diff --git a/src/core/net/dns_client.cpp b/src/core/net/dns_client.cpp
index 9ea77ea25..d087ef046 100644
--- a/src/core/net/dns_client.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/dns_client.cpp
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include "common/debug.hpp"
 #include "common/instance.hpp"
 #include "common/locator-getters.hpp"
+#include "common/logging.hpp"
 #include "net/udp6.hpp"
 #include "thread/thread_netif.hpp"
 
@@ -223,7 +224,7 @@ otError Client::SendMessage(Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageI
     return mSocket.SendTo(aMessage, aMessageInfo);
 }
 
-otError Client::SendCopy(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo)
+void Client::SendCopy(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo)
 {
     otError  error;
     Message *messageCopy = NULL;
@@ -237,12 +238,15 @@ otError Client::SendCopy(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessa
 
 exit:
 
-    if (error != OT_ERROR_NONE && messageCopy != NULL)
+    if (error != OT_ERROR_NONE)
     {
-        messageCopy->Free();
-    }
+        otLogWarnIp6("Failed to send DNS request: %s", otThreadErrorToString(error));
 
-    return error;
+        if (messageCopy != NULL)
+        {
+            messageCopy->Free();
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 otError Client::AppendCompressedHostname(Message &aMessage, const char *aHostname)
@@ -435,7 +439,7 @@ void Client::HandleRetransmissionTimer(void)
             messageInfo.SetPeerPort(queryMetadata.mDestinationPort);
             messageInfo.SetSockAddr(queryMetadata.mSourceAddress);
 
-            IgnoreError(SendCopy(*message, messageInfo));
+            SendCopy(*message, messageInfo);
         }
 
         if (nextTime > queryMetadata.mTransmissionTime)
diff --git a/src/core/net/dns_client.hpp b/src/core/net/dns_client.hpp
index 0f7d06ebd..932562465 100644
--- a/src/core/net/dns_client.hpp
+++ b/src/core/net/dns_client.hpp
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ private:
     Message *CopyAndEnqueueMessage(const Message &aMessage, const QueryMetadata &aQueryMetadata);
     void     DequeueMessage(Message &aMessage);
     otError  SendMessage(Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo);
-    otError  SendCopy(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo);
+    void     SendCopy(const Message &aMessage, const Ip6::MessageInfo &aMessageInfo);
 
     otError AppendCompressedHostname(Message &aMessage, const char *aHostname);
     otError CompareQuestions(Message &aMessageResponse, Message &aMessageQuery, uint16_t &aOffset);