diff --git a/include/openthread/dnssd_server.h b/include/openthread/dnssd_server.h
index 98f83d694..c008e3266 100644
--- a/include/openthread/dnssd_server.h
+++ b/include/openthread/dnssd_server.h
@@ -147,20 +147,33 @@ typedef enum
     OT_DNSSD_QUERY_TYPE_RESOLVE_HOST = 3, ///< Service type resolve hostname.
 } otDnssdQueryType;
 
+/**
+ * Represents the count of queries, responses, failures handled by upstream DNS server.
+ *
+ * Requires `OPENTHREAD_CONFIG_DNS_UPSTREAM_QUERY_ENABLE`.
+ */
+typedef struct otUpstreamDnsCounters
+{
+    uint32_t mQueries;   ///< The number of queries forwarded.
+    uint32_t mResponses; ///< The number of responses forwarded.
+    uint32_t mFailures;  ///< The number of upstream DNS failures.
+} otUpstreamDnsCounters;
+
 /**
  * Contains the counters of DNS-SD server.
  *
  */
 typedef struct otDnssdCounters
 {
-    uint32_t mSuccessResponse;        ///< The number of successful responses
-    uint32_t mServerFailureResponse;  ///< The number of server failure responses
-    uint32_t mFormatErrorResponse;    ///< The number of format error responses
-    uint32_t mNameErrorResponse;      ///< The number of name error responses
-    uint32_t mNotImplementedResponse; ///< The number of 'not implemented' responses
-    uint32_t mOtherResponse;          ///< The number of other responses
-
-    uint32_t mResolvedBySrp; ///< The number of queries completely resolved by the local SRP server
+    uint32_t              mSuccessResponse;        ///< The number of successful responses.
+    uint32_t              mServerFailureResponse;  ///< The number of server failure responses.
+    uint32_t              mFormatErrorResponse;    ///< The number of format error responses.
+    uint32_t              mNameErrorResponse;      ///< The number of name error responses.
+    uint32_t              mNotImplementedResponse; ///< The number of 'not implemented' responses.
+    uint32_t              mOtherResponse;          ///< The number of other responses.
+    uint32_t              mResolvedBySrp;          ///< The number of queries resolved by the local SRP server.
+    otUpstreamDnsCounters mUpstreamDnsCounters;    ///< The number of queries, responses,
+                                                   ///< failures handled by upstream DNS server.
 } otDnssdCounters;
 
 /**
diff --git a/include/openthread/instance.h b/include/openthread/instance.h
index 2fa848528..e394abc96 100644
--- a/include/openthread/instance.h
+++ b/include/openthread/instance.h
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ extern "C" {
  * @note This number versions both OpenThread platform and user APIs.
  *
  */
-#define OPENTHREAD_API_VERSION (385)
+#define OPENTHREAD_API_VERSION (386)
 
 /**
  * @addtogroup api-instance
diff --git a/src/core/net/dnssd_server.cpp b/src/core/net/dnssd_server.cpp
index 33aabbd66..385eb88f3 100644
--- a/src/core/net/dnssd_server.cpp
+++ b/src/core/net/dnssd_server.cpp
@@ -866,6 +866,10 @@ void Server::OnUpstreamQueryDone(UpstreamQueryTransaction &aQueryTransaction, Me
     {
         error = mSocket.SendTo(*aResponseMessage, aQueryTransaction.GetMessageInfo());
     }
+    else
+    {
+        error = kErrorResponseTimeout;
+    }
 
     ResetUpstreamQueryTransaction(aQueryTransaction, error);
 
@@ -886,7 +890,7 @@ Server::UpstreamQueryTransaction *Server::AllocateUpstreamQueryTransaction(const
         }
     }
 
-    VerifyOrExit(newTxn != nullptr);
+    VerifyOrExit(newTxn != nullptr, mCounters.mUpstreamDnsCounters.mFailures++);
 
     newTxn->Init(aMessageInfo);
     LogInfo("Upstream query transaction %d initialized.", static_cast<int>(newTxn - mUpstreamQueryTransactions));
@@ -905,6 +909,7 @@ Error Server::ResolveByUpstream(const Request &aRequest)
     VerifyOrExit(txn != nullptr, error = kErrorNoBufs);
 
     otPlatDnsStartUpstreamQuery(&GetInstance(), txn, aRequest.mMessage);
+    mCounters.mUpstreamDnsCounters.mQueries++;
 
 exit:
     return error;
@@ -1277,10 +1282,12 @@ void Server::ResetUpstreamQueryTransaction(UpstreamQueryTransaction &aTxn, Error
     OT_UNUSED_VARIABLE(index);
     if (aError == kErrorNone)
     {
+        mCounters.mUpstreamDnsCounters.mResponses++;
         LogInfo("Upstream query transaction %d completed.", index);
     }
     else
     {
+        mCounters.mUpstreamDnsCounters.mFailures++;
         LogWarn("Upstream query transaction %d closed: %s.", index, ErrorToString(aError));
     }
     aTxn.Reset();