diff --git a/resolv/Makefile b/resolv/Makefile
index d5338f1..5cb2e53 100644
--- a/resolv/Makefile
+++ b/resolv/Makefile
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ tests-internal += \
   tst-resolv-res_init \
   tst-resolv-res_init-thread \
 
+# Needs resolv_context.
+tests-internal += tst-resolv-res_ninit
+
 endif
 
 # This test accesses __inet_ntop_range, an internal libc function.
@@ -103,6 +106,7 @@ ifeq ($(run-built-tests),yes)
 ifneq (no,$(PERL))
 tests-special += $(objpfx)mtrace-tst-leaks.out
 xtests-special += $(objpfx)mtrace-tst-leaks2.out
+tests-special += $(objpfx)mtrace-tst-resolv-res_ninit.out
 endif
 endif
 
@@ -114,7 +118,8 @@ headers += rpc/netdb.h
 endif
 
 generated += mtrace-tst-leaks.out tst-leaks.mtrace \
-	     mtrace-tst-leaks2.out tst-leaks2.mtrace
+	     mtrace-tst-leaks2.out tst-leaks2.mtrace \
+	     mtrace-tst-resolv-res_ninit.out tst-resolv-res_ninit.mtrace \
 
 include ../Rules
 
@@ -142,6 +147,12 @@ $(objpfx)mtrace-tst-leaks2.out: $(objpfx)tst-leaks2.out
 	$(common-objpfx)malloc/mtrace $(objpfx)tst-leaks2.mtrace > $@; \
 	$(evaluate-test)
 
+tst-resolv-res_ninit-ENV = MALLOC_TRACE=$(objpfx)tst-resolv-res_ninit.mtrace
+$(objpfx)mtrace-tst-resolv-res_ninit.out: $(objpfx)tst-resolv-res_ninit.out
+	$(common-objpfx)malloc/mtrace \
+	  $(objpfx)tst-resolv-res_ninit.mtrace > $@; \
+	  $(evaluate-test)
+
 $(objpfx)tst-bug18665-tcp: $(objpfx)libresolv.so $(shared-thread-library)
 $(objpfx)tst-bug18665: $(objpfx)libresolv.so $(shared-thread-library)
 $(objpfx)tst-res_use_inet6: $(objpfx)libresolv.so $(shared-thread-library)
diff --git a/resolv/resolv_conf.c b/resolv/resolv_conf.c
index 9ef5924..b98cf92 100644
--- a/resolv/resolv_conf.c
+++ b/resolv/resolv_conf.c
@@ -28,9 +28,12 @@
    struct resolv_conf_array object.  The intent of this construction
    is to make reasonably sure that even if struct __res_state objects
    are copied around and patched by applications, we can still detect
-   accesses to stale extended resolver state.  */
+   accesses to stale extended resolver state.  The array elements are
+   either struct resolv_conf * pointers (if the LSB is cleared) or
+   free list entries (if the LSB is set).  The free list is used to
+   speed up finding available entries in the array.  */
 #define DYNARRAY_STRUCT resolv_conf_array
-#define DYNARRAY_ELEMENT struct resolv_conf *
+#define DYNARRAY_ELEMENT uintptr_t
 #define DYNARRAY_PREFIX resolv_conf_array_
 #define DYNARRAY_INITIAL_SIZE 0
 #include <malloc/dynarray-skeleton.c>
@@ -55,6 +58,10 @@ struct resolv_conf_global
      the array element is overwritten with NULL.  */
   struct resolv_conf_array array;
 
+  /* Start of the free list in the array.  The MSB is set if this
+     field has been initialized.  */
+  uintptr_t free_list_start;
+
   /* Cached current configuration object for /etc/resolv.conf.  */
   struct resolv_conf *conf_current;
 
@@ -194,15 +201,17 @@ resolv_conf_get_1 (const struct __res_state *resp)
        contexts exists, so returning NULL is correct.  */
     return NULL;
   size_t index = resp->_u._ext.__glibc_extension_index ^ INDEX_MAGIC;
-  struct resolv_conf *conf;
+  struct resolv_conf *conf = NULL;
   if (index < resolv_conf_array_size (&global_copy->array))
     {
-      conf = *resolv_conf_array_at (&global_copy->array, index);
-      assert (conf->__refcount > 0);
-      ++conf->__refcount;
+      uintptr_t *slot = resolv_conf_array_at (&global_copy->array, index);
+      if (!(*slot & 1))
+        {
+          conf = (struct resolv_conf *) *slot;
+          assert (conf->__refcount > 0);
+          ++conf->__refcount;
+        }
     }
-  else
-    conf = NULL;
   put_locked_global (global_copy);
   return conf;
 }
@@ -550,17 +559,20 @@ decrement_at_index (struct resolv_conf_global *global_copy, size_t index)
 {
   if (index < resolv_conf_array_size (&global_copy->array))
     {
-      /* Index found.  Deallocate the struct resolv_conf object once
-         the reference counter reaches.  Free the array slot.  */
-      struct resolv_conf **slot
-        = resolv_conf_array_at (&global_copy->array, index);
-      struct resolv_conf *conf = *slot;
-      if (conf != NULL)
+      /* Index found.  */
+      uintptr_t *slot = resolv_conf_array_at (&global_copy->array, index);
+      /* Check that the slot is not already part of the free list.  */
+      if (!(*slot & 1))
         {
+          struct resolv_conf *conf = (struct resolv_conf *) *slot;
           conf_decrement (conf);
-          /* Clear the slot even if the reference count is positive.
-             Slots are not shared.  */
-          *slot = NULL;
+          /* Put the slot onto the free list.  */
+          if (global_copy->free_list_start == 0)
+            /* Not yet initialized.  */
+            *slot = 1;
+          else
+            *slot = global_copy->free_list_start;
+          global_copy->free_list_start = (index << 1) | 1;
         }
     }
 }
@@ -580,24 +592,21 @@ __resolv_conf_attach (struct __res_state *resp, struct resolv_conf *conf)
   /* Try to find an unused index in the array.  */
   size_t index;
   {
-    size_t size = resolv_conf_array_size (&global_copy->array);
-    bool found = false;
-    for (index = 0; index < size; ++index)
+    if (global_copy->free_list_start & 1)
       {
-        struct resolv_conf **p
-          = resolv_conf_array_at (&global_copy->array, index);
-        if (*p == NULL)
-          {
-            *p = conf;
-            found = true;
-            break;
-          }
+        /* Unlink from the free list.  */
+        index = global_copy->free_list_start >> 1;
+        uintptr_t *slot = resolv_conf_array_at (&global_copy->array, index);
+        global_copy->free_list_start = *slot;
+        assert (global_copy->free_list_start & 1);
+        /* Install the configuration pointer.  */
+        *slot = (uintptr_t) conf;
       }
-
-    if (!found)
+    else
       {
+        size_t size = resolv_conf_array_size (&global_copy->array);
         /* No usable index found.  Increase the array size.  */
-        resolv_conf_array_add (&global_copy->array, conf);
+        resolv_conf_array_add (&global_copy->array, (uintptr_t) conf);
         if (resolv_conf_array_has_failed (&global_copy->array))
           {
             put_locked_global (global_copy);
diff --git a/resolv/tst-resolv-res_ninit.c b/resolv/tst-resolv-res_ninit.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d08153f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resolv/tst-resolv-res_ninit.c
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+/* Test the creation of many struct __res_state objects.
+   Copyright (C) 2017 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+   This file is part of the GNU C Library.
+
+   The GNU C Library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+   modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+   version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+
+   The GNU C Library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+   but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+   MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+   Lesser General Public License for more details.
+
+   You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+   License along with the GNU C Library; if not, see
+   <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.  */
+
+#include <mcheck.h>
+#include <resolv.h>
+#include <resolv/resolv_context.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <support/check.h>
+
+/* Order the resolver states by their extended resolver state
+   index.  */
+static int
+sort_res_state (const void *a, const void *b)
+{
+  res_state left = (res_state) a;
+  res_state right = (res_state) b;
+  return memcmp (&left->_u._ext.__glibc_extension_index,
+                 &right->_u._ext.__glibc_extension_index,
+                 sizeof (left->_u._ext.__glibc_extension_index));
+}
+
+static int
+do_test (void)
+{
+  mtrace ();
+
+  enum { count = 100 * 1000 };
+  res_state array = calloc (count, sizeof (*array));
+  const struct resolv_conf *conf = NULL;
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < count; ++i)
+    {
+      TEST_VERIFY (res_ninit (array + i) == 0);
+      TEST_VERIFY (array[i].nscount > 0);
+      struct resolv_context *ctx = __resolv_context_get_override (array + i);
+      TEST_VERIFY_EXIT (ctx != NULL);
+      TEST_VERIFY (ctx->resp == array + i);
+      if (i == 0)
+        {
+          conf = ctx->conf;
+          TEST_VERIFY (conf != NULL);
+        }
+      else
+        /* The underyling configuration should be identical across all
+           res_state opjects because resolv.conf did not change.  */
+        TEST_VERIFY (ctx->conf == conf);
+    }
+  qsort (array, count, sizeof (*array), sort_res_state);
+  for (size_t i = 1; i < count; ++i)
+    /* All extension indices should be different.  */
+    TEST_VERIFY (sort_res_state (array + i - 1, array + i) < 0);
+  for (size_t i = 0; i < count; ++i)
+    res_nclose (array + i);
+  free (array);
+
+  TEST_VERIFY (res_init () == 0);
+  return 0;
+}
+
+#include <support/test-driver.c>
