DNS resolver priming query failure

I've recently stood up a new DNS server using Bind (v9.18.28-1) and I'm getting repeating blocks of errors in my "general" log file: 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.723 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:7fe::53#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.755 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:dc3::35#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.787 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:2f::f#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.819 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:12::d0d#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.851 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:503:c27::2:30#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.883 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:2::c#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.919 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:2d::d#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.951 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:7fd::1#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:09.991 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:9f::42#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.027 resolver: DNS format error from 2801:1b8:10::b#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.059 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:a8::e#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.095 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:500:1::53#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.127 resolver: DNS format error from 2001:503:ba3e::2:30#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.163 resolver: DNS format error from 192.36.148.17#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.183 resolver: DNS format error from 202.12.27.33#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.207 resolver: DNS format error from 192.5.5.241#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.227 resolver: DNS format error from 192.112.36.4#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.251 resolver: DNS format error from 192.58.128.30#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.275 resolver: DNS format error from 192.33.4.12#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.299 resolver: DNS format error from 199.7.91.13#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.323 resolver: DNS format error from 193.0.14.129#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.347 resolver: DNS format error from 199.7.83.42#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.371 resolver: DNS format error from 170.247.170.2#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.395 resolver: DNS format error from 192.203.230.10#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.423 resolver: DNS format error from 198.97.190.53#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.447 resolver: DNS format error from 198.41.0.4#53 resolving ./NS for : non-improving referral 02-Oct-2024 09:49:10.447 resolver: resolver priming query complete: failure It appears that these are all of the root name servers I've got listed in the /usr/share/dns/root.hints file. This file is referenced via this zone block in my named configuration file: // prime the server with knowledge of the root servers zone "." { type hint; file "/usr/share/dns/root.hints"; }; Here's the options that I've got set: options { directory "/var/cache/bind"; allow-query { any; }; forwarders { 1.1.1.1; }; allow-recursion { xx.xx.xx.xx/29; //10.0.0.0/8; 10.1.0.0/16; }; // hide version # version "unknown"; dnssec-validation auto; }; Any idea as to what is causing these format errors and is there anything I can do about it? Thanks folks!