diff --git a/core/coreapi/interface/name.go b/core/coreapi/interface/name.go
index 782f68351..a02bc0787 100644
--- a/core/coreapi/interface/name.go
+++ b/core/coreapi/interface/name.go
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ type NameAPI interface {
 	// Search is a version of Resolve which outputs paths as they are discovered,
 	// reducing the time to first entry
 	//
-	// Note that by default only the last path returned before the channel closes
-	// can be considered 'safe'.
+	// Note: by default, all paths read from the channel are considered unsafe,
+	// except the latest (last path in channel read buffer).
 	Search(ctx context.Context, name string, opts ...options.NameResolveOption) (<-chan IpnsResult, error)
 }
diff --git a/namesys/base.go b/namesys/base.go
index 508847ac3..1906bdf5d 100644
--- a/namesys/base.go
+++ b/namesys/base.go
@@ -21,14 +21,14 @@ type resolver interface {
 }
 
 // resolve is a helper for implementing Resolver.ResolveN using resolveOnce.
-func resolve(ctx context.Context, r resolver, name string, options opts.ResolveOpts, prefix string) (path.Path, error) {
+func resolve(ctx context.Context, r resolver, name string, options opts.ResolveOpts) (path.Path, error) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 	defer cancel()
 
 	err := ErrResolveFailed
 	var p path.Path
 
-	resCh := resolveAsync(ctx, r, name, options, prefix)
+	resCh := resolveAsync(ctx, r, name, options)
 
 	for res := range resCh {
 		p, err = res.Path, res.Err
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ func resolve(ctx context.Context, r resolver, name string, options opts.ResolveO
 	return p, err
 }
 
-func resolveAsync(ctx context.Context, r resolver, name string, options opts.ResolveOpts, prefix string) <-chan Result {
+func resolveAsync(ctx context.Context, r resolver, name string, options opts.ResolveOpts) <-chan Result {
 	resCh := r.resolveOnceAsync(ctx, name, options)
 	depth := options.Depth
 	outCh := make(chan Result, 1)
@@ -86,8 +86,8 @@ func resolveAsync(ctx context.Context, r resolver, name string, options opts.Res
 				subCtx, cancelSub = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 				defer cancelSub()
 
-				p := strings.TrimPrefix(res.value.String(), prefix)
-				subCh = resolveAsync(subCtx, r, p, subopts, prefix)
+				p := strings.TrimPrefix(res.value.String(), ipnsPrefix)
+				subCh = resolveAsync(subCtx, r, p, subopts)
 			case res, ok := <-subCh:
 				if !ok {
 					subCh = nil
diff --git a/namesys/dns.go b/namesys/dns.go
index f4d37e654..d3f9e0956 100644
--- a/namesys/dns.go
+++ b/namesys/dns.go
@@ -28,12 +28,12 @@ func NewDNSResolver() *DNSResolver {
 
 // Resolve implements Resolver.
 func (r *DNSResolver) Resolve(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.ResolveOpt) (path.Path, error) {
-	return resolve(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolve(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 // ResolveAsync implements Resolver.
 func (r *DNSResolver) ResolveAsync(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.ResolveOpt) <-chan Result {
-	return resolveAsync(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolveAsync(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 type lookupRes struct {
diff --git a/namesys/ipns_resolver_validation_test.go b/namesys/ipns_resolver_validation_test.go
index e12841421..5bcef4e14 100644
--- a/namesys/ipns_resolver_validation_test.go
+++ b/namesys/ipns_resolver_validation_test.go
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	opts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys/opts"
 	path "gx/ipfs/QmdrpbDgeYH3VxkCciQCJY5LkDYdXtig6unDzQmMxFtWEw/go-path"
 
+	opts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys/opts"
+
 	testutil "gx/ipfs/QmNfQbgBfARAtrYsBguChX6VJ5nbjeoYy1KdC36aaYWqG8/go-testutil"
 	u "gx/ipfs/QmPdKqUcHGFdeSpvjVoaTRPPstGif9GBZb5Q56RVw9o69A/go-ipfs-util"
 	routing "gx/ipfs/QmPmFeQ5oY5G6M7aBWggi5phxEPXwsQntE1DFcUzETULdp/go-libp2p-routing"
@@ -57,7 +58,7 @@ func TestResolverValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Resolve entry
-	resp, err := resolve(ctx, resolver, id.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts(), "/ipns/")
+	resp, err := resolve(ctx, resolver, id.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
@@ -77,7 +78,7 @@ func TestResolverValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Record should fail validation because entry is expired
-	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts(), "/ipns/")
+	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts())
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("ValidateIpnsRecord should have returned error")
 	}
@@ -99,7 +100,7 @@ func TestResolverValidation(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Record should fail validation because public key defined by
 	// ipns path doesn't match record signature
-	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id2.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts(), "/ipns/")
+	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id2.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts())
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("ValidateIpnsRecord should have failed signature verification")
 	}
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ func TestResolverValidation(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Record should fail validation because public key is not available
 	// in peer store or on network
-	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id3.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts(), "/ipns/")
+	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id3.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts())
 	if err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("ValidateIpnsRecord should have failed because public key was not found")
 	}
@@ -132,7 +133,7 @@ func TestResolverValidation(t *testing.T) {
 	// public key is available in the peer store by looking it up in
 	// the DHT, which causes the DHT to fetch it and cache it in the
 	// peer store
-	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id3.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts(), "/ipns/")
+	_, err = resolve(ctx, resolver, id3.Pretty(), opts.DefaultResolveOpts())
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
 	}
diff --git a/namesys/namesys.go b/namesys/namesys.go
index 83cd7dbcc..50d302079 100644
--- a/namesys/namesys.go
+++ b/namesys/namesys.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func (ns *mpns) Resolve(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.Resolv
 		return path.ParsePath("/ipfs/" + name)
 	}
 
-	return resolve(ctx, ns, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolve(ctx, ns, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 func (ns *mpns) ResolveAsync(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.ResolveOpt) <-chan Result {
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ func (ns *mpns) ResolveAsync(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.R
 		return res
 	}
 
-	return resolveAsync(ctx, ns, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolveAsync(ctx, ns, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 // resolveOnce implements resolver.
diff --git a/namesys/proquint.go b/namesys/proquint.go
index 0caaf9497..894579313 100644
--- a/namesys/proquint.go
+++ b/namesys/proquint.go
@@ -4,16 +4,17 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 
-	opts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys/opts"
 	proquint "gx/ipfs/QmYnf27kzqR2cxt6LFZdrAFJuQd6785fTkBvMuEj9EeRxM/proquint"
 	path "gx/ipfs/QmdrpbDgeYH3VxkCciQCJY5LkDYdXtig6unDzQmMxFtWEw/go-path"
+
+	opts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys/opts"
 )
 
 type ProquintResolver struct{}
 
 // Resolve implements Resolver.
 func (r *ProquintResolver) Resolve(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.ResolveOpt) (path.Path, error) {
-	return resolve(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolve(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 // resolveOnce implements resolver. Decodes the proquint string.
diff --git a/namesys/routing.go b/namesys/routing.go
index ef7e376e6..25daafff4 100644
--- a/namesys/routing.go
+++ b/namesys/routing.go
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
-	opts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys/opts"
 	path "gx/ipfs/QmdrpbDgeYH3VxkCciQCJY5LkDYdXtig6unDzQmMxFtWEw/go-path"
 
+	opts "github.com/ipfs/go-ipfs/namesys/opts"
+
 	cid "gx/ipfs/QmPSQnBKM9g7BaUcZCvswUJVscQ1ipjmwxN5PXCjkp9EQ7/go-cid"
 	routing "gx/ipfs/QmPmFeQ5oY5G6M7aBWggi5phxEPXwsQntE1DFcUzETULdp/go-libp2p-routing"
 	mh "gx/ipfs/QmPnFwZ2JXKnXgMw8CdBPxn7FWh6LLdjUjxV1fKHuJnkr8/go-multihash"
@@ -39,12 +40,12 @@ func NewIpnsResolver(route routing.ValueStore) *IpnsResolver {
 
 // Resolve implements Resolver.
 func (r *IpnsResolver) Resolve(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.ResolveOpt) (path.Path, error) {
-	return resolve(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolve(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 // ResolveAsync implements Resolver.
 func (r *IpnsResolver) ResolveAsync(ctx context.Context, name string, options ...opts.ResolveOpt) <-chan Result {
-	return resolveAsync(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options), "/ipns/")
+	return resolveAsync(ctx, r, name, opts.ProcessOpts(options))
 }
 
 // resolveOnce implements resolver. Uses the IPFS routing system to