diff --git a/include/ircd/net/dns.h b/include/ircd/net/dns.h
index 70e651327..98ac5927d 100644
--- a/include/ircd/net/dns.h
+++ b/include/ircd/net/dns.h
@@ -97,25 +97,6 @@ struct ircd::net::dns::opts
 	opts() = default;
 };
 
-/// (internal) DNS cache
-namespace ircd::net::dns::cache
-{
-	using closure = std::function<bool (const string_view &, const json::object &)>;
-
-	extern conf::item<seconds> min_ttl;
-	extern conf::item<seconds> error_ttl;
-	extern conf::item<seconds> nxdomain_ttl;
-
-	string_view make_type(const mutable_buffer &out, const string_view &);
-	string_view make_type(const mutable_buffer &out, const uint16_t &);
-
-	bool for_each(const string_view &type, const closure &); // do not make_type() here
-	bool for_each(const hostport &, const opts &, const closure &);
-	bool get(const hostport &, const opts &, const callback &);
-	bool put(const hostport &, const opts &, const records &);
-	bool put(const hostport &, const opts &, const uint &code, const string_view &msg = {});
-}
-
 /// (internal)
 struct ircd::net::dns::init
 {
diff --git a/include/ircd/net/dns_cache.h b/include/ircd/net/dns_cache.h
index 981dc250b..5573ce610 100644
--- a/include/ircd/net/dns_cache.h
+++ b/include/ircd/net/dns_cache.h
@@ -8,11 +8,26 @@
 // copyright notice and this permission notice is present in all copies. The
 // full license for this software is available in the LICENSE file.
 
-//
-// This file is not included in any include group. It is used when
-// implementing the dns::cache by modules and extensions.
-//
+/// (internal) DNS cache
+namespace ircd::net::dns::cache
+{
+	using closure = std::function<bool (const string_view &, const json::object &)>;
 
+	extern conf::item<seconds> min_ttl;
+	extern conf::item<seconds> error_ttl;
+	extern conf::item<seconds> nxdomain_ttl;
+
+	string_view make_type(const mutable_buffer &out, const string_view &);
+	string_view make_type(const mutable_buffer &out, const uint16_t &);
+
+	bool for_each(const string_view &type, const closure &); // do not make_type() here
+	bool for_each(const hostport &, const opts &, const closure &);
+	bool get(const hostport &, const opts &, const callback &);
+	bool put(const hostport &, const opts &, const records &);
+	bool put(const hostport &, const opts &, const uint &code, const string_view &msg = {});
+}
+
+/// (internal) DNS cache
 namespace ircd::net::dns::cache
 {
 	struct waiter;
@@ -25,6 +40,7 @@ namespace ircd::net::dns::cache
 	extern ctx::dock dock;
 }
 
+/// DNS cache result waiter
 struct ircd::net::dns::cache::waiter
 {
 	dns::callback callback;
diff --git a/include/ircd/net/net.h b/include/ircd/net/net.h
index 1acb0dd9b..44e1bb824 100644
--- a/include/ircd/net/net.h
+++ b/include/ircd/net/net.h
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ namespace ircd::net
 #include "ipaddr.h"
 #include "ipport.h"
 #include "dns.h"
+#include "dns_cache.h"
 #include "listener.h"
 #include "listener_udp.h"
 #include "sock_opts.h"
diff --git a/ircd/net_dns.cc b/ircd/net_dns.cc
index e7cc16caa..432d44590 100644
--- a/ircd/net_dns.cc
+++ b/ircd/net_dns.cc
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@
 // full license for this software is available in the LICENSE file.
 
 #include <RB_INC_NETDB_H
-#include <ircd/net/dns_cache.h>
 
 namespace ircd::net::dns
 {
diff --git a/ircd/net_dns_cache.cc b/ircd/net_dns_cache.cc
index f99759ae1..a6ceb8880 100644
--- a/ircd/net_dns_cache.cc
+++ b/ircd/net_dns_cache.cc
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 // copyright notice and this permission notice is present in all copies. The
 // full license for this software is available in the LICENSE file.
 
-#include <ircd/net/dns_cache.h>
-
 decltype(ircd::net::dns::cache::min_ttl)
 ircd::net::dns::cache::min_ttl
 {
diff --git a/modules/net_dns_cache.cc b/modules/net_dns_cache.cc
index 6fa7c6f35..16ec54357 100644
--- a/modules/net_dns_cache.cc
+++ b/modules/net_dns_cache.cc
@@ -8,8 +8,6 @@
 // copyright notice and this permission notice is present in all copies. The
 // full license for this software is available in the LICENSE file.
 
-#include <ircd/net/dns_cache.h>
-
 namespace ircd::net::dns::cache
 {
 	static bool call_waiter(const string_view &, const string_view &, const json::array &, waiter &);