diff --git a/nixos/modules/config/networking.nix b/nixos/modules/config/networking.nix
index a89667ea221cc..3560e579e47cf 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/config/networking.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/config/networking.nix
@@ -41,19 +41,6 @@ in
       '';
     };
 
-    networking.hostConf = lib.mkOption {
-      type = types.lines;
-      default = "multi on";
-      example = ''
-        multi on
-        reorder on
-        trim lan
-      '';
-      description = ''
-        The contents of <filename>/etc/host.conf</filename>. See also <citerefentry><refentrytitle>host.conf</refentrytitle><manvolnum>5</manvolnum></citerefentry>.
-      '';
-    };
-
     networking.timeServers = mkOption {
       default = [
         "0.nixos.pool.ntp.org"
@@ -186,7 +173,9 @@ in
         '';
 
         # /etc/host.conf: resolver configuration file
-        "host.conf".text = cfg.hostConf;
+        "host.conf".text = ''
+          multi on
+        '';
 
       } // optionalAttrs (pkgs.stdenv.hostPlatform.libc == "glibc") {
         # /etc/rpc: RPC program numbers.
diff --git a/nixos/modules/rename.nix b/nixos/modules/rename.nix
index e392fef54dde9..83b29613d9c2c 100644
--- a/nixos/modules/rename.nix
+++ b/nixos/modules/rename.nix
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ with lib;
     (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "systemd" "generator-packages" ] "Use systemd.packages instead.")
     (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "fonts" "enableCoreFonts" ] "Use fonts.fonts = [ pkgs.corefonts ]; instead.")
     (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "networking" "vpnc" ] "Use environment.etc.\"vpnc/service.conf\" instead.")
+    (mkRemovedOptionModule [ "networking" "hostConf" ] "Use environment.etc.\"host.conf\" instead.")
 
     # ZSH
     (mkRenamedOptionModule [ "programs" "zsh" "enableSyntaxHighlighting" ] [ "programs" "zsh" "syntaxHighlighting" "enable" ])
diff --git a/nixos/tests/resolv.nix b/nixos/tests/resolv.nix
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b506f87451ee7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/nixos/tests/resolv.nix
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Test whether DNS resolving returns multiple records and all address families.
+import ./make-test-python.nix ({ pkgs, ... } : {
+  name = "resolv";
+  meta = with pkgs.stdenv.lib.maintainers; {
+    maintainers = [ ckauhaus ];
+  };
+
+  nodes.resolv = { ... }: {
+    networking.extraHosts = ''
+      # IPv4 only
+      192.0.2.1 host-ipv4.example.net
+      192.0.2.2 host-ipv4.example.net
+      # IP6 only
+      2001:db8::2:1 host-ipv6.example.net
+      2001:db8::2:2 host-ipv6.example.net
+      # dual stack
+      192.0.2.1 host-dual.example.net
+      192.0.2.2 host-dual.example.net
+      2001:db8::2:1 host-dual.example.net
+      2001:db8::2:2 host-dual.example.net
+    '';
+  };
+
+  testScript = ''
+    def addrs_in(hostname, addrs):
+        res = resolv.succeed("getent ahosts {}".format(hostname))
+        for addr in addrs:
+            assert addr in res, "Expected output '{}' not found in\n{}".format(addr, res)
+
+
+    start_all()
+    resolv.wait_for_unit("nscd")
+
+    ipv4 = ["192.0.2.1", "192.0.2.2"]
+    ipv6 = ["2001:db8::2:1", "2001:db8::2:2"]
+
+    with subtest("IPv4 resolves"):
+        addrs_in("host-ipv4.example.net", ipv4)
+
+    with subtest("IPv6 resolves"):
+        addrs_in("host-ipv6.example.net", ipv6)
+
+    with subtest("Dual stack resolves"):
+        addrs_in("host-dual.example.net", ipv4 + ipv6)
+  '';
+})