diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5939483..4a512eb 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -228,6 +228,12 @@ clears them.
   false-positive change notifications.
 - State is written atomically (write to temp file, then rename) to prevent
   corruption.
+- A name removed from `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS` is removed from the state at the
+  first check after startup, without a notification: its domain, hostname and
+  certificate entries go, as do the port entries of addresses no configured name
+  has. The dashboard and `/api/v1/status` then no longer list or count it.
+- Each port check also removes the certificate entries for an address their name
+  no longer resolves to, except while none of the name's nameservers answer.
 
 ### Web Dashboard
 
diff --git a/TODO.md b/TODO.md
index 397b53c..42f171c 100644
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ trial run of the finished image: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/dnswatcher/issues/149
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-02: a name removed from `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS` leaves the state, and so
+  the dashboard and API, at the first check after startup (closes #223).
 - 2026-10-02: nameservers a referral names without addresses are looked up,
   three deep at most; `pool.ntp.org`'s nameservers resolve (closes #221).
 - 2026-10-02: an apex domain is not counted or listed as a hostname; its records
diff --git a/internal/state/state.go b/internal/state/state.go
index 4f5a325..8198462 100644
--- a/internal/state/state.go
+++ b/internal/state/state.go
@@ -291,6 +291,27 @@ func (s *State) GetDomainState(
 	return ds, ok
 }
 
+// DeleteDomainState removes a domain state entry.
+func (s *State) DeleteDomainState(domain string) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+
+	delete(s.snapshot.Domains, domain)
+}
+
+// GetAllDomainNames returns the names of all domain state entries.
+func (s *State) GetAllDomainNames() []string {
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(s.snapshot.Domains))
+	for name := range s.snapshot.Domains {
+		names = append(names, name)
+	}
+
+	return names
+}
+
 // SetHostnameState updates the state for a hostname.
 func (s *State) SetHostnameState(
 	hostname string,
@@ -314,6 +335,28 @@ func (s *State) GetHostnameState(
 	return hs, ok
 }
 
+// DeleteHostnameState removes a hostname state entry.
+func (s *State) DeleteHostnameState(hostname string) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+
+	delete(s.snapshot.Hostnames, hostname)
+}
+
+// GetAllHostnames returns the names of all hostname state entries,
+// which include each apex domain's own records.
+func (s *State) GetAllHostnames() []string {
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	names := make([]string, 0, len(s.snapshot.Hostnames))
+	for name := range s.snapshot.Hostnames {
+		names = append(names, name)
+	}
+
+	return names
+}
+
 // SetPortState updates the state for a port.
 func (s *State) SetPortState(key string, ps *PortState) {
 	s.mu.Lock()
@@ -376,6 +419,27 @@ func (s *State) GetCertificateState(
 	return cs, ok
 }
 
+// DeleteCertificateState removes a certificate state entry.
+func (s *State) DeleteCertificateState(key string) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+
+	delete(s.snapshot.Certificates, key)
+}
+
+// GetAllCertificateKeys returns all certificate state keys.
+func (s *State) GetAllCertificateKeys() []string {
+	s.mu.RLock()
+	defer s.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	keys := make([]string, 0, len(s.snapshot.Certificates))
+	for k := range s.snapshot.Certificates {
+		keys = append(keys, k)
+	}
+
+	return keys
+}
+
 // checkDataDirWritable creates the data directory if needed, then writes
 // and removes the temp file that Save uses. It runs at startup so that an
 // unwritable directory stops the process, instead of the process running
diff --git a/internal/watcher/removed_test.go b/internal/watcher/removed_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a35f073
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/watcher/removed_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+package watcher_test
+
+import (
+	"maps"
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/state"
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/watcher"
+)
+
+// TestRemovedTargetsLeaveTheState loads a state saved while a domain
+// and a hostname now removed from the configuration were still in it,
+// and runs the port checks, which the first check after startup runs
+// after its DNS checks. The removed names' domain, hostname and
+// certificate entries are gone, the configured names' are kept, and
+// nothing is notified. Nothing is looked up: the watcher has no
+// resolver.
+func TestRemovedTargetsLeaveTheState(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const (
+		removedDomain = "example.com"
+		removedHost   = "www.example.com"
+	)
+
+	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
+	cfg.Domains = []string{domain}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{host}
+
+	deps := newTestDeps(t, cfg)
+	w := watcher.NewForTest(
+		cfg, deps.state, nil,
+		deps.portChecker, deps.tlsChecker, deps.notifier,
+	)
+
+	// A state file is loaded, so changes are notified from the first
+	// check on.
+	w.SetFirstRun(false)
+
+	// The state a check of all four names saves, each name at ip1.
+	for _, name := range []string{domain, removedDomain} {
+		deps.state.SetDomainState(name, &state.DomainState{
+			Nameservers: []string{nsA},
+		})
+	}
+
+	for _, name := range []string{domain, host, removedDomain, removedHost} {
+		deps.state.SetHostnameState(name, saved(
+			map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+				nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {ip1}}),
+			},
+		))
+		deps.state.SetCertificateState(
+			ip1+":443:"+name, &state.CertificateState{Status: "ok"},
+		)
+	}
+
+	err := deps.state.Save()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("saving the state: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	err = deps.state.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("loading the state: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	w.CheckAllPorts(t.Context())
+
+	snap := deps.state.GetSnapshot()
+
+	got := slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(snap.Domains))
+	if want := []string{domain}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Errorf("domain entries %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+
+	got = slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(snap.Hostnames))
+	if want := []string{domain, host}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Errorf("hostname entries %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+
+	got = slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(snap.Certificates))
+	if want := []string{
+		ip1 + ":443:" + domain, ip1 + ":443:" + host,
+	}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Errorf("certificate entries %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+
+	if sent := deps.notifier.getNotifications(); len(sent) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("sent %v, want nothing", sent)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestCertificateStateForAnAddressGone runs the port checks on hostname
+// state built here for a configured hostname, with certificate entries
+// saved for it at ip1, ip2 and an IPv6 address. When its nameservers
+// answered with ip1 and the IPv6 address, the entry for ip2 is removed.
+// When none of them answered, its addresses are not known, and every
+// entry is kept. Nothing is notified, and nothing is looked up.
+func TestCertificateStateForAnAddressGone(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const ip6 = "2001:db8::1"
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name     string
+		hostname *state.HostnameState
+		want     []string
+	}{
+		{
+			"answered without ip2",
+			saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+				nsA: answered(map[string][]string{
+					"A": {ip1}, "AAAA": {ip6},
+				}),
+			}),
+			[]string{ip1 + ":443:" + host, ip6 + ":443:" + host},
+		},
+		{
+			"no nameserver answered",
+			saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+				nsA: failed(), nsB: failed(),
+			}),
+			[]string{
+				ip1 + ":443:" + host,
+				ip2 + ":443:" + host,
+				ip6 + ":443:" + host,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
+			cfg.Hostnames = []string{host}
+
+			deps := newTestDeps(t, cfg)
+			w := watcher.NewForTest(
+				cfg, deps.state, nil,
+				deps.portChecker, deps.tlsChecker, deps.notifier,
+			)
+			w.SetFirstRun(false)
+
+			deps.state.SetHostnameState(host, tt.hostname)
+
+			for _, ip := range []string{ip1, ip2, ip6} {
+				deps.state.SetCertificateState(
+					ip+":443:"+host, &state.CertificateState{Status: "ok"},
+				)
+			}
+
+			w.CheckAllPorts(t.Context())
+
+			got := slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(deps.state.GetSnapshot().Certificates))
+			if !slices.Equal(got, tt.want) {
+				t.Errorf("certificate entries %v, want %v", got, tt.want)
+			}
+
+			if sent := deps.notifier.getNotifications(); len(sent) != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("sent %v, want nothing", sent)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/watcher/watcher.go b/internal/watcher/watcher.go
index 87ab71a..9b0caa3 100644
--- a/internal/watcher/watcher.go
+++ b/internal/watcher/watcher.go
@@ -774,8 +774,12 @@ func (w *Watcher) checkAllPorts(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 
 	// Phase 3: Remove port state entries that no longer have
-	// any hostname referencing them.
+	// any hostname referencing them, the domain, hostname and
+	// certificate entries of names no longer configured, and
+	// certificate entries for an address their name no longer has.
 	w.cleanupStalePorts(associations)
+	w.cleanupRemovedTargets()
+	w.cleanupStaleCertificates()
 }
 
 // buildPortAssociations constructs a map from IP:port keys to
@@ -859,11 +863,68 @@ func (w *Watcher) cleanupStalePorts(
 	}
 }
 
+// cleanupRemovedTargets removes the domain and hostname state entries
+// of names no longer in the configuration. A configured domain's own
+// records are saved as a hostname entry under its name, which is kept.
+func (w *Watcher) cleanupRemovedTargets() {
+	for _, name := range w.state.GetAllDomainNames() {
+		if !slices.Contains(w.config.Domains, name) {
+			w.state.DeleteDomainState(name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, name := range w.state.GetAllHostnames() {
+		if !w.isConfigured(name) {
+			w.state.DeleteHostnameState(name)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+// cleanupStaleCertificates removes the certificate entries of names no
+// longer configured, and those for an address their name no longer
+// resolves to. An entry saved for a configured name none of whose
+// nameservers answered is kept: that name's addresses are not known,
+// not gone.
+func (w *Watcher) cleanupStaleCertificates() {
+	for _, key := range w.state.GetAllCertificateKeys() {
+		ip, hostname := parseCertKey(key)
+
+		if w.isConfigured(hostname) &&
+			slices.Contains(w.collectIPs(hostname), ip) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		if w.noNameserverAnswered(hostname) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		w.state.DeleteCertificateState(key)
+	}
+}
+
+// parseCertKey splits an "ip:port:hostname" certificate key into its
+// address and hostname.
+func parseCertKey(key string) (string, string) {
+	lastColon := strings.LastIndex(key, ":")
+	if lastColon < 0 {
+		return "", key
+	}
+
+	ip, _ := parsePortKey(key[:lastColon])
+
+	return ip, key[lastColon+1:]
+}
+
+// isConfigured reports whether name is a configured domain or hostname.
+func (w *Watcher) isConfigured(name string) bool {
+	return slices.Contains(w.config.Domains, name) ||
+		slices.Contains(w.config.Hostnames, name)
+}
+
 // noNameserverAnswered reports whether name is a configured domain or
 // hostname and none of its nameservers answered on its last check.
 func (w *Watcher) noNameserverAnswered(name string) bool {
-	if !slices.Contains(w.config.Hostnames, name) &&
-		!slices.Contains(w.config.Domains, name) {
+	if !w.isConfigured(name) {
 		return false
 	}