diff --git a/headers/posix/resolv.h b/headers/posix/resolv.h
index 2b1b569b1f..bb600068d1 100644
--- a/headers/posix/resolv.h
+++ b/headers/posix/resolv.h
@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ union res_sockaddr_union {
 #define RES_NOTLDQUERY	0x00100000	/* don't unqualified name as a tld */
 #define RES_USE_DNSSEC	0x00200000	/* use DNSSEC using OK bit in OPT */
 /* #define RES_DEBUG2	0x00400000 */	/* nslookup internal */
+#define RES_USE_INET4	0x00800000	/* use IPv4 in gethostbyname() */
 /* KAME extensions: use higher bit to avoid conflict with ISC use */
 #define RES_USE_DNAME	0x10000000	/* use DNAME */
 #define RES_USE_EDNS0	0x40000000	/* use EDNS0 if configured */
diff --git a/src/kits/network/libbind/irs/getaddrinfo.c b/src/kits/network/libbind/irs/getaddrinfo.c
index 1839ba48e1..b95e6cd21c 100644
--- a/src/kits/network/libbind/irs/getaddrinfo.c
+++ b/src/kits/network/libbind/irs/getaddrinfo.c
@@ -328,6 +328,7 @@ getaddrinfo(hostname, servname, hints, res)
 	struct addrinfo ai, ai0, *afai = NULL;
 	struct addrinfo *pai;
 	const struct explore *ex;
+	struct net_data *net_data;
 
 	memset(&sentinel, 0, sizeof(sentinel));
 	cur = &sentinel;
@@ -501,6 +502,11 @@ getaddrinfo(hostname, servname, hints, res)
 	if (hostname == NULL)
 		SETERROR(EAI_NONAME);
 
+	/* init after numeric lookups to avoid recursion in resolv.conf */
+	net_data = init();
+	if ((net_data->res->options & RES_USE_INET4) && ai0.ai_family == PF_UNSPEC)
+		ai0.ai_family = PF_INET;
+
 	/*
 	 * hostname as alphabetical name.
 	 * We'll make sure that
diff --git a/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_debug.c b/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_debug.c
index 8446bbbe4e..3e1d2c687c 100644
--- a/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_debug.c
+++ b/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_debug.c
@@ -680,6 +680,7 @@ p_option(u_long option) {
 	case RES_INSECURE2:	return "insecure2";
 	case RES_NOALIASES:	return "noaliases";
 	case RES_USE_INET6:	return "inet6";
+	case RES_USE_INET4:	return "inet4";
 #ifdef RES_USE_EDNS0	/*%< KAME extension */
 	case RES_USE_EDNS0:	return "edns0";
 	case RES_NSID:		return "nsid";
diff --git a/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_init.c b/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_init.c
index b96d8517ce..213e8d9001 100644
--- a/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_init.c
+++ b/src/kits/network/libbind/resolv/res_init.c
@@ -594,6 +594,8 @@ res_setoptions(res_state statp, const char *options, const char *source)
 			statp->options |= RES_NOTLDQUERY;
 		} else if (!strncmp(cp, "inet6", sizeof("inet6") - 1)) {
 			statp->options |= RES_USE_INET6;
+		} else if (!strncmp(cp, "inet4", sizeof("inet4") - 1)) {
+			statp->options |= RES_USE_INET4;
 		} else if (!strncmp(cp, "rotate", sizeof("rotate") - 1)) {
 			statp->options |= RES_ROTATE;
 		} else if (!strncmp(cp, "no-check-names",