diff --git a/docs/src/dns.rst b/docs/src/dns.rst
index d7c889f7a..3b15377f9 100644
--- a/docs/src/dns.rst
+++ b/docs/src/dns.rst
@@ -39,6 +39,13 @@ Public members
     Loop that started this getaddrinfo request and where completion will be
     reported. Readonly.
 
+.. c:member:: struct addrinfo* uv_getaddrinfo_t.addrinfo
+
+    Pointer to a `struct addrinfo` containing the result. Must be freed by the user
+    with :c:func:`uv_freeaddrinfo`.
+
+    .. versionchanged:: 1.3.0 the field is declared as public.
+
 .. c:member:: uv_loop_t* uv_getnameinfo_t.loop
 
     Loop that started this getnameinfo request and where completion will be
@@ -68,6 +75,9 @@ API
 
     Call :c:func:`uv_freeaddrinfo` to free the addrinfo structure.
 
+    .. versionchanged:: 1.3.0 the callback parameter is now allowed to be NULL,
+                        in which case the request will run **synchronously**.
+
 .. c:function:: void uv_freeaddrinfo(struct addrinfo* ai)
 
     Free the struct addrinfo. Passing NULL is allowed and is a no-op.
@@ -80,4 +90,7 @@ API
     callback will get called sometime in the future with the lookup result.
     Consult `man -s 3 getnameinfo` for more details.
 
+    .. versionchanged:: 1.3.0 the callback parameter is now allowed to be NULL,
+                        in which case the request will run **synchronously**.
+
 .. seealso:: The :c:type:`uv_req_t` API functions also apply.
diff --git a/include/uv-unix.h b/include/uv-unix.h
index e72492564..82d193bdc 100644
--- a/include/uv-unix.h
+++ b/include/uv-unix.h
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ typedef struct {
   struct addrinfo* hints;                                                     \
   char* hostname;                                                             \
   char* service;                                                              \
-  struct addrinfo* res;                                                       \
+  struct addrinfo* addrinfo;                                                  \
   int retcode;
 
 #define UV_GETNAMEINFO_PRIVATE_FIELDS                                         \
diff --git a/include/uv-win.h b/include/uv-win.h
index 4abb294c0..b744d624c 100644
--- a/include/uv-win.h
+++ b/include/uv-win.h
@@ -565,8 +565,11 @@ RB_HEAD(uv_timer_tree_s, uv_timer_s);
   void* alloc;                                                                \
   WCHAR* node;                                                                \
   WCHAR* service;                                                             \
-  struct addrinfoW* hints;                                                    \
-  struct addrinfoW* res;                                                      \
+  /* The addrinfoW field is used to store a pointer to the hints, and    */   \
+  /* later on to store the result of GetAddrInfoW. The final result will */   \
+  /* be converted to struct addrinfo* and stored in the addrinfo field.  */   \
+  struct addrinfoW* addrinfow;                                                \
+  struct addrinfo* addrinfo;                                                  \
   int retcode;
 
 #define UV_GETNAMEINFO_PRIVATE_FIELDS                                         \
diff --git a/include/uv.h b/include/uv.h
index a2332504c..f1a952625 100644
--- a/include/uv.h
+++ b/include/uv.h
@@ -772,6 +772,7 @@ struct uv_getaddrinfo_s {
   UV_REQ_FIELDS
   /* read-only */
   uv_loop_t* loop;
+  /* struct addrinfo* addrinfo is marked as private, but it really isn't. */
   UV_GETADDRINFO_PRIVATE_FIELDS
 };
 
diff --git a/src/unix/getaddrinfo.c b/src/unix/getaddrinfo.c
index faf9add92..0d684e24e 100644
--- a/src/unix/getaddrinfo.c
+++ b/src/unix/getaddrinfo.c
@@ -99,21 +99,17 @@ static void uv__getaddrinfo_work(struct uv__work* w) {
   int err;
 
   req = container_of(w, uv_getaddrinfo_t, work_req);
-  err = getaddrinfo(req->hostname, req->service, req->hints, &req->res);
+  err = getaddrinfo(req->hostname, req->service, req->hints, &req->addrinfo);
   req->retcode = uv__getaddrinfo_translate_error(err);
 }
 
 
 static void uv__getaddrinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
   uv_getaddrinfo_t* req;
-  struct addrinfo *res;
 
   req = container_of(w, uv_getaddrinfo_t, work_req);
   uv__req_unregister(req->loop, req);
 
-  res = req->res;
-  req->res = NULL;
-
   /* See initialization in uv_getaddrinfo(). */
   if (req->hints)
     free(req->hints);
@@ -133,7 +129,8 @@ static void uv__getaddrinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
     req->retcode = UV_EAI_CANCELED;
   }
 
-  req->cb(req, req->retcode, res);
+  if (req->cb)
+    req->cb(req, req->retcode, req->addrinfo);
 }
 
 
@@ -149,7 +146,7 @@ int uv_getaddrinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   size_t len;
   char* buf;
 
-  if (req == NULL || cb == NULL || (hostname == NULL && service == NULL))
+  if (req == NULL || (hostname == NULL && service == NULL))
     return -EINVAL;
 
   hostname_len = hostname ? strlen(hostname) + 1 : 0;
@@ -163,7 +160,7 @@ int uv_getaddrinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   uv__req_init(loop, req, UV_GETADDRINFO);
   req->loop = loop;
   req->cb = cb;
-  req->res = NULL;
+  req->addrinfo = NULL;
   req->hints = NULL;
   req->service = NULL;
   req->hostname = NULL;
@@ -185,12 +182,17 @@ int uv_getaddrinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   if (hostname)
     req->hostname = memcpy(buf + len, hostname, hostname_len);
 
-  uv__work_submit(loop,
-                  &req->work_req,
-                  uv__getaddrinfo_work,
-                  uv__getaddrinfo_done);
-
-  return 0;
+  if (cb) {
+    uv__work_submit(loop,
+                    &req->work_req,
+                    uv__getaddrinfo_work,
+                    uv__getaddrinfo_done);
+    return 0;
+  } else {
+    uv__getaddrinfo_work(&req->work_req);
+    uv__getaddrinfo_done(&req->work_req, 0);
+    return req->retcode;
+  }
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/unix/getnameinfo.c b/src/unix/getnameinfo.c
index c3fb9831c..daa798a45 100644
--- a/src/unix/getnameinfo.c
+++ b/src/unix/getnameinfo.c
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ static void uv__getnameinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
     service = req->service;
   }
 
-  req->getnameinfo_cb(req, req->retcode, host, service);
+  if (req->getnameinfo_cb)
+    req->getnameinfo_cb(req, req->retcode, host, service);
 }
 
 /*
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ int uv_getnameinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
                    uv_getnameinfo_cb getnameinfo_cb,
                    const struct sockaddr* addr,
                    int flags) {
-  if (req == NULL || getnameinfo_cb == NULL || addr == NULL)
+  if (req == NULL || addr == NULL)
     return UV_EINVAL;
 
   if (addr->sa_family == AF_INET) {
@@ -105,10 +106,15 @@ int uv_getnameinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   req->loop = loop;
   req->retcode = 0;
 
-  uv__work_submit(loop,
-                  &req->work_req,
-                  uv__getnameinfo_work,
-                  uv__getnameinfo_done);
-
-  return 0;
+  if (getnameinfo_cb) {
+    uv__work_submit(loop,
+                    &req->work_req,
+                    uv__getnameinfo_work,
+                    uv__getnameinfo_done);
+    return 0;
+  } else {
+    uv__getnameinfo_work(&req->work_req);
+    uv__getnameinfo_done(&req->work_req, 0);
+    return req->retcode;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/win/getaddrinfo.c b/src/win/getaddrinfo.c
index 53a6084ef..3245c6f58 100644
--- a/src/win/getaddrinfo.c
+++ b/src/win/getaddrinfo.c
@@ -77,10 +77,13 @@ int uv__getaddrinfo_translate_error(int sys_err) {
 
 static void uv__getaddrinfo_work(struct uv__work* w) {
   uv_getaddrinfo_t* req;
+  struct addrinfoW* hints;
   int err;
 
   req = container_of(w, uv_getaddrinfo_t, work_req);
-  err = GetAddrInfoW(req->node, req->service, req->hints, &req->res);
+  hints = req->addrinfow;
+  req->addrinfow = NULL;
+  err = GetAddrInfoW(req->node, req->service, hints, &req->addrinfow);
   req->retcode = uv__getaddrinfo_translate_error(err);
 }
 
@@ -115,17 +118,13 @@ static void uv__getaddrinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
   if (status == UV_ECANCELED) {
     assert(req->retcode == 0);
     req->retcode = UV_EAI_CANCELED;
-    if (req->res != NULL) {
-        FreeAddrInfoW(req->res);
-        req->res = NULL;
-    }
     goto complete;
   }
 
   if (req->retcode == 0) {
     /* convert addrinfoW to addrinfo */
     /* first calculate required length */
-    addrinfow_ptr = req->res;
+    addrinfow_ptr = req->addrinfow;
     while (addrinfow_ptr != NULL) {
       addrinfo_len += addrinfo_struct_len +
           ALIGNED_SIZE(addrinfow_ptr->ai_addrlen);
@@ -146,7 +145,7 @@ static void uv__getaddrinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
     /* do conversions */
     if (alloc_ptr != NULL) {
       cur_ptr = alloc_ptr;
-      addrinfow_ptr = req->res;
+      addrinfow_ptr = req->addrinfow;
 
       while (addrinfow_ptr != NULL) {
         /* copy addrinfo struct data */
@@ -196,22 +195,24 @@ static void uv__getaddrinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
           addrinfo_ptr->ai_next = (struct addrinfo*)cur_ptr;
         }
       }
+      req->addrinfo = (struct addrinfo*)alloc_ptr;
     } else {
       req->retcode = UV_EAI_MEMORY;
     }
   }
 
+complete:
   /* return memory to system */
-  if (req->res != NULL) {
-    FreeAddrInfoW(req->res);
-    req->res = NULL;
+  if (req->addrinfow != NULL) {
+    FreeAddrInfoW(req->addrinfow);
+    req->addrinfow = NULL;
   }
 
-complete:
   uv__req_unregister(req->loop, req);
 
   /* finally do callback with converted result */
-  req->getaddrinfo_cb(req, req->retcode, (struct addrinfo*)alloc_ptr);
+  if (req->getaddrinfo_cb)
+    req->getaddrinfo_cb(req, req->retcode, req->addrinfo);
 }
 
 
@@ -250,8 +251,7 @@ int uv_getaddrinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   char* alloc_ptr = NULL;
   int err;
 
-  if (req == NULL || getaddrinfo_cb == NULL ||
-     (node == NULL && service == NULL)) {
+  if (req == NULL || (node == NULL && service == NULL)) {
     err = WSAEINVAL;
     goto error;
   }
@@ -259,7 +259,7 @@ int uv_getaddrinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   uv_req_init(loop, (uv_req_t*)req);
 
   req->getaddrinfo_cb = getaddrinfo_cb;
-  req->res = NULL;
+  req->addrinfo = NULL;
   req->type = UV_GETADDRINFO;
   req->loop = loop;
   req->retcode = 0;
@@ -327,27 +327,32 @@ int uv_getaddrinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
 
   /* copy hints to allocated memory and save pointer in req */
   if (hints != NULL) {
-    req->hints = (struct addrinfoW*)alloc_ptr;
-    req->hints->ai_family = hints->ai_family;
-    req->hints->ai_socktype = hints->ai_socktype;
-    req->hints->ai_protocol = hints->ai_protocol;
-    req->hints->ai_flags = hints->ai_flags;
-    req->hints->ai_addrlen = 0;
-    req->hints->ai_canonname = NULL;
-    req->hints->ai_addr = NULL;
-    req->hints->ai_next = NULL;
+    req->addrinfow = (struct addrinfoW*)alloc_ptr;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_family = hints->ai_family;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_socktype = hints->ai_socktype;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_protocol = hints->ai_protocol;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_flags = hints->ai_flags;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_addrlen = 0;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_canonname = NULL;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_addr = NULL;
+    req->addrinfow->ai_next = NULL;
   } else {
-    req->hints = NULL;
+    req->addrinfow = NULL;
   }
 
-  uv__work_submit(loop,
-                  &req->work_req,
-                  uv__getaddrinfo_work,
-                  uv__getaddrinfo_done);
-
   uv__req_register(loop, req);
 
-  return 0;
+  if (getaddrinfo_cb) {
+    uv__work_submit(loop,
+                    &req->work_req,
+                    uv__getaddrinfo_work,
+                    uv__getaddrinfo_done);
+    return 0;
+  } else {
+    uv__getaddrinfo_work(&req->work_req);
+    uv__getaddrinfo_done(&req->work_req, 0);
+    return req->retcode;
+  }
 
 error:
   if (req != NULL && req->alloc != NULL) {
diff --git a/src/win/getnameinfo.c b/src/win/getnameinfo.c
index 52cc79088..b1d045c79 100644
--- a/src/win/getnameinfo.c
+++ b/src/win/getnameinfo.c
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ static void uv__getnameinfo_done(struct uv__work* w, int status) {
     service = req->service;
   }
 
-  req->getnameinfo_cb(req, req->retcode, host, service);
+  if (req->getnameinfo_cb)
+    req->getnameinfo_cb(req, req->retcode, host, service);
 }
 
 
@@ -112,7 +113,7 @@ int uv_getnameinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
                    uv_getnameinfo_cb getnameinfo_cb,
                    const struct sockaddr* addr,
                    int flags) {
-  if (req == NULL || getnameinfo_cb == NULL || addr == NULL)
+  if (req == NULL || addr == NULL)
     return UV_EINVAL;
 
   if (addr->sa_family == AF_INET) {
@@ -136,10 +137,15 @@ int uv_getnameinfo(uv_loop_t* loop,
   req->loop = loop;
   req->retcode = 0;
 
-  uv__work_submit(loop,
-                  &req->work_req,
-                  uv__getnameinfo_work,
-                  uv__getnameinfo_done);
-
-  return 0;
+  if (getnameinfo_cb) {
+    uv__work_submit(loop,
+                    &req->work_req,
+                    uv__getnameinfo_work,
+                    uv__getnameinfo_done);
+    return 0;
+  } else {
+    uv__getnameinfo_work(&req->work_req);
+    uv__getnameinfo_done(&req->work_req, 0);
+    return req->retcode;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/test/test-getaddrinfo.c b/test/test-getaddrinfo.c
index 32ca91eff..45813c313 100644
--- a/test/test-getaddrinfo.c
+++ b/test/test-getaddrinfo.c
@@ -97,6 +97,22 @@ TEST_IMPL(getaddrinfo_fail) {
 }
 
 
+TEST_IMPL(getaddrinfo_fail_sync) {
+  uv_getaddrinfo_t req;
+
+  ASSERT(0 > uv_getaddrinfo(uv_default_loop(),
+                            &req,
+                            NULL,
+                            "xyzzy.xyzzy.xyzzy",
+                            NULL,
+                            NULL));
+  uv_freeaddrinfo(req.addrinfo);
+
+  MAKE_VALGRIND_HAPPY();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
 TEST_IMPL(getaddrinfo_basic) {
   int r;
   getaddrinfo_handle = (uv_getaddrinfo_t*)malloc(sizeof(uv_getaddrinfo_t));
@@ -118,6 +134,22 @@ TEST_IMPL(getaddrinfo_basic) {
 }
 
 
+TEST_IMPL(getaddrinfo_basic_sync) {
+  uv_getaddrinfo_t req;
+
+  ASSERT(0 == uv_getaddrinfo(uv_default_loop(),
+                             &req,
+                             NULL,
+                             name,
+                             NULL,
+                             NULL));
+  uv_freeaddrinfo(req.addrinfo);
+
+  MAKE_VALGRIND_HAPPY();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
 TEST_IMPL(getaddrinfo_concurrent) {
   int i, r;
   int* data;
diff --git a/test/test-getnameinfo.c b/test/test-getnameinfo.c
index 1ea0f3a43..ebe924669 100644
--- a/test/test-getnameinfo.c
+++ b/test/test-getnameinfo.c
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ static void getnameinfo_req(uv_getnameinfo_t* handle,
   ASSERT(service != NULL);
 }
 
+
 TEST_IMPL(getnameinfo_basic_ip4) {
   int r;
 
@@ -63,6 +64,23 @@ TEST_IMPL(getnameinfo_basic_ip4) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+
+TEST_IMPL(getnameinfo_basic_ip4_sync) {
+  ASSERT(0 == uv_ip4_addr(address_ip4, port, &addr4));
+
+  ASSERT(0 == uv_getnameinfo(uv_default_loop(),
+                             &req,
+                             NULL,
+                             (const struct sockaddr*)&addr4,
+                             0));
+  ASSERT(req.host != NULL);
+  ASSERT(req.service != NULL);
+
+  MAKE_VALGRIND_HAPPY();
+  return 0;
+}
+
+
 TEST_IMPL(getnameinfo_basic_ip6) {
   int r;
 
diff --git a/test/test-list.h b/test/test-list.h
index eb78a43cc..d00d0f262 100644
--- a/test/test-list.h
+++ b/test/test-list.h
@@ -180,9 +180,12 @@ TEST_DECLARE   (get_memory)
 TEST_DECLARE   (handle_fileno)
 TEST_DECLARE   (hrtime)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getaddrinfo_fail)
+TEST_DECLARE   (getaddrinfo_fail_sync)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getaddrinfo_basic)
+TEST_DECLARE   (getaddrinfo_basic_sync)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getaddrinfo_concurrent)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getnameinfo_basic_ip4)
+TEST_DECLARE   (getnameinfo_basic_ip4_sync)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getnameinfo_basic_ip6)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getsockname_tcp)
 TEST_DECLARE   (getsockname_udp)
@@ -524,11 +527,14 @@ TASK_LIST_START
   TEST_ENTRY  (hrtime)
 
   TEST_ENTRY_CUSTOM (getaddrinfo_fail, 0, 0, 10000)
+  TEST_ENTRY  (getaddrinfo_fail_sync)
 
   TEST_ENTRY  (getaddrinfo_basic)
+  TEST_ENTRY  (getaddrinfo_basic_sync)
   TEST_ENTRY  (getaddrinfo_concurrent)
 
   TEST_ENTRY  (getnameinfo_basic_ip4)
+  TEST_ENTRY  (getnameinfo_basic_ip4_sync)
   TEST_ENTRY  (getnameinfo_basic_ip6)
 
   TEST_ENTRY  (getsockname_tcp)