not at the zone apex and thus not authoritative (handled in addAnswersDelegation)