diff --git a/RELEASE-NOTES.md b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
index 4bc922bcb..e71d01397 100644
--- a/RELEASE-NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE-NOTES.md
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+### 2.14.6
+* Fixing ping slowness
+
 ### 2.14.5
 * Fixing docker hub push
 
diff --git a/VERSION b/VERSION
index fbdb3b99a..d7b0d017e 100644
--- a/VERSION
+++ b/VERSION
@@ -1 +1 @@
-2.14.5
+2.14.6
diff --git a/dns.go b/dns.go
index 8bcb88652..8663ca6f7 100644
--- a/dns.go
+++ b/dns.go
@@ -50,12 +50,10 @@ func handleQuestion(respWriter dns.ResponseWriter, reqMsg *dns.Msg) {
 	solverFactory := proxy.NewCnameDnsSolverFactory(&proxy.DefaultDnsSolverFactory{})
 	msg, err := solverFactory.Solve(ctx, firstQuestion, getSolvers())
 	logging.Debugf("status=complete, question=%+v, answers=%+v, err=%+v", ctx, firstQuestion, getAnswer(msg), err)
-	if err == nil {
+	if msg != nil {
 		msg.SetReply(reqMsg)
 		msg.Compress = conf.Compress()
 		respWriter.WriteMsg(msg)
-	} else {
-		respWriter.Close()
 	}
 }