diff --git a/evdns.c b/evdns.c
index 69f3ff63..13ce230f 100644
--- a/evdns.c
+++ b/evdns.c
@@ -2395,7 +2395,7 @@ _evdns_nameserver_add_impl(struct evdns_base *base, const struct sockaddr *addre
 
 	evtimer_assign(&ns->timeout_event, ns->base->event_base, nameserver_prod_callback, ns);
 
-	ns->socket = socket(PF_INET, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
+	ns->socket = socket(address->sa_family, SOCK_DGRAM, 0);
 	if (ns->socket < 0) { err = 1; goto out1; }
 	evutil_make_socket_closeonexec(ns->socket);
 	evutil_make_socket_nonblocking(ns->socket);