org., it does not need to begin the resolution process from scratch but instead start at zone org., thus avoiding another query to the root name servers. There is no requirement that resolving should involve any referrals at all. Looking up en.wikipedia.org. on the root name servers always results in referrals, but if an alternative DNS root is used which is set up to contain a record for en.wikipedia.org., then the record is returned on the first query. See also Domain propagation DNS zone transfer References Domain Name System