diff --git a/man/NetworkManager.conf.xml b/man/NetworkManager.conf.xml
index 2c1fc8521..0dcf805d5 100644
--- a/man/NetworkManager.conf.xml
+++ b/man/NetworkManager.conf.xml
@@ -1453,8 +1453,8 @@ managed=1
 
   <refsect1>
     <title><literal>global-dns</literal> section</title>
-    <para>This section specifies global DNS settings that override
-    connection-specific configuration.</para>
+    <para>This section specifies DNS settings that are applied
+    globally, in addition to connection-specific ones.</para>
     <para>
       <variablelist>
         <varlistentry>
@@ -1482,10 +1482,15 @@ managed=1
     <para>Sections with a name starting with the "global-dns-domain-"
     prefix allow to define global DNS configuration for specific
     domains.  The part of section name after "global-dns-domain-"
-    specifies the domain name a section applies to.  More specific
-    domains have the precedence over less specific ones and the
-    default domain is represented by the wildcard "*".  A default
-    domain section is mandatory.
+    specifies the domain name a section applies to (for example, a
+    section could be named "global-dns-domain-foobar.com").  More
+    specific domains have the precedence over less specific ones and
+    the default domain is represented by the wildcard "*".
+
+    To be valid, global DNS domains must include a section for the
+    default domain "*". When the global DNS domains are valid, the
+    name servers and domains defined globally override the ones from
+    active connections.
     </para>
     <para>
       <variablelist>
diff --git a/src/core/dns/nm-dns-dnsmasq.c b/src/core/dns/nm-dns-dnsmasq.c
index 8ae1bb961..05aeff492 100644
--- a/src/core/dns/nm-dns-dnsmasq.c
+++ b/src/core/dns/nm-dns-dnsmasq.c
@@ -922,7 +922,8 @@ create_update_args(NMDnsDnsmasq            *self,
 
     if (global_config)
         add_global_config(self, &servers, global_config);
-    else {
+
+    if (!global_config || !nm_global_dns_config_lookup_domain(global_config, "*")) {
         c_list_for_each_entry (ip_data, ip_data_lst_head, ip_data_lst)
             add_ip_config(self, &servers, ip_data);
     }