diff --git a/src/common/dns_utils.cpp b/src/common/dns_utils.cpp
index 347cf758a..ea7f1078b 100644
--- a/src/common/dns_utils.cpp
+++ b/src/common/dns_utils.cpp
@@ -205,15 +205,13 @@ std::vector<std::string> DNSResolver::get_ipv4(const std::string& url, bool& dns
   dnssec_valid = false;
   char urlC[1000];  // waaaay too big, but just in case...
 
-  std::string url_copy{url};
-  if (!check_address_syntax(url_copy))
+  strncpy(urlC, url.c_str(), 999);
+  urlC[999] = '\0';
+  if (!check_address_syntax(urlC))
   {
     return addresses;
   }
 
-  strncpy(urlC, url_copy.c_str(), 999);
-  urlC[999] = '\0';
-
   // destructor takes care of cleanup
   ub_result_ptr result;
 
@@ -241,15 +239,14 @@ std::vector<std::string> DNSResolver::get_ipv6(const std::string& url, bool& dns
   dnssec_valid = false;
   char urlC[1000];  // waaaay too big, but just in case...
 
-  std::string url_copy{url};
-  if (!check_address_syntax(url_copy))
+  strncpy(urlC, url.c_str(), 999);
+  urlC[999] = '\0';
+
+  if (!check_address_syntax(urlC))
   {
     return addresses;
   }
 
-  strncpy(urlC, url_copy.c_str(), 999);
-  urlC[999] = '\0';
-
   ub_result_ptr result;
 
   // call DNS resolver, blocking.  if return value not zero, something went wrong
@@ -276,15 +273,14 @@ std::vector<std::string> DNSResolver::get_txt_record(const std::string& url, boo
   dnssec_valid = false;
   char urlC[1000];  // waaaay too big, but just in case...
 
-  std::string url_copy{url};
-  if (!check_address_syntax(url_copy))
+  strncpy(urlC, url.c_str(), 999);
+  urlC[999] = '\0';
+
+  if (!check_address_syntax(urlC))
   {
     return records;
   }
 
-  strncpy(urlC, url_copy.c_str(), 999);
-  urlC[999] = '\0';
-
   ub_result_ptr result;
 
   // call DNS resolver, blocking.  if return value not zero, something went wrong
@@ -318,17 +314,13 @@ DNSResolver& DNSResolver::instance()
   return *staticInstance;
 }
 
-bool DNSResolver::check_address_syntax(std::string& addr)
+bool DNSResolver::check_address_syntax(const std::string& addr)
 {
   // if string doesn't contain a dot, we won't consider it a url for now.
-  auto first_dot = addr.find(".");
-  if (first_dot == std::string::npos)
+  if (addr.find(".") == std::string::npos)
   {
     return false;
   }
-
-  // allow name@domain.tld to work
-  addr.replace(first_dot, 1, "@");
   return true;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/common/dns_utils.h b/src/common/dns_utils.h
index 4e48acb09..a16c7eff7 100644
--- a/src/common/dns_utils.h
+++ b/src/common/dns_utils.h
@@ -112,14 +112,11 @@ private:
   /**
    * @brief Checks a string to see if it looks like a URL
    *
-   * If the address looks good, but contains one @ symbol, replace that with a .
-   * e.g. donate@getmonero.org becomes donate.getmonero.org
-   *
    * @param addr the string to be checked
    *
    * @return true if it looks enough like a URL, false if not
    */
-  bool check_address_syntax(std::string& addr);
+  bool check_address_syntax(const std::string& addr);
 
   DNSResolverData *m_data;
 }; // class DNSResolver