diff --git a/lib/dns/validator.c b/lib/dns/validator.c
index 9b5c891f94..e31ad661e5 100644
--- a/lib/dns/validator.c
+++ b/lib/dns/validator.c
@@ -1126,24 +1126,25 @@ select_signing_key(dns_validator_t *val, dns_rdataset_t *rdataset) {
 		INSIST(val->key == NULL);
 		result = dst_key_fromdns(&siginfo->signer, rdata.rdclass, &b,
 					 val->view->mctx, &val->key);
-		if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
-			goto failure;
-		}
-		if (siginfo->algorithm == (dns_secalg_t)dst_key_alg(val->key) &&
-		    siginfo->keyid == (dns_keytag_t)dst_key_id(val->key) &&
-		    dst_key_iszonekey(val->key))
-		{
-			if (foundold) {
-				/*
-				 * This is the key we're looking for.
-				 */
-				return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
-			} else if (dst_key_compare(oldkey, val->key)) {
-				foundold = true;
-				dst_key_free(&oldkey);
+		if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
+			if (siginfo->algorithm ==
+				    (dns_secalg_t)dst_key_alg(val->key) &&
+			    siginfo->keyid ==
+				    (dns_keytag_t)dst_key_id(val->key) &&
+			    dst_key_iszonekey(val->key))
+			{
+				if (foundold) {
+					/*
+					 * This is the key we're looking for.
+					 */
+					return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+				} else if (dst_key_compare(oldkey, val->key)) {
+					foundold = true;
+					dst_key_free(&oldkey);
+				}
 			}
+			dst_key_free(&val->key);
 		}
-		dst_key_free(&val->key);
 		dns_rdata_reset(&rdata);
 		result = dns_rdataset_next(rdataset);
 	} while (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS);