BIND 8.4.3 not honoring forward-only?

[Peter Koch]

Hello,

after upgrading to 8.4.3 on a nameserver configured with "forward only" and
a one element forwarders list, I see DNS queries originating from this
named process being directed to "the outside", i.e. elsewhere but that
forwarder. Queries are of QTYPE AAAA and seem to be sysqueries.
The forwarder has to respond SERVFAIL because the zone in question is
delegated to two nameservers, one of which doesn't exist. The other one
doesn't respond. {details withheld to protect the queried for party}

So, is bypassing the forwarder an intended 'last resort' kind of thing?

-Peter