diff --git a/resolver-dns/src/main/java/io/netty/resolver/dns/DnsNameResolver.java b/resolver-dns/src/main/java/io/netty/resolver/dns/DnsNameResolver.java
index 7e037c34d1..7bb5f2436d 100644
--- a/resolver-dns/src/main/java/io/netty/resolver/dns/DnsNameResolver.java
+++ b/resolver-dns/src/main/java/io/netty/resolver/dns/DnsNameResolver.java
@@ -178,14 +178,19 @@ public class DnsNameResolver extends InetNameResolver {
 
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     private static List<String> getSearchDomainsHack() throws Exception {
-        // This code on Java 9+ yields a warning about illegal reflective access that will be denied in
-        // a future release. There doesn't seem to be a better way to get search domains for Windows yet.
-        Class<?> configClass = Class.forName("sun.net.dns.ResolverConfiguration");
-        Method open = configClass.getMethod("open");
-        Method nameservers = configClass.getMethod("searchlist");
-        Object instance = open.invoke(null);
+        // Only try if not using Java9 and later
+        // See https://github.com/netty/netty/issues/9500
+        if (PlatformDependent.javaVersion() < 9) {
+            // This code on Java 9+ yields a warning about illegal reflective access that will be denied in
+            // a future release. There doesn't seem to be a better way to get search domains for Windows yet.
+            Class<?> configClass = Class.forName("sun.net.dns.ResolverConfiguration");
+            Method open = configClass.getMethod("open");
+            Method nameservers = configClass.getMethod("searchlist");
+            Object instance = open.invoke(null);
 
-        return (List<String>) nameservers.invoke(instance);
+            return (List<String>) nameservers.invoke(instance);
+        }
+        return Collections.emptyList();
     }
 
     private static final DatagramDnsResponseDecoder DATAGRAM_DECODER = new DatagramDnsResponseDecoder() {