diff --git a/internal/bind/render.go b/internal/bind/render.go
index 92b34f9..f283f95 100644
--- a/internal/bind/render.go
+++ b/internal/bind/render.go
@@ -154,7 +154,11 @@ func renderForwardZone(z bindv1alpha1.BindZone, indent string) string {
 	b.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%szone \"%s\" {\n", indent, z.Spec.ZoneName))
 	b.WriteString(indent + "    type forward;\n")
 	b.WriteString(indent + "    forward only;\n")
-	b.WriteString(indent + "    " + ForwardersClause(z.Spec.Forwarders) + ";\n")
+	if list := terminate(z.Spec.Forwarders); list != "" {
+		b.WriteString(fmt.Sprintf("%s    forwarders { %s };\n", indent, list))
+	} else {
+		b.WriteString(indent + "    forwarders { };\n")
+	}
 	b.WriteString(indent + "};\n")
 	return b.String()
 }
@@ -396,14 +400,6 @@ func terminate(entries []string) string {
 	return strings.Join(parts, " ")
 }
 
-// ForwardersClause renders a zone forwarders clause; empty means "forwarders { }" (no forwarding).
-func ForwardersClause(entries []string) string {
-	if list := terminate(entries); list != "" {
-		return "forwarders { " + list + " }"
-	}
-	return "forwarders { }"
-}
-
 func yesno(b bool) string {
 	if b {
 		return "yes"
diff --git a/internal/controller/bindzone_controller.go b/internal/controller/bindzone_controller.go
index 214b5a5..9d02f10 100644
--- a/internal/controller/bindzone_controller.go
+++ b/internal/controller/bindzone_controller.go
@@ -218,7 +218,10 @@ func (r *BindZoneReconciler) buildZoneConfig(ctx context.Context, zone *bindv1al
 			parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("primaries { %s }", terminateInline(zone.Spec.Primaries)))
 		}
 	case bindv1alpha1.ZoneForward:
-		parts = append(parts, "type forward", "forward only", bind.ForwardersClause(zone.Spec.Forwarders))
+		parts = append(parts, "type forward", "forward only")
+		if len(zone.Spec.Forwarders) > 0 {
+			parts = append(parts, fmt.Sprintf("forwarders { %s }", terminateInline(zone.Spec.Forwarders)))
+		}
 	case bindv1alpha1.ZoneStub:
 		parts = append(parts, "type stub", fmt.Sprintf("file \"%s\"", bind.ZoneFilePath(zone.Spec.ZoneName)))
 		if len(zone.Spec.Primaries) > 0 {
diff --git a/internal/controller/bindzone_notify_test.go b/internal/controller/bindzone_notify_test.go
index ed95b7e..806778f 100644
--- a/internal/controller/bindzone_notify_test.go
+++ b/internal/controller/bindzone_notify_test.go
@@ -63,23 +63,3 @@ func TestBuildZoneConfigPrimaryNoNotifyTargets(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("did not expect notify clauses with no targets: %q", cfg)
 	}
 }
-
-func TestBuildZoneConfigForwardForwarders(t *testing.T) {
-	r := &BindZoneReconciler{}
-	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		fwd  []string
-		want string
-	}{
-		{nil, "{ type forward; forward only; forwarders { }; };"},
-		{[]string{"198.18.19.15"}, "{ type forward; forward only; forwarders { 198.18.19.15; }; };"},
-	} {
-		zone := &bindv1alpha1.BindZone{Spec: bindv1alpha1.BindZoneSpec{ZoneName: "spamhaus.org", Type: bindv1alpha1.ZoneForward, Forwarders: tc.fwd}}
-		cfg, err := r.buildZoneConfig(context.Background(), zone, "", nil, "")
-		if err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("buildZoneConfig: %v", err)
-		}
-		if cfg != tc.want {
-			t.Errorf("forwarders %v:\ngot  %q\nwant %q", tc.fwd, cfg, tc.want)
-		}
-	}
-}