diff --git a/plugin/geodns/filter.go b/plugin/geodns/filter.go
index dc3ac1e50c5..a9424db872d 100644
--- a/plugin/geodns/filter.go
+++ b/plugin/geodns/filter.go
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ func (r *ResponseFilter) WriteMsg(res *dns.Msg) error {
 		return r.ResponseWriter.WriteMsg(res)
 	}
 
+	if len(res.Answer) == 0 {
+		log.Debugf("answer is empty, nothing to do")
+		return r.ResponseWriter.WriteMsg(res)
+	}
+
 	clientInf := r.filter.db.IPInfo(r.client)
 	if clientInf.IsEmpty() {
 		log.Warningf(formErrMessage(r.client))
@@ -66,6 +71,9 @@ func (r *ResponseFilter) WriteMsg(res *dns.Msg) error {
 	}
 
 	healthy := r.filterHealthy(res.Answer)
+	if len(healthy) == 0 {
+		log.Warning("no healthy answer servers")
+	}
 	distances := make([]serverInfo, len(healthy))
 
 	for i, rec := range healthy {
diff --git a/plugin/geodns/health.go b/plugin/geodns/health.go
index 3e09a0acb25..c3205f91301 100644
--- a/plugin/geodns/health.go
+++ b/plugin/geodns/health.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package geodns
 
 import (
+	"net"
 	"net/http"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -21,8 +22,8 @@ func newHealthChecker() *checker {
 		client: &http.Client{
 			Timeout: 2 * time.Second,
 		},
-		schema: "https://",
-		port:   ":443",
+		schema: "http://",
+		port:   "80",
 	}
 }
 
@@ -54,11 +55,12 @@ func (c *checker) check(endpoints []string) []bool {
 }
 
 func (c *checker) checkOne(endpoint string) bool {
-	response, err := c.client.Get(c.schema + endpoint + c.port)
+	response, err := c.client.Get(c.schema + net.JoinHostPort(endpoint, c.port))
 	if err != nil {
+		log.Debugf(err.Error())
 		return false
 	}
 	_ = response.Body.Close()
 
-	return response.StatusCode == http.StatusOK
+	return response.StatusCode < http.StatusInternalServerError
 }