diff --git a/src/req.c b/src/req.c
index 554447df..65d07c48 100644
--- a/src/req.c
+++ b/src/req.c
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ hsk_dns_req_init(hsk_dns_req_t *req) {
   req->edns = false;
   req->dnssec = false;
   memset(req->tld, 0x00, sizeof(req->tld));
-  memset(req->namestr, 0x00, sizeof(req->namestr));
   memset(&req->ss, 0x00, sizeof(struct sockaddr_storage));
   req->addr = (struct sockaddr *)&req->ss;
 }
diff --git a/src/req.h b/src/req.h
index 020e7443..f9639b6f 100644
--- a/src/req.h
+++ b/src/req.h
@@ -27,9 +27,6 @@ typedef struct {
   size_t max_size;
   bool dnssec;
 
-  // For Unbound
-  char namestr[HSK_DNS_MAX_NAME_STRING];
-
   // HSK stuff
   uint8_t tld[HSK_DNS_MAX_LABEL + 2];
 
diff --git a/src/rs.c b/src/rs.c
index fe92062d..70769569 100644
--- a/src/rs.c
+++ b/src/rs.c
@@ -377,15 +377,9 @@ hsk_rs_onrecv(
     goto fail;
   }
 
-  // Unbound's name resolution API expects a single null-terminated string.
-  // Since 0x00 is a valid byte mid-label in wire format we need to
-  // convert `req->name` to presentation format (i.e. "\000" for 0x00)
-  if (!hsk_dns_name_to_string(req->name, req->namestr))
-    goto fail;
-
   rc = hsk_rs_worker_resolve(
     ns->rs_worker,
-    req->namestr,
+    req->name,
     req->type,
     req->class,
     (void *)req,
diff --git a/src/rs_worker.c b/src/rs_worker.c
index f3bf950a..aae10d6f 100644
--- a/src/rs_worker.c
+++ b/src/rs_worker.c
@@ -444,7 +444,7 @@ hsk_rs_worker_free(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker) {
 }
 
 int
-hsk_rs_worker_resolve(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker, char *name, int rrtype,
+hsk_rs_worker_resolve(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker, uint8_t *name, int rrtype,
                       int rrclass, void *data, ub_callback_type callback) {
   if (!callback)
     return HSK_EBADARGS;
@@ -468,7 +468,14 @@ hsk_rs_worker_resolve(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker, char *name, int rrtype,
   // avoid racing with the callback.
   hsk_rs_pending_enqueue(worker->rs_pending, rsp);
 
-  int rc = ub_resolve_async(worker->ub, name, rrtype, rrclass, (void *)rsp,
+  // Unbound's name resolution API expects a single null-terminated string.
+  // Since 0x00 is a valid byte mid-label in wire format we need to
+  // convert `req->name` to presentation format (i.e. "\000" for 0x00)
+  char namestr[HSK_DNS_MAX_NAME_STRING];
+  if (!hsk_dns_name_to_string(name, namestr))
+    return HSK_EFAILURE;
+
+  int rc = ub_resolve_async(worker->ub, namestr, rrtype, rrclass, (void *)rsp,
                             after_resolve_onthread, &rsp->async_id);
   if (rc) {
     // Remove the response since it couldn't be sent.
@@ -476,7 +483,7 @@ hsk_rs_worker_resolve(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker, char *name, int rrtype,
     hsk_rs_worker_log(worker, "unbound error: %s\n", ub_strerror(rc));
     return HSK_EFAILURE;
   }
-  hsk_rs_worker_log(worker, "request %d: %s\n", rsp->async_id, name);
+  hsk_rs_worker_log(worker, "request %d: %s\n", rsp->async_id, namestr);
 
   return HSK_SUCCESS;
 }
diff --git a/src/rs_worker.h b/src/rs_worker.h
index d68afefd..29f7a046 100644
--- a/src/rs_worker.h
+++ b/src/rs_worker.h
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ hsk_rs_worker_close(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker);
 // to libunbound.  The result callback occurs in the libuv event loop.  When the
 // callback occurs, ownership of the ub_result is passed to the callback.
 int
-hsk_rs_worker_resolve(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker, char *name, int rrtype,
+hsk_rs_worker_resolve(hsk_rs_worker_t *worker, uint8_t *name, int rrtype,
                       int rrclass, void *data, ub_callback_type callback);
 
 #endif