resolver: a domain's nameservers are only its own delegation (closes #222)

LookupNS now follows the delegation for the domain alone. When the parent
zone's servers answer that it has no delegation, as for a domain that does
not exist, the set is empty, and the watcher's NS comparison reports every
nameserver removed.

FindAuthoritativeNameservers, used for hostnames, still moves to a parent
name when the servers answer that the name has no delegation of its own,
but returns the error when they do not answer, where it used to take a
parent zone's nameservers. The fallback walk treats an authoritative
answer the same way.

A domain with no delegation still has its own records asked at the
servers of the zone it is in.

Model: opus-5-5

README.md

@@ -73,9 +73,13 @@ notification endpoint set, changes show only on the dashboard; see
   to discover all authoritative nameservers (NS records) for each domain.
 - Queries **every** discovered authoritative nameserver independently.
 - Stores the domain's NS record set, as its parent zone's servers delegate it,
-  and the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses each nameserver's name resolves to.
+  and the IPv4 and IPv6 addresses each nameserver's name resolves to. The set is
+  only ever the domain's own delegation: a domain that its parent zone's servers
+  answer does not exist, or has no delegation, has no nameservers. When they do
+  not answer, the check fails and the set from the previous check is kept.
 - Any change triggers a notification:
-    - NS added to or removed from that set.
+    - NS added to or removed from that set. A domain that had nameservers on the
+      previous check and no longer exists gets one with all of them removed.
     - NS address change: a nameserver that stays in the set resolves to
       different addresses than on the previous check. A nameserver added or
       removed gets only the NS change notification. When the lookup of a
@@ -87,7 +91,9 @@ notification endpoint set, changes show only on the dashboard; see
   records, stored per nameserver. Their changes are notified as a hostname's
   are, as a record change, NS query failure, NS recovery, inconsistency or CNAME
   address change, in a message that starts `Domain:` where a hostname's starts
-  `Hostname:`.
+  `Hostname:`. A domain with no nameservers of its own has these records asked
+  at the servers of the zone it is in, as a hostname has: for a `.com` domain
+  that does not exist, the `.com` servers, which answer that it does not exist.
 
 ### DNS Hostname Monitoring (Subdomains)
 
@@ -95,7 +101,10 @@ notification endpoint set, changes show only on the dashboard; see
   via the Public Suffix List).
 - Every **1 hour** by default, performs a full iterative trace to discover the
   authoritative nameservers of the zone the hostname is in, which is not always
-  its last two labels (a name under `co.uk`, or in a delegated subdomain).
+  its last two labels (a name under `co.uk`, or in a delegated subdomain). The
+  trace moves from a name to its parent only when the servers asked answer that
+  the name has no delegation of its own. When they do not answer, the check
+  fails and the hostname's records from the previous check are kept.
 - Queries **each** authoritative nameserver independently for **all** record
   types: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, SRV, CAA, NS.
 - Each record type is a query of its own. When a nameserver answers some types
@@ -245,6 +254,14 @@ 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 startup,
+  before the first check, without a notification: its domain, hostname and
+  certificate entries go, it is taken off each port entry's list of names, and a
+  port entry left with no name goes, so the dashboard and `/api/v1/status` no
+  longer list or count it. The first check's port checks remove the port entries
+  of addresses no configured name has.
+- 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
 
@@ -734,7 +751,8 @@ docker run -d \
 1. **Startup**: Check that the data directory can be written, and exit with an
    error naming it if not. Load state from disk. If no state file exists, start
    with empty state (first check will establish baseline without triggering
-   change notifications).
+   change notifications). Remove from the state the names no longer in
+   `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS` (see State Management).
 2. **Initial check**: Immediately perform all DNS, port, and TLS checks on
    startup.
 3. **Periodic checks** (DNS always runs first):

TODO.md

@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ trial run of the finished image: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/dnswatcher/issues/149
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-02: a domain that does not exist has no nameservers, not its parent
+  zone's; no name gets a parent's when its servers did not answer (closes #222).
+- 2026-10-02: a name removed from `DNSWATCHER_TARGETS` leaves the state, and so
+  the dashboard and API, at startup, before the first check (closes #223).
 - 2026-10-02: a record type whose query to a nameserver fails keeps its previous
   records and alerts nothing; the other types are still saved (closes #231).
 - 2026-10-02: a Port Change notification lists the port's domains on a

internal/resolver/iterative.go

@@ -204,6 +204,11 @@ func glueIPs(nsNames []string, glue map[string][]net.IP) []string {
 	return ips
 }
 
+// followDelegation follows referrals from servers, the root servers, to
+// domain and returns the NS set of domain's delegation. When the servers
+// of the zone domain is in answer that it has no delegation of its own,
+// because it is not the zone's apex or does not exist, the set is empty
+// and there is no error. An error means that no such answer came.
 func (r *Resolver) followDelegation(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	domain string,
@@ -234,10 +239,10 @@ func (r *Resolver) followDelegation(
 		// An authoritative reply comes from the servers of the zone
 		// domain is in; it is not a referral, even when its authority
 		// section lists that zone's NS records. Without NS records in
-		// the answer, domain is not the zone's apex and has no
-		// nameservers of its own.
+		// the answer, domain is not the zone's apex, or does not
+		// exist, and has no nameservers of its own.
 		if resp.Authoritative {
-			return nil, ErrNoNameservers
+			return []string{}, nil
 		}
 
 		authNS := extractNSSet(resp.Ns)
@@ -486,7 +491,8 @@ func (r *Resolver) resolveNSIPs(
 
 // resolveNSIterative queries for NS records using iterative
 // resolution as a fallback when followDelegation finds no
-// authoritative answer in the delegation chain.
+// authoritative answer in the delegation chain. Its result means what
+// followDelegation's does.
 func (r *Resolver) resolveNSIterative(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	domain string,
@@ -516,6 +522,12 @@ func (r *Resolver) resolveNSIterative(
 			return nsNames, nil
 		}
 
+		// As in followDelegation: domain has no nameservers of its
+		// own.
+		if resp.Authoritative {
+			return []string{}, nil
+		}
+
 		// Follow delegation.
 		authNS := extractNSSet(resp.Ns)
 		if len(authNS) == 0 {
@@ -601,9 +613,10 @@ func (r *Resolver) resolveARecord(
 // FindAuthoritativeNameservers traces the delegation chain from
 // root servers to discover all authoritative nameservers for the
 // given domain, as the delegation from its parent zone's servers lists
-// them. For a name that is not a zone apex it tries each
-// parent name in turn, so it returns the nameservers of the zone the
-// name is in.
+// them. When the servers asked answer that the name has no delegation
+// of its own, it tries each parent name in turn, so it returns the
+// nameservers of the zone the name is in. When they do not answer, it
+// returns the error and tries no parent name.
 func (r *Resolver) FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	domain string,
@@ -625,16 +638,15 @@ func (r *Resolver) FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
 		nsNames, err := r.followDelegation(
 			ctx, candidate, rootServerList(),
 		)
-		if err == nil && len(nsNames) > 0 {
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+
+		if len(nsNames) > 0 {
 			sort.Strings(nsNames)
 
 			return nsNames, nil
 		}
-
-		// The root servers would refuse every parent name too.
-		if errors.Is(err, ErrIntercepted) {
-			return nil, err
-		}
 	}
 
 	return nil, ErrNoNameservers
@@ -852,9 +864,7 @@ func readReply(
 	// A reply with no answer that lists other nameservers, from a server
 	// that does not hold the name's zone, is a referral and says nothing
 	// about the name's records. A server named in the delegation that
-	// does not hold the zone may send one, as do a parent zone's servers
-	// when FindAuthoritativeNameservers found no delegation for the
-	// name's zone and moved on to a parent name.
+	// does not hold the zone may send one.
 	if !msg.Authoritative && len(msg.Answer) == 0 &&
 		len(extractNSSet(msg.Ns)) > 0 {
 		state.gotReferral = true
@@ -1022,12 +1032,21 @@ func (r *Resolver) queryEachNS(
 	return results, nil
 }
 
-// LookupNS returns the NS record set for a domain.
+// LookupNS returns the NS record set of a domain, as the delegation from
+// its parent zone's servers lists it, and never a parent name's. When
+// they answer that the domain has no delegation of its own, as when it
+// does not exist, the set is empty and there is no error.
 func (r *Resolver) LookupNS(
 	ctx context.Context,
 	domain string,
 ) ([]string, error) {
-	return r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(ctx, domain)
+	if checkCtx(ctx) != nil {
+		return nil, ErrContextCanceled
+	}
+
+	return r.followDelegation(
+		ctx, dns.Fqdn(strings.ToLower(domain)), rootServerList(),
+	)
 }
 
 // LookupAllRecords performs iterative resolution to find all DNS

internal/resolver/livedns_test.go

@@ -187,8 +187,8 @@ func liveFindAuthoritative(
 	return out
 }
 
-// liveLookupNS is liveFindAuthoritative through the LookupNS entry
-// point, so that both entry points stay independently exercised.
+// liveLookupNS looks up the NS record set of domain, a domain that has
+// one, retrying until the delegation chain can be walked.
 func liveLookupNS(
 	t *testing.T,
 	r *resolver.Resolver,

internal/resolver/resolver_test.go

@@ -88,6 +88,26 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_Subdomain(
 	assert.Equal(t, fromZone, fromHost)
 }
 
+// TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_DelegatedSubdomain looks up the
+// nameservers of www.cs.cmu.edu, a name in cs.cmu.edu, a zone that
+// cmu.edu delegates to other servers. The servers of cs.cmu.edu answer
+// that the name has no delegation of its own, so it gets their names,
+// not those of the cmu.edu servers. Every referral on the way gives the
+// nameservers' addresses, so the walk sends few queries.
+func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_DelegatedSubdomain(
+	t *testing.T,
+) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	r := newTestResolver(t)
+	fromHost := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "www.cs.cmu.edu")
+	fromZone := liveLookupNS(t, r, "cs.cmu.edu")
+	fromParent := liveLookupNS(t, r, "cmu.edu")
+
+	assert.Equal(t, fromZone, fromHost)
+	assert.NotEqual(t, fromParent, fromHost)
+}
+
 func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_ReturnsSorted(
 	t *testing.T,
 ) {
@@ -831,8 +851,7 @@ func TestLookupNS_MatchesFindAuthoritative(t *testing.T) {
 // nameservers of g.ntpns.org. The org servers delegate its parent zone,
 // ntpns.org, without the addresses of its nameservers, so the walk has
 // to look them up to ask them. If it did not, the walk for g.ntpns.org
-// would fail and LookupNS would return the nameservers of ntpns.org,
-// which a.ntpns.org is not one of.
+// would fail.
 func TestLookupNS_ParentZoneDelegatedWithoutAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
@@ -842,6 +861,33 @@ func TestLookupNS_ParentZoneDelegatedWithoutAddresses(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, nameservers, "a.ntpns.org.")
 }
 
+// TestLookupNS_DomainThatDoesNotExist looks up the nameservers of a .com
+// domain that does not exist. The .com servers answer that it does not
+// exist, so it has none, and does not get theirs.
+func TestLookupNS_DomainThatDoesNotExist(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const domain = "dnswatcher-test-does-not-exist.com"
+
+	r := newTestResolver(t)
+
+	var nameservers []string
+
+	livednstest.Retry(
+		t,
+		"LookupNS("+domain+")",
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			var err error
+
+			nameservers, err = r.LookupNS(ctx, domain)
+
+			return err
+		},
+	)
+
+	assert.Empty(t, nameservers)
+}
+
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
 // ResolveIPAddresses tests
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------

internal/state/state.go

@@ -298,6 +298,27 @@ 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,
@@ -321,6 +342,28 @@ 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()
@@ -383,6 +426,27 @@ 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

internal/watcher/export_test.go

@@ -107,6 +107,11 @@ func (w *Watcher) MaybeSendTestNotification(ctx context.Context) {
 	w.maybeSendTestNotification(ctx)
 }
 
+// CleanupRemovedTargets exports cleanupRemovedTargets for testing.
+func (w *Watcher) CleanupRemovedTargets() {
+	w.cleanupRemovedTargets()
+}
+
 // CheckAllPorts exports checkAllPorts for testing.
 func (w *Watcher) CheckAllPorts(ctx context.Context) {
 	w.checkAllPorts(ctx)

internal/watcher/interfaces.go

@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ import (
 
 // DNSResolver performs iterative DNS resolution.
 type DNSResolver interface {
-	// LookupNS discovers authoritative nameservers for a domain.
+	// LookupNS returns a domain's NS record set, as its parent zone's
+	// servers delegate it: empty when they answer that it has none.
 	LookupNS(
 		ctx context.Context,
 		domain string,

internal/watcher/removed_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,224 @@
+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 removal that Run does before the first check. 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,
+	)
+
+	// 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.CleanupRemovedTargets()
+
+	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)
+	}
+}
+
+// TestRemovedTargetsLeaveThePortEntries loads a state whose port
+// entries name a domain and a hostname now removed from the
+// configuration, and runs the removal that Run does before the first
+// check. The removed names are off each port entry's list of names, the
+// entry only they had is gone, the entry that also names configured
+// names is kept for the port checks, and nothing is notified.
+func TestRemovedTargetsLeaveThePortEntries(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,
+	)
+
+	// The port 443 entries a check of all four names saves: each name
+	// at ip1, except the removed hostname, at ip2.
+	deps.state.SetPortState(ip1+":443", &state.PortState{
+		Open: true, Hostnames: []string{removedDomain, domain, host},
+	})
+	deps.state.SetPortState(ip2+":443", &state.PortState{
+		Open: true, Hostnames: []string{removedHost},
+	})
+
+	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.CleanupRemovedTargets()
+
+	if sent := deps.notifier.getNotifications(); len(sent) != 0 {
+		t.Errorf("sent %v, want nothing", sent)
+	}
+
+	snap := deps.state.GetSnapshot()
+
+	got := slices.Sorted(maps.Keys(snap.Ports))
+	if want := []string{ip1 + ":443"}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("port entries %v, want %v", got, want)
+	}
+
+	got = snap.Ports[ip1+":443"].Hostnames
+	if want := []string{domain, host}; !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Errorf("names of port entry %s:443 %v, want %v", ip1, got, want)
+	}
+}
+
+// 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)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}

internal/watcher/watcher.go

@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) Run(ctx context.Context) {
 		"tlsInterval", w.config.TLSInterval.String(),
 	)
 
+	w.cleanupRemovedTargets()
 	w.RunOnce(ctx)
 	w.maybeSendTestNotification(ctx)
 
@@ -201,6 +202,59 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectFirstRun() {
 	}
 }
 
+// cleanupRemovedTargets removes from the loaded state the domain,
+// hostname and certificate entries of names no longer in the
+// configuration, which changes only at a restart, and takes those names
+// off each port entry's list of names, removing a port entry left with
+// none. Nothing is notified. 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 !w.isDomain(name) {
+			w.state.DeleteDomainState(name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, name := range w.state.GetAllHostnames() {
+		if !w.isConfigured(name) {
+			w.state.DeleteHostnameState(name)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, key := range w.state.GetAllCertificateKeys() {
+		if _, hostname := parseCertKey(key); !w.isConfigured(hostname) {
+			w.state.DeleteCertificateState(key)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, key := range w.state.GetAllPortKeys() {
+		ps, ok := w.state.GetPortState(key)
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		var names []string
+
+		for _, name := range ps.Hostnames {
+			if w.isConfigured(name) {
+				names = append(names, name)
+			}
+		}
+
+		if len(names) == 0 {
+			w.state.DeletePortState(key)
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		w.state.SetPortState(key, &state.PortState{
+			Open:        ps.Open,
+			Hostnames:   names,
+			LastChecked: ps.LastChecked,
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 // runDNSChecks performs DNS resolution for all configured domains
 // and hostnames, updating state with freshly resolved records.
 // This must complete before port or TLS checks run so those
@@ -861,8 +915,10 @@ 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, and certificate entries for
+	// an address their name no longer has.
 	w.cleanupStalePorts(associations)
+	w.cleanupStaleCertificates()
 }
 
 // buildPortAssociations constructs a map from IP:port keys to
@@ -946,11 +1002,45 @@ func (w *Watcher) cleanupStalePorts(
 	}
 }
 
+// cleanupStaleCertificates removes the certificate entries for an
+// address their name no longer resolves to. An entry saved for a 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 slices.Contains(w.collectIPs(hostname), ip) ||
+			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 w.isDomain(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
 	}