diff --git a/service.go b/service.go
index 92cf8da..aef2f5a 100644
--- a/service.go
+++ b/service.go
@@ -290,10 +290,6 @@ func (service *Service) DiscoverFromChainAliases(ctx context.Context, client *HS
 	if !found {
 		return nil
 	}
-	effectiveHSDClient, err := service.resolveHSDClient(client)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	if len(aliases) == 0 {
 		now := time.Now()
 		fingerprint := aliasFingerprint(aliases)
@@ -301,6 +297,10 @@ func (service *Service) DiscoverFromChainAliases(ctx context.Context, client *HS
 		service.recordTreeRootState(now, "", fingerprint)
 		return nil
 	}
+	effectiveHSDClient, err := service.resolveHSDClient(client)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	return service.discoverFromChainAliasesUsingTreeRoot(ctx, aliases, effectiveHSDClient)
 }
 
@@ -516,10 +516,6 @@ func (service *Service) DiscoverFromMainchainAliases(ctx context.Context, chainC
 	if !found {
 		return nil
 	}
-	effectiveHSDClient, err := service.resolveHSDClient(hsdClient)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
 	if len(aliases) == 0 {
 		now := time.Now()
 		fingerprint := aliasFingerprint(aliases)
@@ -527,6 +523,10 @@ func (service *Service) DiscoverFromMainchainAliases(ctx context.Context, chainC
 		service.recordTreeRootState(now, "", fingerprint)
 		return nil
 	}
+	effectiveHSDClient, err := service.resolveHSDClient(hsdClient)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 	return service.discoverFromChainAliasesUsingTreeRoot(ctx, aliases, effectiveHSDClient)
 }
 
diff --git a/service_test.go b/service_test.go
index 525d5be..dfcb152 100644
--- a/service_test.go
+++ b/service_test.go
@@ -1061,6 +1061,34 @@ func TestServiceDiscoverAliasesClearsCacheWhenAliasListBecomesEmpty(t *testing.T
 	}
 }
 
+func TestServiceDiscoverAliasesClearsCacheWhenAliasListIsEmptyWithoutHSDClient(t *testing.T) {
+	service := NewService(ServiceOptions{
+		Records: map[string]NameRecords{
+			"legacy.charon.lthn": {
+				A: []string{"10.11.11.11"},
+			},
+		},
+		ChainAliasDiscoverer: func(_ context.Context) ([]string, error) {
+			return []string{}, nil
+		},
+	})
+	service.hsdClient = nil
+	service.mainchainAliasClient = nil
+
+	if err := service.DiscoverAliases(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected empty alias discovery to succeed without HSD client: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, ok := service.Resolve("legacy.charon.lthn"); ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected stale records to be cleared when the alias list is empty")
+	}
+
+	health := service.Health()
+	if health.NamesCached != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected empty cache after clearing aliases, got %d", health.NamesCached)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestServiceDiscoverAliasesParsesAliasDetailRecordsFromActionCaller(t *testing.T) {
 	var treeRootCalls int32
 	var nameResourceCalls int32
@@ -1703,6 +1731,34 @@ func TestServiceDiscoverAliasesReturnsNilWithoutDiscovererOrHSDClient(t *testing
 	}
 }
 
+func TestServiceDiscoverFromMainchainAliasesClearsCacheWhenAliasListIsEmptyWithoutHSDClient(t *testing.T) {
+	service := NewService(ServiceOptions{
+		Records: map[string]NameRecords{
+			"legacy.charon.lthn": {
+				A: []string{"10.11.11.11"},
+			},
+		},
+		ChainAliasDiscoverer: func(_ context.Context) ([]string, error) {
+			return []string{}, nil
+		},
+	})
+	service.mainchainAliasClient = nil
+	service.hsdClient = nil
+
+	if err := service.DiscoverFromMainchainAliases(context.Background(), nil, nil); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected empty mainchain alias discovery to succeed without HSD or mainchain client: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if _, ok := service.Resolve("legacy.charon.lthn"); ok {
+		t.Fatal("expected stale records to be cleared when the mainchain alias list is empty")
+	}
+
+	health := service.Health()
+	if health.NamesCached != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected empty cache after clearing aliases, got %d", health.NamesCached)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestServiceCreatesDefaultHSDClientWhenURLNotConfigured(t *testing.T) {
 	service := NewService(ServiceOptions{
 		ChainAliasDiscoverer: func(_ context.Context) ([]string, error) {