diff --git a/bin/digd.js b/bin/digd.js
index c04e7bd..57da2f4 100755
--- a/bin/digd.js
+++ b/bin/digd.js
@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@ var common = require('dig.js/common');
 var defaultNameservers = require('dns').getServers();
 var hexdump;
 
+var SERVFAIL = 2;
+//var NXDOMAIN = 3;
+var REFUSED = 5;
+
 cli.parse({
 //  'b': [ false, 'set source IP address (defaults to 0.0.0.0)', 'string' ]
   'class': [ 'c', 'class (defaults to IN)', 'string', 'IN' ]
@@ -170,9 +174,10 @@ cli.main(function (args, cli) {
       //common.writeResponse(opts, query, nb, packet);
     }
 
-    function sendEmptyResponse(query, nx) {
+    function sendEmptyResponse(query, rcode) {
       // rcode
       // 0 SUCCESS  // manages this domain and found a record
+      // 2 SERVFAIL // could not contact authoritatve nameserver (no recursion, etc)
       // 3 NXDOMAIN // manages this domain, but doesn't have a record
       // 5 REFUSED  // doesn't manage this domain
       var newAb;
@@ -185,7 +190,7 @@ cli.main(function (args, cli) {
         , tc: 0
         , rd: query.header.rd
         , ra: cli.norecurse ? 0 : 1 // TODO is this bit dependent on the rd bit?
-        , rcode: nx ? 3 : 0 // no error
+        , rcode: rcode ? rcode : 0 // no error
         }
       , question: []
       , answer: []
@@ -233,14 +238,14 @@ cli.main(function (args, cli) {
 
     function recurse() {
       if (!query.header.rd) {
-        console.log("[Could not answer. Sent empty response.]");
-        sendEmptyResponse(query, true);
+        console.log("[DEV] no recursion desired. Sending empty response.]");
+        sendEmptyResponse(query, SERVFAIL);
         return;
       }
 
       if (cli.norecurse) {
-        console.log("[Could not answer. Sent empty response.]");
-        sendEmptyResponse(query, true);
+        console.log("[DEV] recursion forbidden. Sending empty response.]");
+        sendEmptyResponse(query, REFUSED);
         return;
       }
 
@@ -358,7 +363,7 @@ cli.main(function (args, cli) {
 
     // TODO get local answer first, if available
     require('../lib/dns-store').query(cli.input, query, function (err, resp) {
-      if (err) { recurse(); return; }
+      if (err) { console.log('[DEV] answer not found in local db, recursing'); recurse(); return; }
 
       sendResponse(resp);
     });