diff --git a/dnscrypt-proxy/plugins.go b/dnscrypt-proxy/plugins.go
index cf2d768c..517ecb4d 100644
--- a/dnscrypt-proxy/plugins.go
+++ b/dnscrypt-proxy/plugins.go
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ const (
 	PluginsReturnCodeNetworkError
 	PluginsReturnCodeCloak
 	PluginsReturnCodeServerTimeout
+	PluginsReturnCodeNotReady
 )
 
 var PluginsReturnCodeToString = map[PluginsReturnCode]string{
@@ -61,6 +62,7 @@ var PluginsReturnCodeToString = map[PluginsReturnCode]string{
 	PluginsReturnCodeNetworkError:  "NETWORK_ERROR",
 	PluginsReturnCodeCloak:         "CLOAK",
 	PluginsReturnCodeServerTimeout: "SERVER_TIMEOUT",
+	PluginsReturnCodeNotReady:      "NOT_READY",
 }
 
 type PluginsState struct {
diff --git a/dnscrypt-proxy/proxy.go b/dnscrypt-proxy/proxy.go
index 03ccd040..989b25f5 100644
--- a/dnscrypt-proxy/proxy.go
+++ b/dnscrypt-proxy/proxy.go
@@ -716,7 +716,11 @@ func (proxy *Proxy) processIncomingQuery(clientProto string, serverProto string,
 		}
 	}
 	if len(response) < MinDNSPacketSize || len(response) > MaxDNSPacketSize {
-		pluginsState.returnCode = PluginsReturnCodeParseError
+		if len(response) == 0 {
+			pluginsState.returnCode = PluginsReturnCodeNotReady
+		} else {
+			pluginsState.returnCode = PluginsReturnCodeParseError
+		}
 		pluginsState.ApplyLoggingPlugins(&proxy.pluginsGlobals)
 		if serverInfo != nil {
 			serverInfo.noticeFailure(proxy)