diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/channel_connectivity.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/channel_connectivity.cc
index a656294970b..a75b97462e1 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/channel_connectivity.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/channel_connectivity.cc
@@ -23,6 +23,17 @@
 #include "src/core/lib/surface/api_trace.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/surface/channel.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/surface/completion_queue.h"
+#include "src/core/lib/surface/lame_client.h"
+
+namespace {
+
+bool IsLameChannel(grpc_channel* channel) {
+  grpc_channel_element* elem =
+      grpc_channel_stack_last_element(grpc_channel_get_channel_stack(channel));
+  return elem->filter == &grpc_lame_filter;
+}
+
+}  // namespace
 
 grpc_connectivity_state grpc_channel_check_connectivity_state(
     grpc_channel* channel, int try_to_connect) {
@@ -35,6 +46,7 @@ grpc_connectivity_state grpc_channel_check_connectivity_state(
   grpc_core::ClientChannel* client_channel =
       grpc_core::ClientChannel::GetFromChannel(channel);
   if (GPR_UNLIKELY(client_channel == nullptr)) {
+    if (IsLameChannel(channel)) return GRPC_CHANNEL_TRANSIENT_FAILURE;
     gpr_log(GPR_ERROR,
             "grpc_channel_check_connectivity_state called on something that is "
             "not a client channel");
@@ -47,9 +59,11 @@ int grpc_channel_num_external_connectivity_watchers(grpc_channel* channel) {
   grpc_core::ClientChannel* client_channel =
       grpc_core::ClientChannel::GetFromChannel(channel);
   if (client_channel == nullptr) {
-    gpr_log(GPR_ERROR,
-            "grpc_channel_num_external_connectivity_watchers called on "
-            "something that is not a client channel");
+    if (!IsLameChannel(channel)) {
+      gpr_log(GPR_ERROR,
+              "grpc_channel_num_external_connectivity_watchers called on "
+              "something that is not a client channel");
+    }
     return 0;
   }
   return client_channel->NumExternalConnectivityWatchers();
@@ -62,7 +76,7 @@ int grpc_channel_support_connectivity_watcher(grpc_channel* channel) {
 namespace grpc_core {
 namespace {
 
-class StateWatcher {
+class StateWatcher : public DualRefCounted<StateWatcher> {
  public:
   StateWatcher(grpc_channel* channel, grpc_completion_queue* cq, void* tag,
                grpc_connectivity_state last_observed_state,
@@ -72,16 +86,35 @@ class StateWatcher {
     GRPC_CHANNEL_INTERNAL_REF(channel, "watch_channel_connectivity");
     GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_complete_, WatchComplete, this, nullptr);
     GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_timeout_, TimeoutComplete, this, nullptr);
+    ClientChannel* client_channel = ClientChannel::GetFromChannel(channel);
+    if (client_channel == nullptr) {
+      // If the target URI used to create the channel was invalid, channel
+      // stack initialization failed, and that caused us to create a lame
+      // channel.  In that case, connectivity state will never change (it
+      // will always be TRANSIENT_FAILURE), so we don't actually start a
+      // watch, but we are hiding that fact from the application.
+      if (IsLameChannel(channel)) {
+        // Ref from object creation is held by timer callback.
+        StartTimer(grpc_timespec_to_millis_round_up(deadline));
+        return;
+      }
+      gpr_log(GPR_ERROR,
+              "grpc_channel_watch_connectivity_state called on "
+              "something that is not a client channel");
+      GPR_ASSERT(false);
+    }
+    // Take an addition ref, so we have two (the first one is from the
+    // creation of this object).  One will be held by the timer callback,
+    // the other by the watcher callback.
+    Ref().release();
     auto* watcher_timer_init_state = new WatcherTimerInitState(
         this, grpc_timespec_to_millis_round_up(deadline));
-    ClientChannel* client_channel = ClientChannel::GetFromChannel(channel);
-    GPR_ASSERT(client_channel != nullptr);
     client_channel->AddExternalConnectivityWatcher(
         grpc_polling_entity_create_from_pollset(grpc_cq_pollset(cq)), &state_,
         &on_complete_, watcher_timer_init_state->closure());
   }
 
-  ~StateWatcher() {
+  ~StateWatcher() override {
     GRPC_CHANNEL_INTERNAL_UNREF(channel_, "watch_channel_connectivity");
   }
 
@@ -100,8 +133,7 @@ class StateWatcher {
    private:
     static void WatcherTimerInit(void* arg, grpc_error_handle /*error*/) {
       auto* self = static_cast<WatcherTimerInitState*>(arg);
-      grpc_timer_init(&self->state_watcher_->timer_, self->deadline_,
-                      &self->state_watcher_->on_timeout_);
+      self->state_watcher_->StartTimer(self->deadline_);
       delete self;
     }
 
@@ -110,94 +142,46 @@ class StateWatcher {
     grpc_closure closure_;
   };
 
-  enum CallbackPhase { kWaiting, kReadyToCallBack, kCallingBackAndFinished };
+  void StartTimer(grpc_millis deadline) {
+    grpc_timer_init(&timer_, deadline, &on_timeout_);
+  }
 
-  // Called when the completion is returned to the CQ.
-  static void FinishedCompletion(void* arg, grpc_cq_completion* /*ignored*/) {
+  static void WatchComplete(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
     auto* self = static_cast<StateWatcher*>(arg);
-    bool should_delete = false;
-    {
-      MutexLock lock(&self->mu_);
-      switch (self->phase_) {
-        case kWaiting:
-        case kReadyToCallBack:
-          GPR_UNREACHABLE_CODE(return );
-        case kCallingBackAndFinished:
-          should_delete = true;
-      }
+    if (GRPC_TRACE_FLAG_ENABLED(grpc_trace_operation_failures)) {
+      GRPC_LOG_IF_ERROR("watch_completion_error", GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
     }
-    if (should_delete) delete self;
+    grpc_timer_cancel(&self->timer_);
+    self->Unref();
   }
 
-  void PartlyDone(bool due_to_completion, grpc_error_handle error) {
-    bool end_op = false;
-    void* end_op_tag = nullptr;
-    grpc_error_handle end_op_error = GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
-    grpc_completion_queue* end_op_cq = nullptr;
-    grpc_cq_completion* end_op_completion_storage = nullptr;
-    if (due_to_completion) {
-      grpc_timer_cancel(&timer_);
-    } else {
-      grpc_core::ClientChannel* client_channel =
-          grpc_core::ClientChannel::GetFromChannel(channel_);
-      GPR_ASSERT(client_channel != nullptr);
-      client_channel->CancelExternalConnectivityWatcher(&on_complete_);
-    }
-    {
-      MutexLock lock(&mu_);
-      if (due_to_completion) {
-        if (GRPC_TRACE_FLAG_ENABLED(grpc_trace_operation_failures)) {
-          GRPC_LOG_IF_ERROR("watch_completion_error", GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
-        }
-        GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
-        error = GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
-      } else {
-        if (error == GRPC_ERROR_NONE) {
-          error = GRPC_ERROR_CREATE_FROM_STATIC_STRING(
-              "Timed out waiting for connection state change");
-        } else if (error == GRPC_ERROR_CANCELLED) {
-          error = GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
-        }
-      }
-      switch (phase_) {
-        case kWaiting:
-          GRPC_ERROR_REF(error);
-          error_ = error;
-          phase_ = kReadyToCallBack;
-          break;
-        case kReadyToCallBack:
-          if (error != GRPC_ERROR_NONE) {
-            GPR_ASSERT(!due_to_completion);
-            GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error_);
-            GRPC_ERROR_REF(error);
-            error_ = error;
-          }
-          phase_ = kCallingBackAndFinished;
-          end_op = true;
-          end_op_cq = cq_;
-          end_op_tag = tag_;
-          end_op_error = error_;
-          end_op_completion_storage = &completion_storage_;
-          break;
-        case kCallingBackAndFinished:
-          GPR_UNREACHABLE_CODE(return );
-      }
-    }
-    if (end_op) {
-      grpc_cq_end_op(end_op_cq, end_op_tag, end_op_error, FinishedCompletion,
-                     this, end_op_completion_storage);
+  static void TimeoutComplete(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
+    auto* self = static_cast<StateWatcher*>(arg);
+    self->timer_fired_ = error == GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
+    // If this is a client channel (not a lame channel), cancel the watch.
+    ClientChannel* client_channel =
+        ClientChannel::GetFromChannel(self->channel_);
+    if (client_channel != nullptr) {
+      client_channel->CancelExternalConnectivityWatcher(&self->on_complete_);
     }
-    GRPC_ERROR_UNREF(error);
+    self->Unref();
   }
 
-  static void WatchComplete(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
-    auto* self = static_cast<StateWatcher*>(arg);
-    self->PartlyDone(/*due_to_completion=*/true, GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
+  // Invoked when both strong refs are released.
+  void Orphan() override {
+    WeakRef().release();  // Take a weak ref until completion is finished.
+    grpc_error_handle error =
+        timer_fired_ ? GRPC_ERROR_CREATE_FROM_STATIC_STRING(
+                           "Timed out waiting for connection state change")
+                     : GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
+    grpc_cq_end_op(cq_, tag_, error, FinishedCompletion, this,
+                   &completion_storage_);
   }
 
-  static void TimeoutComplete(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
+  // Called when the completion is returned to the CQ.
+  static void FinishedCompletion(void* arg, grpc_cq_completion* /*ignored*/) {
     auto* self = static_cast<StateWatcher*>(arg);
-    self->PartlyDone(/*due_to_completion=*/false, GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
+    self->WeakUnref();
   }
 
   grpc_channel* channel_;
@@ -212,9 +196,7 @@ class StateWatcher {
   grpc_timer timer_;
   grpc_closure on_timeout_;
 
-  Mutex mu_;
-  CallbackPhase phase_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(mu_) = kWaiting;
-  grpc_error_handle error_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(mu_) = GRPC_ERROR_NONE;
+  bool timer_fired_ = false;
 };
 
 }  // namespace
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc
index 75a9feff049..f6e627f07d3 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc
@@ -445,7 +445,13 @@ void AresDnsResolver::StartResolvingLocked() {
 
 class AresDnsResolverFactory : public ResolverFactory {
  public:
-  bool IsValidUri(const URI& /*uri*/) const override { return true; }
+  bool IsValidUri(const URI& uri) const override {
+    if (absl::StripPrefix(uri.path(), "/").empty()) {
+      gpr_log(GPR_ERROR, "no server name supplied in dns URI");
+      return false;
+    }
+    return true;
+  }
 
   OrphanablePtr<Resolver> CreateResolver(ResolverArgs args) const override {
     return MakeOrphanable<AresDnsResolver>(std::move(args));
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/native/dns_resolver.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/native/dns_resolver.cc
index b1ef2075dc1..9e705397539 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/native/dns_resolver.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/native/dns_resolver.cc
@@ -291,6 +291,10 @@ class NativeDnsResolverFactory : public ResolverFactory {
       gpr_log(GPR_ERROR, "authority based dns uri's not supported");
       return false;
     }
+    if (absl::StripPrefix(uri.path(), "/").empty()) {
+      gpr_log(GPR_ERROR, "no server name supplied in dns URI");
+      return false;
+    }
     return true;
   }
 
diff --git a/test/core/surface/lame_client_test.cc b/test/core/surface/lame_client_test.cc
index 7b89ab33490..24bf65d49ac 100644
--- a/test/core/surface/lame_client_test.cc
+++ b/test/core/surface/lame_client_test.cc
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ int main(int argc, char** argv) {
 
   test_transport_op(chan);
 
-  GPR_ASSERT(GRPC_CHANNEL_SHUTDOWN ==
+  GPR_ASSERT(GRPC_CHANNEL_TRANSIENT_FAILURE ==
              grpc_channel_check_connectivity_state(chan, 0));
 
   cq = grpc_completion_queue_create_for_next(nullptr);
diff --git a/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc b/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc
index 08980120223..0d375167e1f 100644
--- a/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc
+++ b/test/cpp/end2end/end2end_test.cc
@@ -1383,6 +1383,24 @@ TEST_P(End2endTest, ChannelStateTimeout) {
   }
 }
 
+TEST_P(End2endTest, ChannelStateOnLameChannel) {
+  if ((GetParam().credentials_type != kInsecureCredentialsType) ||
+      GetParam().inproc) {
+    return;
+  }
+  // Channel using invalid target URI.  This creates a lame channel.
+  auto channel = grpc::CreateChannel("dns:///", InsecureChannelCredentials());
+  // Channel should immediately report TRANSIENT_FAILURE.
+  EXPECT_EQ(GRPC_CHANNEL_TRANSIENT_FAILURE, channel->GetState(true));
+  // And state will never change.
+  auto state = GRPC_CHANNEL_TRANSIENT_FAILURE;
+  for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i) {
+    channel->WaitForStateChange(
+        state, std::chrono::system_clock::now() + std::chrono::seconds(1));
+    state = channel->GetState(false);
+  }
+}
+
 // Talking to a non-existing service.
 TEST_P(End2endTest, NonExistingService) {
   ResetChannel();