diff --git a/dns.py b/dns.py
index 9bb52da..eab2575 100644
--- a/dns.py
+++ b/dns.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 import socket
-from dnslib import DNSRecord, DNSHeader, RR, A
+from dnslib import DNSRecord, DNSHeader, RR, A, RCODE
 import threading
 
 import docker
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ def resolve_dnsA_to_ip(network_data, networks, domain):
     
 # DNS Server
 class DNSServer:
-    def __init__(self, ip="0.0.0.0", port=53):
+    def __init__(self, ip="0.0.0.0", port=53, upstream_dns="8.8.8.8"):
         print_debug(f"Initializing DNS server on {ip}:{port}")
         self.ip = ip
         self.port = port
@@ -308,6 +308,7 @@ def __init__(self, ip="0.0.0.0", port=53):
         self.server.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_RCVBUF, 4096)  # Increase buffer size
         self.server.bind((self.ip, self.port))
         self.executor = ThreadPoolExecutor(max_workers=10)  # Limit the number of concurrent workers
+        self.upstream_dns = upstream_dns
         print_debug(f"DNS server initialized on {self.ip}:{self.port}")
 
     def handle_request(self, data, addr):
@@ -316,8 +317,6 @@ def handle_request(self, data, addr):
         print_debug(f"Received request from {addr}: {request.q.qname}")
 
         # Create DNS response header
-        reply = DNSRecord(DNSHeader(id=request.header.id, qr=1, aa=1, ra=0), q=request.q)
-
         original_domain = str(request.q.qname)
 
         # Find the domain in the DNS_TABLE and return the corresponding IP address
@@ -344,9 +343,33 @@ def handle_request(self, data, addr):
             # Resolve DNS A records to IP addresses
             dnsA_records = resolve_dnsA_to_ip(network_data, networks, domain)
 
-            for ip in dnsA_records:
-                reply.add_answer(RR(original_domain, rdata=A(ip)))
-                print_debug(f"Added response for {original_domain} -> {ip}")
+            if len(dnsA_records) == 0:
+                # fallback to upstream DNS server
+                try:
+                    # Convert the request to binary format
+                    query_data = request.pack()
+
+                    # Create a socket and send the query to the upstream server
+                    sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
+                    sock.settimeout(2)
+
+                    # Send the request to the upstream DNS server
+                    sock.sendto(query_data, (self.upstream_dns, 53))
+                    
+                    # Receive the response from the upstream server
+                    data, _ = sock.recvfrom(4096)
+                    sock.close()
+
+                    # Parse the response
+                    reply = DNSRecord.parse(data)
+                except Exception as e:
+                    reply = request.reply()
+                    reply.header.rcode = RCODE.SERVFAIL
+            else:
+                reply = DNSRecord(DNSHeader(id=request.header.id, qr=1, aa=1, ra=0), q=request.q)
+                for ip in dnsA_records:
+                    reply.add_answer(RR(original_domain, rdata=A(ip)))
+                    print_debug(f"Added response for {original_domain} -> {ip}")
 
         else:
             print_debug(f"IP {request_addr} not found in any Docker network.")
@@ -399,7 +422,7 @@ def stop(self):
         bind_ip = os.environ['BIND_IP']
 
     # Initialize DNS server
-    server = DNSServer(ip=bind_ip, port=53)
+    server = DNSServer(ip=bind_ip, port=53, upstream_dns=os.getenv('UPSTREAM_DNS', '8.8.8.8'))
 
     # Start the DNS server in the main thread
     server.start()