GitLab Runner Docker-in-Docker image pulls failing with DNS timeout

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0800

While running CI jobs through a GitLab Runner, image pulls kept failing with the following error:

WARNING: Failed to pull image with policy "always": Error response from daemon: Get "https://registry-1.docker.io/v2/": dial tcp: lookup registry-1.docker.io on 127.0.0.1:53: read udp 127.0.0.1:51656->127.0.0.1:53: i/o timeout
ERROR: Job failed: failed to pull image "docker:28.5.2-dind" with specified policies [always]

The host machine’s /etc/resolv.conf had nameserver 127.0.0.1 - a local resolver that only works on the host itself.

Ci on YT Por

GitLab Runner Docker-in-Docker image pulls failing with DNS timeout