forwarding DNS server still trying to use built-in root hints

[Don Pandori]

I've got a BIND 9.2 server that is configured to use forwarders only for 
Internet-based queries.  I have other zones setup that it is authoritative 
for with an empty forwarders declaration and this setup seems to work 
fine.

We've recently noticed that the server is trying to query root 
name servers even though there are no root hints configured.  I've checked 
the email archives and this isn't supposed to be the behavior.

Anyone else have any ideas?

Here's a quick snippet of my named.conf:

options {

        directory "/opt/DNS/dbfiles";
        forwarders { 10.121.64.30; 10.121.64.29; };
};

zone "core.nyenet" {
        type master;
        file "core/db.core.nyenet";
        notify yes;
        also-notify {
                10.48.0.157; // ns7
                10.66.161.61; // ns9
                10.122.192.24; // ns8
        };
        forwarders {};
};


Any other zones are configured similarly and according to the docs this is 
legal.

Thanks!

Don Pandori