diff --git a/src/buffer.rs b/src/buffer.rs
index 79473d8..2308813 100644
--- a/src/buffer.rs
+++ b/src/buffer.rs
@@ -131,7 +131,12 @@ impl BytePacketBuffer {
                         b'.' => outstr.push_str("\\."),
                         b'\\' => outstr.push_str("\\\\"),
                         0x21..=0x7E => outstr.push(c as char),
-                        _ => outstr.push_str(&format!("\\{:03}", c)),
+                        _ => {
+                            outstr.push('\\');
+                            outstr.push((b'0' + c / 100) as char);
+                            outstr.push((b'0' + (c / 10) % 10) as char);
+                            outstr.push((b'0' + c % 10) as char);
+                        }
                     }
                 }
 
@@ -178,20 +183,70 @@ impl BytePacketBuffer {
     ///
     /// Dots are label separators unless escaped as `\.`. `\\` yields a literal
     /// backslash, and `\DDD` (three decimal digits) yields an arbitrary byte.
+    ///
+    /// Streams directly into the buffer by reserving a length byte, writing
+    /// the label body, then backpatching the length. Zero intermediate
+    /// allocations on the common path.
     pub fn write_qname(&mut self, qname: &str) -> Result<()> {
         if qname.is_empty() || qname == "." {
             self.write_u8(0)?;
             return Ok(());
         }
 
-        let labels = parse_escaped_labels(qname)?;
-        for label in &labels {
-            if label.len() > 0x3f {
-                return Err("Single label exceeds 63 characters of length".into());
+        let bytes = qname.as_bytes();
+        let mut i = 0;
+        while i < bytes.len() {
+            let len_pos = self.pos;
+            self.write_u8(0)?; // placeholder length byte, backpatched below
+            let body_start = self.pos;
+
+            while i < bytes.len() && bytes[i] != b'.' {
+                let b = bytes[i];
+                if b == b'\\' {
+                    i += 1;
+                    let c1 = *bytes.get(i).ok_or("trailing backslash in qname")?;
+                    if c1.is_ascii_digit() {
+                        let c2 = *bytes
+                            .get(i + 1)
+                            .ok_or("invalid \\DDD escape: expected 3 digits")?;
+                        let c3 = *bytes
+                            .get(i + 2)
+                            .ok_or("invalid \\DDD escape: expected 3 digits")?;
+                        if !c2.is_ascii_digit() || !c3.is_ascii_digit() {
+                            return Err("invalid \\DDD escape: expected 3 digits".into());
+                        }
+                        let val =
+                            (c1 - b'0') as u16 * 100 + (c2 - b'0') as u16 * 10 + (c3 - b'0') as u16;
+                        if val > 255 {
+                            return Err(format!("\\DDD escape out of range: {}", val).into());
+                        }
+                        self.write_u8(val as u8)?;
+                        i += 3;
+                    } else {
+                        // \. \\ and any other \X → literal next byte
+                        self.write_u8(c1)?;
+                        i += 1;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    self.write_u8(b)?;
+                    i += 1;
+                }
+
+                if self.pos - body_start > 0x3f {
+                    return Err("Single label exceeds 63 characters of length".into());
+                }
             }
-            self.write_u8(label.len() as u8)?;
-            for b in label {
-                self.write_u8(*b)?;
+
+            let label_len = self.pos - body_start;
+            if label_len == 0 && i < bytes.len() {
+                // Empty label from leading/consecutive dots — roll back the placeholder.
+                self.pos = len_pos;
+            } else {
+                self.set(len_pos, label_len as u8)?;
+            }
+
+            if i < bytes.len() && bytes[i] == b'.' {
+                i += 1;
             }
         }
 
@@ -224,50 +279,6 @@ impl BytePacketBuffer {
     }
 }
 
-fn parse_escaped_labels(qname: &str) -> Result<Vec<Vec<u8>>> {
-    let mut labels: Vec<Vec<u8>> = Vec::new();
-    let mut current: Vec<u8> = Vec::new();
-    let mut chars = qname.chars();
-
-    while let Some(c) = chars.next() {
-        if c == '\\' {
-            match chars.next() {
-                Some(d1) if d1.is_ascii_digit() => {
-                    let d2 = chars
-                        .next()
-                        .and_then(|c| c.to_digit(10))
-                        .ok_or("invalid \\DDD escape: expected 3 digits")?;
-                    let d3 = chars
-                        .next()
-                        .and_then(|c| c.to_digit(10))
-                        .ok_or("invalid \\DDD escape: expected 3 digits")?;
-                    let val = d1.to_digit(10).unwrap() * 100 + d2 * 10 + d3;
-                    if val > 255 {
-                        return Err(format!("\\DDD escape out of range: {}", val).into());
-                    }
-                    current.push(val as u8);
-                }
-                Some(other) => {
-                    let mut buf = [0u8; 4];
-                    current.extend_from_slice(other.encode_utf8(&mut buf).as_bytes());
-                }
-                None => return Err("trailing backslash in qname".into()),
-            }
-        } else if c == '.' {
-            if !current.is_empty() {
-                labels.push(std::mem::take(&mut current));
-            }
-        } else {
-            let mut buf = [0u8; 4];
-            current.extend_from_slice(c.encode_utf8(&mut buf).as_bytes());
-        }
-    }
-    if !current.is_empty() {
-        labels.push(current);
-    }
-    Ok(labels)
-}
-
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod tests {
     use super::*;