In one embodiment, a device in a network intercepts a Domain Name System (DNS) query sent by a node in the network to a DNS service. The device inserts metadata information about the node into the DNS query before sending the DNS query on to the DNS service. The device extracts policy information regarding the node from a DNS response sent from the DNS service back to the node in response to the DNS query. The device implements a network policy for the node within the network based on the policy information extracted from the DNS response.