diff --git a/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/tlsapp.go b/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/tlsapp.go
index 65128efd6..1023a9d21 100644
--- a/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/tlsapp.go
+++ b/caddyconfig/httpcaddyfile/tlsapp.go
@@ -564,21 +564,22 @@ func fillInGlobalACMEDefaults(issuer certmagic.Issuer, options map[string]any) e
 	if globalACMECARoot != nil && !slices.Contains(acmeIssuer.TrustedRootsPEMFiles, globalACMECARoot.(string)) {
 		acmeIssuer.TrustedRootsPEMFiles = append(acmeIssuer.TrustedRootsPEMFiles, globalACMECARoot.(string))
 	}
-	if globalACMEDNSok && (acmeIssuer.Challenges == nil || acmeIssuer.Challenges.DNS == nil) {
-		if globalACMEDNS == nil {
-			globalACMEDNS = options["dns"]
-			if globalACMEDNS == nil {
-				return fmt.Errorf("acme_dns specified without DNS provider config, but no provider specified with 'dns' global option")
+	if globalACMEDNSok {
+		globalDNS := options["dns"]
+		if globalDNS != nil {
+			// If global `dns` is set, do NOT set provider in issuer, just set empty dns config
+			acmeIssuer.Challenges = &caddytls.ChallengesConfig{
+				DNS: &caddytls.DNSChallengeConfig{},
 			}
-		}
-		acmeIssuer.Challenges = &caddytls.ChallengesConfig{
-			DNS: new(caddytls.DNSChallengeConfig),
-		}
-	} else if globalACMEDNS != nil {
-		acmeIssuer.Challenges = &caddytls.ChallengesConfig{
-			DNS: &caddytls.DNSChallengeConfig{
-				ProviderRaw: caddyconfig.JSONModuleObject(globalACMEDNS, "name", globalACMEDNS.(caddy.Module).CaddyModule().ID.Name(), nil),
-			},
+		} else if globalACMEDNS != nil {
+			// Set a global DNS provider if `acme_dns` is set and `dns` is NOT set
+			acmeIssuer.Challenges = &caddytls.ChallengesConfig{
+				DNS: &caddytls.DNSChallengeConfig{
+					ProviderRaw: caddyconfig.JSONModuleObject(globalACMEDNS, "name", globalACMEDNS.(caddy.Module).CaddyModule().ID.Name(), nil),
+				},
+			}
+		} else {
+			return fmt.Errorf("acme_dns specified without DNS provider config, but no provider specified with 'dns' global option")
 		}
 	}
 	if globalACMEEAB != nil && acmeIssuer.ExternalAccount == nil {
diff --git a/caddytest/integration/caddyfile_adapt/acme_dns_configured.caddyfiletest b/caddytest/integration/caddyfile_adapt/acme_dns_configured.caddyfiletest
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..eaf8d0623
--- /dev/null
+++ b/caddytest/integration/caddyfile_adapt/acme_dns_configured.caddyfiletest
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+{
+	acme_dns mock foo
+}
+
+example.com {
+	respond "Hello World"
+}
+----------
+{
+	"apps": {
+		"http": {
+			"servers": {
+				"srv0": {
+					"listen": [
+						":443"
+					],
+					"routes": [
+						{
+							"match": [
+								{
+									"host": [
+										"example.com"
+									]
+								}
+							],
+							"handle": [
+								{
+									"handler": "subroute",
+									"routes": [
+										{
+											"handle": [
+												{
+													"body": "Hello World",
+													"handler": "static_response"
+												}
+											]
+										}
+									]
+								}
+							],
+							"terminal": true
+						}
+					]
+				}
+			}
+		},
+		"tls": {
+			"automation": {
+				"policies": [
+					{
+						"issuers": [
+							{
+								"challenges": {
+									"dns": {
+										"provider": {
+											"name": "mock"
+										}
+									}
+								},
+								"module": "acme"
+							}
+						]
+					}
+				]
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/caddytest/integration/caddyfile_adapt/acme_dns_naked_without_dns.caddyfiletest b/caddytest/integration/caddyfile_adapt/acme_dns_naked_without_dns.caddyfiletest
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e171c5493
--- /dev/null
+++ b/caddytest/integration/caddyfile_adapt/acme_dns_naked_without_dns.caddyfiletest
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+{
+	acme_dns
+}
+
+example.com {
+	respond "Hello World"
+}
+----------
+acme_dns specified without DNS provider config, but no provider specified with 'dns' global option
\ No newline at end of file