diff --git a/src/datastructure.h b/src/datastructure.h
index d1f3a714..e6316698 100644
--- a/src/datastructure.h
+++ b/src/datastructure.h
@@ -117,6 +117,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	enum query_type query_type;
 	unsigned int domainID;
 	unsigned int clientID;
+	unsigned int CNAME_domainID; // only valid if query has a CNAME blocking status
 	int list_id;
 	uint32_t hash;
 	time_t expires;
diff --git a/src/dnsmasq_interface.c b/src/dnsmasq_interface.c
index 2f2984da..a595ccbf 100644
--- a/src/dnsmasq_interface.c
+++ b/src/dnsmasq_interface.c
@@ -1537,7 +1537,9 @@ static bool FTL_check_blocking(const unsigned int queryID, const unsigned int do
 			if(!query->flags.allowed)
 			{
 				force_next_DNS_reply = dns_cache->force_reply;
-				query_blocked(query, domain, client, QUERY_DENYLIST);
+				query_blocked(query, domain, client, blocking_status);
+				if(blocking_status == QUERY_DENYLIST_CNAME)
+					query->CNAME_domainID = dns_cache->CNAME_domainID;
 				return true;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -1554,7 +1556,9 @@ static bool FTL_check_blocking(const unsigned int queryID, const unsigned int do
 			if(!query->flags.allowed)
 			{
 				force_next_DNS_reply = dns_cache->force_reply;
-				query_blocked(query, domain, client, QUERY_GRAVITY);
+				query_blocked(query, domain, client, blocking_status);
+				if(blocking_status == QUERY_GRAVITY_CNAME)
+					query->CNAME_domainID = dns_cache->CNAME_domainID;
 				return true;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -1573,7 +1577,9 @@ static bool FTL_check_blocking(const unsigned int queryID, const unsigned int do
 			{
 				force_next_DNS_reply = dns_cache->force_reply;
 				last_regex_idx = dns_cache->list_id;
-				query_blocked(query, domain, client, QUERY_REGEX);
+				query_blocked(query, domain, client, blocking_status);
+				if(blocking_status == QUERY_REGEX_CNAME)
+					query->CNAME_domainID = dns_cache->CNAME_domainID;
 				return true;
 			}
 			break;
@@ -1863,6 +1869,12 @@ bool FTL_CNAME(const char *dst, const char *src, const int id)
 		// Store domain that was the reason for blocking the entire chain
 		query->CNAME_domainID = child_domainID;
 
+		// Store CNAME domain ID in DNS cache
+		const int parent_cacheID = query->cacheID > -1 ? query->cacheID : findCacheID(parent_domainID, clientID, query->type, false);
+		DNSCacheData *parent_cache = parent_cacheID < 0 ? NULL : getDNSCache(parent_cacheID, true);
+		if(parent_cache != NULL)
+			parent_cache->CNAME_domainID = child_domainID;
+
 		// Change blocking reason into CNAME-caused blocking
 		if(query->status == QUERY_GRAVITY)
 		{
@@ -1870,12 +1882,10 @@ bool FTL_CNAME(const char *dst, const char *src, const int id)
 		}
 		else if(query->status == QUERY_REGEX)
 		{
-			// Get parent and child DNS cache entries
-			const int parent_cacheID = query->cacheID > -1 ? query->cacheID : findCacheID(parent_domainID, clientID, query->type, false);
+			// Get child DNS cache entries
 			const int child_cacheID = findCacheID(child_domainID, clientID, query->type, false);
 
-			// Get cache pointers
-			DNSCacheData *parent_cache = parent_cacheID < 0 ? NULL : getDNSCache(parent_cacheID, true);
+			// Get child's cache pointer
 			const DNSCacheData *child_cache = child_cacheID < 0 ? NULL : getDNSCache(child_cacheID, true);
 
 			// Propagate ID of responsible regex up from the child to the parent
diff --git a/src/gc.c b/src/gc.c
index f340fb96..060b0c58 100644
--- a/src/gc.c
+++ b/src/gc.c
@@ -102,6 +102,22 @@ static void recycle(void)
 			cache_used[query->cacheID] = true;
 	}
 
+	// Scan cache records for CNAME domain pointers that prevent domains
+	// from being recyclable
+	for(unsigned int cacheID = 0; cacheID < counters->dns_cache_size; cacheID++)
+	{
+		const DNSCacheData *cache = getDNSCache(cacheID, true);
+		if(cache == NULL)
+			continue;
+
+		// Mark domains as used when this is a CNAME-related cache
+		// record
+		if(cache->blocking_status == QUERY_GRAVITY_CNAME ||
+		   cache->blocking_status == QUERY_REGEX_CNAME ||
+		   cache->blocking_status == QUERY_DENYLIST_CNAME)
+		   domain_used[cache->CNAME_domainID] = true;
+	}
+
 	// Recycle clients
 	unsigned int clients_recycled = 0;
 	for(unsigned int clientID = 0; clientID < counters->clients; clientID++)