diff --git a/doc/man-sections/client-options.rst b/doc/man-sections/client-options.rst
index 4555534e..df8ac433 100644
--- a/doc/man-sections/client-options.rst
+++ b/doc/man-sections/client-options.rst
@@ -168,11 +168,11 @@ configuration.
   ::
 
      dns search-domains domain [domain ...]
-     dns server n address addr[:port] [addr[:port] ...]
-     dns server n resolve-domains domain [domain ...]
-     dns server n dnssec yes|optional|no
-     dns server n transport DoH|DoT|plain
-     dns server n sni server-name
+     dns server [n] address addr[:port] [addr[:port] ...]
+     dns server [n] resolve-domains domain [domain ...]
+     dns server [n] dnssec yes|optional|no
+     dns server [n] transport DoH|DoT|plain
+     dns server [n] sni server-name
 
   The ``--dns search-domains`` directive takes one or more domain names
   to be added as DNS domain suffixes. If it is repeated multiple times within
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ configuration.
   a server will amend locally defined ones.
 
   The ``--dns server`` directive is used to configure DNS server ``n``.
+  If the ``n`` parameter is omitted the directive configures DNS server ``0``.
   The server id ``n`` must be a value between -128 and 127. For pushed
   DNS server options it must be between 0 and 127. The server id is used
   to group options and also for ordering the list of configured DNS servers;
diff --git a/src/openvpn/dns.c b/src/openvpn/dns.c
index 51fca2fb..5f5e06b6 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/dns.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/dns.c
@@ -159,13 +159,18 @@ dns_domain_list_append(struct dns_domain **entry, char **domains, struct gc_aren
 }
 
 bool
-dns_server_priority_parse(long *priority, const char *str, bool pulled)
+dns_server_priority_parse(long *priority, size_t *subidx, const char *str, bool pulled)
 {
     char *endptr;
     const long min = pulled ? 0 : INT8_MIN;
     const long max = INT8_MAX;
     long prio = strtol(str, &endptr, 10);
-    if (*endptr != '\0' || prio < min || prio > max)
+    if (endptr == str)
+    {
+        /* No priority found, str isn't numeric */
+        *subidx -= 1;
+    }
+    else if (*endptr != '\0' || prio < min || prio > max)
     {
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/src/openvpn/dns.h b/src/openvpn/dns.h
index e4978579..d0258f75 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/dns.h
+++ b/src/openvpn/dns.h
@@ -78,11 +78,13 @@ struct dns_options {
  * Parses a string DNS server priority and validates it.
  *
  * @param   priority    Pointer to where the priority should be stored
+ * @param   subidx      Pointer to the sub-option index, decremented if no
+ *                      priority value could be found
  * @param   str         Priority string to parse
  * @param   pulled      Whether this was pulled from a server
  * @return              True if priority in string is valid
  */
-bool dns_server_priority_parse(long *priority, const char *str, bool pulled);
+bool dns_server_priority_parse(long *priority, size_t *subidx, const char *str, bool pulled);
 
 /**
  * Find or create DNS server with priority in a linked list.
diff --git a/src/openvpn/options.c b/src/openvpn/options.c
index 3e0cb62b..ea69ea7a 100644
--- a/src/openvpn/options.c
+++ b/src/openvpn/options.c
@@ -510,7 +510,7 @@ static const char usage_message[] =
     "                  ignore or reject causes the option to be allowed, removed or\n"
     "                  rejected with error. May be specified multiple times, and\n"
     "                  each filter is applied in the order of appearance.\n"
-    "--dns server <n> <option> <value> [value ...] : Configure option for DNS server #n\n"
+    "--dns server [n] <option> <value> [value ...] : Configure option for DNS server #n\n"
     "                  Valid options are :\n"
     "                  address <addr[:port]> [addr[:port] ...] : server addresses 4/6\n"
     "                  resolve-domains <domain> [domain ...] : split domains\n"
@@ -7997,10 +7997,11 @@ add_option(struct options *options,
         {
             dns_domain_list_append(&options->dns_options.search_domains, &p[2], &options->dns_options.gc);
         }
-        else if (streq(p[1], "server") && p[2] && p[3] && p[4])
+        else if (streq(p[1], "server") && p[2] && p[3])
         {
             long priority;
-            if (!dns_server_priority_parse(&priority, p[2], pull_mode))
+            size_t subcmd = 3; /* one after priority, if a priority was given */
+            if (!dns_server_priority_parse(&priority, &subcmd, p[2], pull_mode))
             {
                 msg(msglevel, "--dns server: invalid priority value '%s'", p[2]);
                 goto err;
@@ -8008,9 +8009,9 @@ add_option(struct options *options,
 
             struct dns_server *server = dns_server_get(&options->dns_options.servers, priority, &options->dns_options.gc);
 
-            if (streq(p[3], "address") && p[4])
+            if (streq(p[subcmd], "address") && p[subcmd + 1])
             {
-                for (int i = 4; p[i]; ++i)
+                for (int i = subcmd + 1; p[i]; ++i)
                 {
                     if (!dns_server_addr_parse(server, p[i]))
                     {
@@ -8019,57 +8020,57 @@ add_option(struct options *options,
                     }
                 }
             }
-            else if (streq(p[3], "resolve-domains"))
+            else if (streq(p[subcmd], "resolve-domains") && p[subcmd + 1])
             {
-                dns_domain_list_append(&server->domains, &p[4], &options->dns_options.gc);
+                dns_domain_list_append(&server->domains, &p[subcmd + 1], &options->dns_options.gc);
             }
-            else if (streq(p[3], "dnssec") && !p[5])
+            else if (streq(p[subcmd], "dnssec") && p[subcmd + 1] && !p[subcmd + 2])
             {
-                if (streq(p[4], "yes"))
+                if (streq(p[subcmd + 1], "yes"))
                 {
                     server->dnssec = DNS_SECURITY_YES;
                 }
-                else if (streq(p[4], "no"))
+                else if (streq(p[subcmd + 1], "no"))
                 {
                     server->dnssec = DNS_SECURITY_NO;
                 }
-                else if (streq(p[4], "optional"))
+                else if (streq(p[subcmd + 1], "optional"))
                 {
                     server->dnssec = DNS_SECURITY_OPTIONAL;
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    msg(msglevel, "--dns server %ld: malformed dnssec value '%s'", priority, p[4]);
+                    msg(msglevel, "--dns server %ld: malformed dnssec value '%s'", priority, p[subcmd + 1]);
                     goto err;
                 }
             }
-            else if (streq(p[3], "transport") && !p[5])
+            else if (streq(p[subcmd], "transport") && p[subcmd + 1] && !p[subcmd + 2])
             {
-                if (streq(p[4], "plain"))
+                if (streq(p[subcmd + 1], "plain"))
                 {
                     server->transport = DNS_TRANSPORT_PLAIN;
                 }
-                else if (streq(p[4], "DoH"))
+                else if (streq(p[subcmd + 1], "DoH"))
                 {
                     server->transport = DNS_TRANSPORT_HTTPS;
                 }
-                else if (streq(p[4], "DoT"))
+                else if (streq(p[subcmd + 1], "DoT"))
                 {
                     server->transport = DNS_TRANSPORT_TLS;
                 }
                 else
                 {
-                    msg(msglevel, "--dns server %ld: malformed transport value '%s'", priority, p[4]);
+                    msg(msglevel, "--dns server %ld: malformed transport value '%s'", priority, p[subcmd + 1]);
                     goto err;
                 }
             }
-            else if (streq(p[3], "sni") && !p[5])
+            else if (streq(p[subcmd], "sni") && p[subcmd + 1] && !p[subcmd + 2])
             {
-                server->sni = p[4];
+                server->sni = p[subcmd + 1];
             }
             else
             {
-                msg(msglevel, "--dns server %ld: unknown option type '%s' or missing or unknown parameter", priority, p[3]);
+                msg(msglevel, "--dns server %ld: unknown option type '%s' or missing or unknown parameter", priority, p[subcmd]);
                 goto err;
             }
         }