diff --git a/bash_functions.sh b/bash_functions.sh
index 41b6796..a645d2d 100644
--- a/bash_functions.sh
+++ b/bash_functions.sh
@@ -15,11 +15,10 @@ validate_env() {
       exit 1
     fi;
 
-    # Debian
-    nc_error='Name or service not known'
-
     # Required ServerIP is a valid IP
-    if [[ "$(nc -4 -w1 -z "$ServerIP" 53 2>&1)" != "" ]]; then
+    # nc won't throw any text based errors when it times out connecting to a valid IP, otherwise it complains about the DNS name being garbage
+    # if nc doesn't behave as we expect on a valid IP the routing table should be able to look it up and return a 0 retcode
+    if [[ "$(nc -4 -w1 -z "$ServerIP" 53 2>&1)" != "" ]] || ! ip route get "$ServerIP" > /dev/null ; then
         echo "ERROR: ServerIP Environment variable ($ServerIP) doesn't appear to be a valid IPv4 address"
         exit 1
     fi
@@ -31,7 +30,7 @@ validate_env() {
             unset ServerIPv6
             exit 1
         fi
-        if nc -6 -w 1 -z "$ServerIPv6" 53 2>&1 | grep -q "$nc_error" || ! ip route get "$ServerIPv6" > /dev/null ; then
+        if [[ "$(nc -6 -w1 -z "$ServerIPv6" 53 2>&1)" != "" ]] || ! ip route get "$ServerIPv6" > /dev/null ; then
             echo "ERROR: ServerIPv6 Environment variable ($ServerIPv6) doesn't appear to be a valid IPv6 address"
             echo "  TIP: If your server is not IPv6 enabled just remove '-e ServerIPv6' from your docker container"
             exit 1