docs: correct stale script headers and record the config-verify cost (closes #137 )

script/bootstrap credited the goimports pin to script/fmt-check, which runs gofmt only; the header now credits script/fmt. script/cibuild still described the Dockerfile as running make check, which stopped being true once linting moved to its own stage. The docker-missing warning in script/bootstrap is one sentence instead of three fragments each carrying the bootstrap: prefix. Dockerfile.lint now states the residual risk of skipping golangci-lint config verify: unknown top-level keys in .golangci.yml are ignored silently, so a mistyped key lints clean and applies nothing. Comment and message text only; no behaviour changes.
docs: add MIT LICENSE and state the licence in the README (closes #102 )
2026-08-10 14:09:20 +00:00 · 2026-08-10 14:04:31 +00:00 · 2026-08-10 13:48:15 +00:00 · 2026-08-10 13:33:53 +00:00 · 2026-08-10 13:09:17 +00:00 · 2026-08-10 12:37:47 +00:00
22 changed files with 1526 additions and 936 deletions
--- a/.golangci.yml
+++ b/.golangci.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 version: "2"

+# Config schema uses the golangci-lint v2 layout (settings live under
+# linters.settings, not top-level linters-settings) so that the
+# thresholds below are actually applied by golangci-lint >= v2.
+
 run:
  timeout: 5m
  modules-download-mode: readonly
@@ -14,8 +18,7 @@ linters:
    - wsl              # Deprecated, replaced by wsl_v5
    - wrapcheck        # Too verbose for internal packages
    - varnamelen       # Short names like db, id are idiomatic Go
-
-linters-settings:
+  settings:
    lll:
      line-length: 88
    funlen:
@@ -27,6 +30,5 @@ linters-settings:
      threshold: 100

 issues:
-  exclude-use-default: false
  max-issues-per-linter: 0
  max-same-issues: 0
--- a/38
+++ b/38
@@ -1,13 +1,9 @@
-# Build stage
-# golang 1.25-alpine, 2026-02-28
-FROM golang@sha256:f6751d823c26342f9506c03797d2527668d095b0a15f1862cddb4d927a7a4ced AS builder
-
-RUN apk add --no-cache git make gcc musl-dev binutils-gold
-
-# golangci-lint v2.10.1
-RUN go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@5d1e709b7be35cb2025444e19de266b056b7b7ee
-# goimports v0.42.0
-RUN go install golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@009367f5c17a8d4c45a961a3a509277190a9a6f0
+# Lint stage - fast feedback on lint issues, before the build starts.
+# The linter is invoked directly rather than through `make lint`: that
+# target shells out to `docker build -f Dockerfile.lint`, and there is
+# no docker daemon inside a docker build.
+# golangci/golangci-lint:v2.12.2 (Debian-based), 2026-08-10
+FROM golangci/golangci-lint:v2.12.2@sha256:5cceeef04e53efe1470638d4b4b4f5ceefd574955ab3941b2d9a68a8c9ad5240 AS lint

 WORKDIR /src
 COPY go.mod go.sum ./
@@ -15,8 +11,26 @@ RUN go mod download

 COPY . .

-# Run all checks - build fails if any check fails
-RUN make check
+RUN make fmt-check
+RUN golangci-lint run --config .golangci.yml ./...
+
+# Build stage
+# golang 1.25-alpine, 2026-02-28
+FROM golang@sha256:f6751d823c26342f9506c03797d2527668d095b0a15f1862cddb4d927a7a4ced AS builder
+
+RUN apk add --no-cache git make gcc musl-dev binutils-gold
+
+# Force BuildKit to run the lint stage before proceeding
+COPY --from=lint /src/go.sum /dev/null
+
+WORKDIR /src
+COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+RUN go mod download
+
+COPY . .
+
+# Run the tests - build fails if any test fails
+RUN make test

 # Build the binary
 RUN make build
--- a/Dockerfile.lint
+++ b/Dockerfile.lint
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Lint-only image: used by script/lint. golangci-lint is never run on
+# the host — the repo is COPYed into the build context and the linter
+# runs as a build step, so a successful build IS a clean lint. This
+# also works where the docker daemon is remote and bind mounts are
+# impossible.
+#
+# `golangci-lint config verify` is deliberately NOT run here: it
+# fetches its JSON schema over a live, unpinned HTTPS call, which would
+# make linting network-dependent and defeat hash-pinning. The cost of
+# that: unknown top-level keys in .golangci.yml are silently ignored,
+# so a mistyped or wrong-schema key lints clean while applying nothing.
+#
+# golangci/golangci-lint:v2.12.2 (Debian-based), 2026-08-10
+FROM golangci/golangci-lint:v2.12.2@sha256:5cceeef04e53efe1470638d4b4b4f5ceefd574955ab3941b2d9a68a8c9ad5240 AS deps
+
+WORKDIR /src
+
+# Dependencies first, so this stage stays cached across lint runs.
+COPY go.mod go.sum ./
+RUN go mod download
+
+# Everything below is invalidated on every run by the
+# --no-cache-filter=lint that script/lint passes: caching is explicitly
+# waived for linting, and a cached build lints nothing.
+FROM deps AS lint
+
+COPY . .
+
+RUN golangci-lint run --config .golangci.yml ./...
--- a/21
+++ b/21
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+MIT License
+
+Copyright (c) 2026 sneak
+
+Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
+of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
+in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
+to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
+copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
+furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
+
+The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
+copies or substantial portions of the Software.
+
+THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
+IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
+FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
+AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
+LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
+OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
+SOFTWARE.
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 # dnswatcher

-dnswatcher is a pre-1.0 Go daemon by [@sneak](https://sneak.berlin) that monitors DNS records, TCP port availability, and TLS certificates, delivering real-time change notifications via Slack, Mattermost, and ntfy webhooks.
+dnswatcher is an MIT-licensed, pre-1.0 Go daemon by [@sneak](https://sneak.berlin) that monitors DNS records, TCP port availability, and TLS certificates, delivering real-time change notifications via Slack, Mattermost, and ntfy webhooks.

 > ⚠️ Pre-1.0 software. APIs, configuration, and behavior may change without notice.

@@ -17,6 +17,26 @@ without requiring an external database.

 ---

+## No DNS mocking. Ever.
+
+**DNS is never mocked in this project — not in tests, not anywhere else.**
+No mock resolvers, no fake DNS servers, no stubbed lookups.
+
+dnswatcher's entire purpose is correct behavior against the real DNS.
+Tests exercise real iterative resolution against live nameservers by
+design; a test suite that passes against a mock proves nothing about the
+one thing this program exists to do.
+
+When live tests are flaky, that is a robustness problem, and it gets
+fixed with robustness: retries with backoff, querying multiple
+independent nameservers, longer timeouts — or explicit opt-in gating
+decided by the project owner. Never with mocks.
+
+Contributions that introduce mocked, faked, or stubbed DNS will be
+rejected.
+
+---
+
 ## Features

 ### DNS Domain Monitoring (Apex Domains)
@@ -360,14 +380,25 @@ standard: normalized scripts in `script/` are the entrypoints for the
 development workflow, and the Makefile targets are thin shims that call
 them. We provide:

- `script/bootstrap` — install all dependencies (go, pinned
-  golangci-lint and goimports, `go mod download`)
+- `script/bootstrap` — install all dependencies (go, pinned goimports,
+  `go mod download`). It does not install golangci-lint: see
+  `script/lint` below.
 - `script/setup` — make a fresh clone ready for development: bootstrap
  plus the git pre-commit hook
 - `script/projectname` — print the project name (used for the Docker
  image tag)
- `script/test` — run the test suite (race detector, coverage)
- `script/lint` — run golangci-lint
+- `script/test` — run the test suite (race detector, coverage). Caching
+  is waived for testing, exactly as it is for linting: `-count=1`
+  forces every invocation to execute, because the suite queries live
+  DNS and a cached pass queries nothing. Failures are rerun with `-v`
+  automatically, and the build fails even if that rerun passes.
+- `script/lint` — run golangci-lint, always inside Docker: it builds
+  `Dockerfile.lint`, which COPYs the repo into the digest-pinned
+  `golangci-lint` image and lints as a build step, so a successful
+  build is a clean lint. The linter is never installed or run on the
+  host, and Docker is the only prerequisite. Caching is waived for
+  linting: the lint stage is forced to execute on every run with
+  `--no-cache-filter`, because a cached build lints nothing.
 - `script/fmt` — format all code (gofmt -s, goimports)
 - `script/fmt-check` — check formatting (read-only)
 - `script/check` — run test, lint, and fmt-check
@@ -383,7 +414,7 @@ them. We provide:
 ```sh
 make build      # Build binary to bin/dnswatcher
 make test       # Run tests with race detector
-make lint       # Run golangci-lint
+make lint       # Run golangci-lint in Docker (requires docker)
 make fmt        # Format code
 make check      # Run all checks (test, lint, fmt-check)
 make clean      # Remove build artifacts
@@ -455,8 +486,9 @@ Viper for configuration.

 ## License

-License has not yet been chosen for this project. Pending decision by the
-author (MIT, GPL, or WTFPL).
+dnswatcher is released under the MIT License, Copyright (c) 2026
+[@sneak](https://sneak.berlin). See the [`LICENSE`](./LICENSE) file in the
+repository root for the full text.

 ## Author

--- a/REPO_POLICIES.md
+++ b/REPO_POLICIES.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 title: Repository Policies
-last_modified: 2026-07-06
+last_modified: 2026-08-07
 ---

 This document covers repository structure, tooling, and workflow standards. Code
@@ -189,8 +189,13 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:
  module under test to verify it compiles/parses. There is no excuse for
  `make test` to be a no-op.

- `make test` must complete in under 20 seconds. Add a 30-second timeout in the
-  Makefile.
+- `make test` must complete in under 60 seconds. That is the hard cap, and a
+  suite that exceeds it fails. Under 20 seconds is the target. A suite between
+  20 and 60 seconds is still green, but the overage must be filed as an
+  improvement bug against that repo. Add a 90-second timeout to the test
+  invocation in the Makefile (`go test -timeout 90s`). The backstop deliberately
+  sits above the hard cap so that it catches a genuinely hung test rather than a
+  merely slow one.

 - **`make test` should use the conditional verbose rerun pattern.** Run tests
  without `-v` (verbose) first. If tests fail, automatically rerun with `-v` to
@@ -209,9 +214,9 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:

    ```makefile
    test:
-    	@go test -timeout 30s -race -cover ./... || \
+    	@go test -timeout 90s -race -cover ./... || \
    		{ echo "--- Rerunning with -v for details ---"; \
-    		  go test -timeout 30s -race -v ./...; exit 1; }
+    		  go test -timeout 90s -race -v ./...; exit 1; }
    ```

    Python example:
@@ -260,7 +265,10 @@ style conventions are in separate documents:

 - `.golangci.yml` is standardized and must _NEVER_ be modified by an agent, only
  manually by the user. Fetch from
-  `https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/raw/branch/main/.golangci.yml`.
+  `https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/prompts/raw/branch/main/.golangci.yml`. The
+  canonical golangci-lint version is v2.12.2 (released 2026-05-06), installed
+  commit-pinned via
+  `go install github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@c0d3ddc9cf3faa61a4e378e879ece580256d76e5`.

 - When pinning images or packages by hash, add a comment above the reference
  with the version and date (YYYY-MM-DD).
--- a/TESTING.md
+++ b/TESTING.md
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ real servers ensures the resolver works correctly in production.

 - Tests hit real DNS infrastructure and require network access
 - Test duration depends on network conditions; timeout tuning keeps
-  the suite within the 30-second target
+  the suite within the 60-second target
 - Query timeout is calibrated to 3× maximum antipodal RTT (~300ms)
  plus processing margin
 - Root server fan-out is limited to reduce parallel query load
@@ -31,4 +31,7 @@ real servers ensures the resolver works correctly in production.
  exists for unit-testing other packages that consume the resolver)
 - **Do not add `-short` flags** to skip slow tests
 - **Do not increase `-timeout`** to hide hanging queries
+- **Do not remove `-count=1` from `script/test`** — Go's test cache
+  replays a previous run's output without querying anything, so a
+  cached pass is not evidence that live resolution works
 - **Do not modify linter configuration** to suppress findings
--- a/TODO.md
+++ b/TODO.md
@@ -18,13 +18,88 @@ iterative resolver implementation with hermetic mocked tests.

 # Next Step

-Policy scaffold commit: add LICENSE, REPO_POLICIES.md, .editorconfig,
-.dockerignore, and .gitea/workflows/check.yml, and add the missing
-fmt-check, docker, and hooks targets to the Makefile. One commit, then
-confirm make check still passes.
+Add the README sections required by policy (Description, Getting Started,
+Rationale, Design, TODO, License, Author) if any are still missing.

 # Completed Steps

+- 2026-08-10: comment-only corrections to `script/bootstrap`,
+  `script/cibuild`, and `Dockerfile.lint`. The `goimports` pin in
+  `script/bootstrap` was justified by a claim that `script/fmt-check`
+  runs it on the host; it does not (it runs `gofmt -l .` only), so the
+  header now credits `script/fmt` alone. `script/cibuild` still claimed
+  the `Dockerfile` runs `make check`, which stopped being true when
+  linting moved to its own stage; it now describes the lint stage
+  (`make fmt-check` plus `golangci-lint`) and the builder stage
+  (`make test`, `make build`). The `docker`-missing warning in
+  `script/bootstrap` reads as one sentence instead of three fragments
+  each re-prefixed with `bootstrap:`. `Dockerfile.lint` now records the
+  residual risk of omitting `golangci-lint config verify`: unknown
+  top-level keys in `.golangci.yml` are silently ignored, so a mistyped
+  key lints clean while applying nothing. No behaviour changed
+- 2026-08-10: MIT `LICENSE` added at the repository root, closing the
+  last gap in `REPO_POLICIES.md`'s required-minimum file list and
+  removing the all-rights-reserved default that would otherwise have
+  shipped with a 1.0 tag. The licence choice is the standing org policy
+  (any public repo lacking a licence gets MIT; a private repo with no
+  licence is already all-rights-reserved), and this repo is public. The
+  file holds the canonical MIT text byte-for-byte with only the
+  copyright line filled in (`Copyright (c) 2026 sneak`); no clauses were
+  added, removed, or reflowed. `README.md`'s first line now names the
+  licence, as the Description requirement demands, and the License
+  section states MIT and points at the file instead of saying the choice
+  is pending. `make fmt` covers only Go sources (`gofmt -s`,
+  `goimports`), so it cannot reflow `LICENSE`
+- 2026-08-10: the policy scaffold (`REPO_POLICIES.md`, `.editorconfig`,
+  `.dockerignore`, `.gitea/workflows/check.yml`, and the `fmt-check`,
+  `docker`, and hooks Makefile targets) is present; it landed piecemeal
+  across the scripts-to-rule-them-all and policy commits rather than as
+  the single commit this file once planned
+- 2026-08-10: Go's test cache disabled for `script/test` via `-count=1`,
+  so every invocation actually executes. A cached pass replays an
+  earlier run's output without querying DNS at all, which in this repo
+  means the suite's entire premise goes unexercised while the run
+  reports green in under a second. The conditional verbose rerun that
+  `REPO_POLICIES.md` mandates was added at the same time (the primary
+  run had been unconditionally `-v`): quiet first, `-v` only on
+  failure, `-count=1` on both, and exit 1 forced regardless of the
+  rerun's result so a flake passing the second time cannot turn the
+  build green. `-timeout 90s` left alone as the deliberate backstop
+  above the 60s hard cap. Uncached suite runs ~4s, well inside the 20s
+  target
+- 2026-08-10: live-DNS test flakiness addressed by robustness rather
+  than gating, per the owner's ruling on #93: new
+  `internal/resolver/livedns_test.go` adds a package-wide concurrency
+  gate (so parallel tests stop bursting at the first root server),
+  retry with exponential backoff on transport failures only, and
+  quorum instead of unanimity for multi-nameserver assertions. Quorum
+  tolerates silence only: every per-nameserver status must be in a
+  closed allowlist (`ok`/`timeout`/`error`, or
+  `nxdomain`/`timeout`/`error`), so a wrong answer from a minority —
+  `nodata` today, any status added later — fails the test instead of
+  sliding through under the majority. The
+  `make test` cap moved to the new org-wide 60s hard cap / 20s target
+  with a 90s `-timeout` backstop; `REPO_POLICIES.md` re-vendored
+  byte-identical from `sneak/prompts`. No mocks, no `-short`, no build
+  tags, no skips, and no change to production resolver behaviour
+- 2026-08-10: all linting moved into Docker: new root `Dockerfile.lint`
+  on the digest-pinned `golangci/golangci-lint:v2.12.2` image,
+  `script/lint` reduced to a thin wrapper that builds it with
+  `--no-cache-filter=lint` so the linter actually executes every run,
+  golangci-lint install dropped from `script/bootstrap` (goimports
+  stays, `script/fmt` needs it on the host), and the root `Dockerfile`
+  given its own lint stage so its build no longer recurses through
+  `make check` into `script/lint`. `golangci-lint config verify` is
+  deliberately omitted: it fetches its schema over an unpinned live
+  HTTPS call
+- 2026-08-07: golangci-lint bumped to v2.12.2 (commit-pinned installs
+  in `Dockerfile` and `script/bootstrap`); `.golangci.yml` set to the
+  org-standard v2-schema config used across the org's repos
+  (owner-authorized; same file is being landed as canonical via prompts
+  PR #24), with settings under `linters.settings` so the
+  lll/funlen/cyclop/dupl thresholds apply; fixed the resulting
+  `goconst`, `dupl`, and `lll` findings; the informational `gomodguard`
+  deprecation warning under this config is accepted
 - 2026-07-07 Adopted scripts-to-rule-them-all: `script/` entrypoints,
  Makefile shims, README Entrypoints section
 - 2026-02-20: iterative DNS resolver implemented; tests made hermetic
@@ -45,8 +120,6 @@ confirm make check still passes.

 Compliance:

- Add README sections required by policy (Description, Getting Started,
-  Rationale, Design, TODO, License, Author) if any are missing
 - Pin Dockerfile base images by sha256 and ensure the Docker build runs
  make check

--- a/internal/config/classify_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/classify_test.go
@@ -17,13 +17,33 @@ func TestClassifyDNSName(t *testing.T) {
 	}{
 		{name: "apex domain simple", input: "example.com", want: config.DNSNameTypeDomain},
 		{name: "hostname simple", input: "www.example.com", want: config.DNSNameTypeHostname},
-		{name: "apex domain multi-part TLD", input: "example.co.uk", want: config.DNSNameTypeDomain},
-		{name: "hostname multi-part TLD", input: "api.example.co.uk", want: config.DNSNameTypeHostname},
+		{
+			name:  "apex domain multi-part TLD",
+			input: "example.co.uk",
+			want:  config.DNSNameTypeDomain,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "hostname multi-part TLD",
+			input: "api.example.co.uk",
+			want:  config.DNSNameTypeHostname,
+		},
 		{name: "public suffix itself", input: "co.uk", wantErr: true},
 		{name: "empty string", input: "", wantErr: true},
-		{name: "deeply nested hostname", input: "a.b.c.example.com", want: config.DNSNameTypeHostname},
-		{name: "trailing dot stripped", input: "example.com.", want: config.DNSNameTypeDomain},
-		{name: "uppercase normalized", input: "WWW.Example.COM", want: config.DNSNameTypeHostname},
+		{
+			name:  "deeply nested hostname",
+			input: "a.b.c.example.com",
+			want:  config.DNSNameTypeHostname,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "trailing dot stripped",
+			input: "example.com.",
+			want:  config.DNSNameTypeDomain,
+		},
+		{
+			name:  "uppercase normalized",
+			input: "WWW.Example.COM",
+			want:  config.DNSNameTypeHostname,
+		},
 	}

 	for _, tt := range tests {
--- a/internal/notify/delivery_test.go
+++ b/internal/notify/delivery_test.go
@@ -25,6 +25,20 @@ const (
 	colorDefault = "#6c757d"
 )

+// Priority strings used across multiple tests.
+const (
+	prioError   = "error"
+	prioWarning = "warning"
+	prioSuccess = "success"
+	prioInfo    = "info"
+	prioUnknown = "unknown"
+	prioDefault = "default"
+	prioUrgent  = "urgent"
+)
+
+// testHost is the hostname used in request construction tests.
+const testHost = "example.com"
+
 // errSimulated is a static error for transport failures.
 var errSimulated = errors.New("simulated transport failure")

@@ -101,13 +115,13 @@ func TestNtfyPriority(t *testing.T) {
 		input string
 		want  string
 	}{
-		{"error", "urgent"},
-		{"warning", "high"},
-		{"success", "default"},
-		{"info", "low"},
-		{"", "default"},
-		{"unknown", "default"},
-		{"critical", "default"},
+		{prioError, prioUrgent},
+		{prioWarning, "high"},
+		{prioSuccess, prioDefault},
+		{prioInfo, "low"},
+		{"", prioDefault},
+		{prioUnknown, prioDefault},
+		{"critical", prioDefault},
 	}

 	for _, tc := range cases {
@@ -134,12 +148,12 @@ func TestSlackColor(t *testing.T) {
 		input string
 		want  string
 	}{
-		{"error", colorError},
-		{"warning", colorWarning},
-		{"success", colorSuccess},
-		{"info", colorInfo},
+		{prioError, colorError},
+		{prioWarning, colorWarning},
+		{prioSuccess, colorSuccess},
+		{prioInfo, colorInfo},
 		{"", colorDefault},
-		{"unknown", colorDefault},
+		{prioUnknown, colorDefault},
 		{"critical", colorDefault},
 	}

@@ -165,7 +179,7 @@ func TestNewRequest(t *testing.T) {

 	target := &url.URL{
 		Scheme: "https",
-		Host:   "example.com",
+		Host:   testHost,
 		Path:   "/webhook",
 	}
 	body := bytes.NewBufferString("hello")
@@ -187,9 +201,9 @@ func TestNewRequest(t *testing.T) {
 		)
 	}

-	if req.Host != "example.com" {
+	if req.Host != testHost {
 		t.Errorf(
-			"Host = %q, want %q", req.Host, "example.com",
+			"Host = %q, want %q", req.Host, testHost,
 		)
 	}

@@ -217,7 +231,7 @@ func TestNewRequestPreservesContext(t *testing.T) {
 		ctxKey("k"),
 		"v",
 	)
-	target := &url.URL{Scheme: "https", Host: "example.com"}
+	target := &url.URL{Scheme: "https", Host: testHost}

 	req := notify.NewRequestForTest(
 		ctx, http.MethodGet, target, http.NoBody,
@@ -289,10 +303,10 @@ func TestSendNtfyHeaders(t *testing.T) {
 		)
 	}

-	if captured.priority != "urgent" {
+	if captured.priority != prioUrgent {
 		t.Errorf(
 			"Priority header = %q, want %q",
-			captured.priority, "urgent",
+			captured.priority, prioUrgent,
 		)
 	}

@@ -311,10 +325,10 @@ func TestSendNtfyAllPriorities(t *testing.T) {
 		input string
 		want  string
 	}{
-		{"error", "urgent"},
-		{"warning", "high"},
-		{"success", "default"},
-		{"info", "low"},
+		{prioError, prioUrgent},
+		{prioWarning, "high"},
+		{prioSuccess, prioDefault},
+		{prioInfo, "low"},
 	}

 	for _, tc := range priorities {
@@ -356,56 +370,69 @@ func TestSendNtfyAllPriorities(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }

-func TestSendNtfyClientError(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
+// assertSendStatusError verifies that send returns an error
+// wrapping wantErr when the server responds with status.
+func assertSendStatusError(
+	t *testing.T,
+	status int,
+	wantErr error,
+	send func(*notify.Service, *url.URL) error,
+) {
+	t.Helper()

 	srv := httptest.NewServer(
 		http.HandlerFunc(
 			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusForbidden)
+				w.WriteHeader(status)
 			}),
 	)
 	defer srv.Close()

 	svc := notify.NewTestService(srv.Client().Transport)
-	topicURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
+	target, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)

-	err := svc.SendNtfy(
-		context.Background(), topicURL, "t", "m", "info",
-	)
+	err := send(svc, target)
 	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected error for 403 response")
+		t.Fatalf("expected error for %d response", status)
 	}

-	if !errors.Is(err, notify.ErrNtfyFailed) {
-		t.Errorf("error = %v, want ErrNtfyFailed", err)
+	if !errors.Is(err, wantErr) {
+		t.Errorf("error = %v, want %v", err, wantErr)
 	}
 }

+func sendNtfyInfo(
+	svc *notify.Service, target *url.URL,
+) error {
+	return svc.SendNtfy(
+		context.Background(), target, "t", "m", prioInfo,
+	)
+}
+
+func sendSlackInfo(
+	svc *notify.Service, target *url.URL,
+) error {
+	return svc.SendSlack(
+		context.Background(), target, "t", "m", prioInfo,
+	)
+}
+
+func TestSendNtfyClientError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	assertSendStatusError(
+		t, http.StatusForbidden,
+		notify.ErrNtfyFailed, sendNtfyInfo,
+	)
+}
+
 func TestSendNtfyServerError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

-	srv := httptest.NewServer(
-		http.HandlerFunc(
-			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
-			}),
+	assertSendStatusError(
+		t, http.StatusInternalServerError,
+		notify.ErrNtfyFailed, sendNtfyInfo,
 	)
-	defer srv.Close()
-
-	svc := notify.NewTestService(srv.Client().Transport)
-	topicURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
-
-	err := svc.SendNtfy(
-		context.Background(), topicURL, "t", "m", "info",
-	)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected error for 500 response")
-	}
-
-	if !errors.Is(err, notify.ErrNtfyFailed) {
-		t.Errorf("error = %v, want ErrNtfyFailed", err)
-	}
 }

 func TestSendNtfySuccess(t *testing.T) {
@@ -550,11 +577,11 @@ func TestSendSlackAllColors(t *testing.T) {
 		priority string
 		want     string
 	}{
-		{"error", colorError},
-		{"warning", colorWarning},
-		{"success", colorSuccess},
-		{"info", colorInfo},
-		{"unknown", colorDefault},
+		{prioError, colorError},
+		{prioWarning, colorWarning},
+		{prioSuccess, colorSuccess},
+		{prioInfo, colorInfo},
+		{prioUnknown, colorDefault},
 	}

 	for _, tc := range colors {
@@ -606,53 +633,19 @@ func TestSendSlackAllColors(t *testing.T) {
 func TestSendSlackClientError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

-	srv := httptest.NewServer(
-		http.HandlerFunc(
-			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadRequest)
-			}),
+	assertSendStatusError(
+		t, http.StatusBadRequest,
+		notify.ErrSlackFailed, sendSlackInfo,
 	)
-	defer srv.Close()
-
-	svc := notify.NewTestService(srv.Client().Transport)
-	webhookURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
-
-	err := svc.SendSlack(
-		context.Background(), webhookURL, "t", "m", "info",
-	)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected error for 400 response")
-	}
-
-	if !errors.Is(err, notify.ErrSlackFailed) {
-		t.Errorf("error = %v, want ErrSlackFailed", err)
-	}
 }

 func TestSendSlackServerError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

-	srv := httptest.NewServer(
-		http.HandlerFunc(
-			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadGateway)
-			}),
+	assertSendStatusError(
+		t, http.StatusBadGateway,
+		notify.ErrSlackFailed, sendSlackInfo,
 	)
-	defer srv.Close()
-
-	svc := notify.NewTestService(srv.Client().Transport)
-	webhookURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
-
-	err := svc.SendSlack(
-		context.Background(), webhookURL, "t", "m", "error",
-	)
-	if err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected error for 502 response")
-	}
-
-	if !errors.Is(err, notify.ErrSlackFailed) {
-		t.Errorf("error = %v, want ErrSlackFailed", err)
-	}
 }

 func TestSendSlackNetworkError(t *testing.T) {
@@ -977,74 +970,62 @@ func TestSendNotificationMattermostOnly(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }

-func TestSendNotificationNtfyError(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
+// assertSendNotificationTolerates verifies SendNotification
+// neither panics nor blocks when the endpoint configured by
+// setURL responds with status.
+func assertSendNotificationTolerates(
+	t *testing.T,
+	status int,
+	priority string,
+	setURL func(*notify.Service, *url.URL),
+) {
+	t.Helper()

 	srv := httptest.NewServer(
 		http.HandlerFunc(
 			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+				w.WriteHeader(status)
 			}),
 	)
 	defer srv.Close()

-	ntfyURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
+	target, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)

 	svc := notify.NewTestService(http.DefaultTransport)
-	svc.SetNtfyURL(ntfyURL)
+	setURL(svc, target)

-	// Should not panic or block.
 	svc.SendNotification(
-		context.Background(), "t", "m", "error",
+		context.Background(), "t", "m", priority,
 	)

 	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
 }

+func TestSendNotificationNtfyError(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	assertSendNotificationTolerates(
+		t, http.StatusInternalServerError, prioError,
+		(*notify.Service).SetNtfyURL,
+	)
+}
+
 func TestSendNotificationSlackError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

-	srv := httptest.NewServer(
-		http.HandlerFunc(
-			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusForbidden)
-			}),
+	assertSendNotificationTolerates(
+		t, http.StatusForbidden, prioError,
+		(*notify.Service).SetSlackWebhookURL,
 	)
-	defer srv.Close()
-
-	slackURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
-
-	svc := notify.NewTestService(http.DefaultTransport)
-	svc.SetSlackWebhookURL(slackURL)
-
-	svc.SendNotification(
-		context.Background(), "t", "m", "error",
-	)
-
-	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
 }

 func TestSendNotificationMattermostError(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

-	srv := httptest.NewServer(
-		http.HandlerFunc(
-			func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
-				w.WriteHeader(http.StatusBadGateway)
-			}),
+	assertSendNotificationTolerates(
+		t, http.StatusBadGateway, prioWarning,
+		(*notify.Service).SetMattermostWebhookURL,
 	)
-	defer srv.Close()
-
-	mmURL, _ := url.Parse(srv.URL)
-
-	svc := notify.NewTestService(http.DefaultTransport)
-	svc.SetMattermostWebhookURL(mmURL)
-
-	svc.SendNotification(
-		context.Background(), "t", "m", "warning",
-	)
-
-	time.Sleep(100 * time.Millisecond)
 }

 // ── SlackPayload JSON marshaling ──────────────────────────
--- a/internal/notify/history_test.go
+++ b/internal/notify/history_test.go
@@ -29,14 +29,14 @@ func TestAlertHistoryAddAndRecent(t *testing.T) {
 		Timestamp: now.Add(-2 * time.Minute),
 		Title:     "first",
 		Message:   "msg1",
-		Priority:  "info",
+		Priority:  prioInfo,
 	})

 	h.Add(notify.AlertEntry{
 		Timestamp: now.Add(-1 * time.Minute),
 		Title:     "second",
 		Message:   "msg2",
-		Priority:  "warning",
+		Priority:  prioWarning,
 	})

 	entries := h.Recent()
--- a/internal/notify/retry.go
+++ b/internal/notify/retry.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func (rc RetryConfig) backoff(attempt int) time.Duration {
 	lo := raw * (1 - jitterFraction)
 	hi := raw * (1 + jitterFraction)

-	jittered := lo + rand.Float64()*(hi-lo) //nolint:gosec // jitter does not need crypto/rand
+	jittered := lo + rand.Float64()*(hi-lo) //nolint:gosec // jitter needs no crypto/rand

 	return time.Duration(jittered)
 }
--- a/internal/resolver/livedns_harness_test.go
+++ b/internal/resolver/livedns_harness_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,284 @@
+package resolver_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/resolver"
+)
+
+// Tests for the live-DNS harness in livedns_test.go itself. These
+// exercise pure logic and the retry/concurrency plumbing; they
+// perform no DNS resolution of any kind, so they neither mock DNS
+// nor depend on it.
+
+// Names for the synthetic status maps below. Nothing is ever queried
+// at them: they are map keys handed to the package's pure counting
+// helpers, not a stand-in for a nameserver.
+const (
+	nsExample1 = "ns1.example."
+	nsExample2 = "ns2.example."
+	nsExample3 = "ns3.example."
+	nsExample4 = "ns4.example."
+)
+
+func TestLiveQuorumIsStrictMajority(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	cases := map[int]int{
+		0:  1,
+		1:  1,
+		2:  2,
+		3:  2,
+		4:  3,
+		5:  3,
+		13: 7,
+	}
+
+	for total, want := range cases {
+		assert.Equal(
+			t, want, liveQuorum(total),
+			"liveQuorum(%d)", total,
+		)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStatusCountingIgnoresSilentNameservers(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	results := map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse{
+		nsExample1: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample1,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusOK,
+		},
+		nsExample2: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample2,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusOK,
+		},
+		nsExample3: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample3,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusTimeout,
+		},
+		nsExample4: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample4,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusError,
+		},
+	}
+
+	assert.Equal(
+		t, 2, countStatus(results, resolver.StatusOK),
+	)
+	assert.Equal(
+		t, 0, countStatus(results, resolver.StatusNXDomain),
+	)
+
+	// Two of four answered, which is short of the quorum of
+	// three: this is the state that triggers a retry rather
+	// than an assertion failure.
+	assert.Equal(t, 2, answeredCount(results))
+	assert.Less(t, answeredCount(results), liveQuorum(len(results)))
+
+	assert.Equal(
+		t,
+		"ns1.example.=ok ns2.example.=ok "+
+			"ns3.example.=timeout ns4.example.=error",
+		describeStatuses(results),
+	)
+}
+
+func TestRetryLiveRecoversFromTransientFailure(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const wantAttempts = 2
+
+	attempts := 0
+
+	retryLive(t, "transient", func(_ context.Context) error {
+		attempts++
+
+		if attempts < wantAttempts {
+			return errLiveNoAnswer
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	})
+
+	assert.Equal(t, wantAttempts, attempts)
+}
+
+func TestRetryLiveGivesEachAttemptADeadline(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	retryLive(t, "deadline", func(ctx context.Context) error {
+		deadline, ok := ctx.Deadline()
+		assert.True(t, ok, "attempt should carry a deadline")
+
+		remaining := time.Until(deadline)
+
+		assert.LessOrEqual(t, remaining, liveAttemptTimeout)
+
+		// Lower bound too: without one this passes for a
+		// deadline far shorter than intended, which would
+		// silently turn every live attempt into an instant
+		// timeout.
+		assert.Greater(t, remaining, liveAttemptTimeout/2)
+
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
+// TestUnsanctionedStatusesRejectsWrongAnswers is the regression test
+// for the defect this allowlist exists to prevent: a minority of
+// nameservers answering WRONGLY while quorum keeps the suite green.
+// nodata is the case that motivated it — it is a wrong answer, not
+// silence, and it was previously banned by neither test.
+func TestUnsanctionedStatusesRejectsWrongAnswers(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	// Four nameservers, three OK and one answering nodata: a
+	// quorum of three is satisfied and no NXDOMAIN is present, so
+	// the old blocklist assertions both passed on this input.
+	results := map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse{
+		nsExample1: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample1,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusOK,
+		},
+		nsExample2: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample2,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusOK,
+		},
+		nsExample3: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample3,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusOK,
+		},
+		nsExample4: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample4,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusNoData,
+		},
+	}
+
+	assert.GreaterOrEqual(
+		t,
+		countStatus(results, resolver.StatusOK),
+		liveQuorum(len(results)),
+	)
+	assert.Zero(t, countStatus(results, resolver.StatusNXDomain))
+
+	// nodata is an ANSWER, so it never triggers a retry: nothing
+	// but the allowlist stands between it and a false green.
+	assert.Equal(t, len(results), answeredCount(results))
+
+	assert.Equal(
+		t,
+		[]string{nsExample4 + "=nodata"},
+		unsanctionedStatuses(
+			results,
+			resolver.StatusOK,
+			resolver.StatusTimeout,
+			resolver.StatusError,
+		),
+		"nodata must be reported as an unsanctioned status",
+	)
+}
+
+func TestUnsanctionedStatusesToleratesSilenceOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	results := map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse{
+		nsExample1: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample1,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusNXDomain,
+		},
+		nsExample2: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample2,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusTimeout,
+		},
+		nsExample3: {
+			Nameserver: nsExample3,
+			Status:     resolver.StatusError,
+		},
+	}
+
+	allowed := []string{
+		resolver.StatusNXDomain,
+		resolver.StatusTimeout,
+		resolver.StatusError,
+	}
+
+	assert.Empty(
+		t,
+		unsanctionedStatuses(results, allowed...),
+		"timeout and error are non-answers and are tolerated",
+	)
+
+	// The same silent nameservers do not count towards a quorum.
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, answeredCount(results))
+
+	// An unknown status is treated as silence by answeredCount —
+	// so it retries and fails loudly — and is unsanctioned by the
+	// allowlist rather than quietly permitted.
+	const laterStatus = "some-status-added-later"
+
+	results[nsExample4] = &resolver.NameserverResponse{
+		Nameserver: nsExample4,
+		Status:     laterStatus,
+	}
+
+	assert.Equal(t, 1, answeredCount(results))
+	assert.Equal(
+		t,
+		[]string{nsExample4 + "=" + laterStatus},
+		unsanctionedStatuses(results, allowed...),
+	)
+}
+
+func TestRunLiveBoundsConcurrency(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const workers = 24
+
+	var (
+		mu       sync.Mutex
+		wg       sync.WaitGroup
+		inFlight int
+		maxSeen  int
+	)
+
+	wg.Add(workers)
+
+	for range workers {
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+
+			_ = runLive(func(_ context.Context) error {
+				mu.Lock()
+				inFlight++
+
+				if inFlight > maxSeen {
+					maxSeen = inFlight
+				}
+				mu.Unlock()
+
+				time.Sleep(time.Millisecond)
+
+				mu.Lock()
+				inFlight--
+				mu.Unlock()
+
+				return nil
+			})
+		}()
+	}
+
+	wg.Wait()
+
+	assert.Positive(t, maxSeen)
+	assert.LessOrEqual(
+		t, maxSeen, liveConcurrency,
+		"live queries must stay under the package-wide gate",
+	)
+}
--- a/internal/resolver/livedns_test.go
+++ b/internal/resolver/livedns_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,495 @@
+package resolver_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"slices"
+	"sort"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/resolver"
+)
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+// Live DNS test support
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+//
+// Every test in this package resolves against the real, live DNS —
+// see TESTING.md. Nothing here mocks, fakes, stubs, records or
+// replays DNS, and nothing here skips or gates a test: the helpers
+// below only change *how* the live queries are issued, so that a
+// single dropped UDP packet or one slow authoritative server does
+// not turn a correct resolver into a red build.
+//
+// Three mechanisms, all test-side:
+//
+//  1. Bounded concurrency. The package's tests are parallel and the
+//     build hosts have many cores, so without a limit every test
+//     starts its own iterative resolution at the same instant and
+//     they all hit the first root server in rootServerList() within
+//     a few milliseconds of each other. Root servers rate-limit
+//     that, which shows up as a different arbitrary subset of tests
+//     failing on each run. liveGate caps how many resolutions are
+//     in flight at once.
+//
+//  2. Retry with exponential backoff. Each live operation gets
+//     several attempts with its own timeout. The retry predicate is
+//     strictly transport-level — "did a nameserver answer at all" —
+//     never the assertion the test is making. A resolver that
+//     answers incorrectly still fails on the first attempt.
+//
+//  3. Quorum. Where an assertion spans several independent
+//     nameservers, a strict majority answering as expected is
+//     enough; a server that fails to answer is tolerated, while a
+//     server that answers *wrongly* still fails the test.
+//
+// The tolerance in (3) is expressed as an ALLOWLIST of sanctioned
+// statuses, never as a blocklist of known-bad ones. A blocklist bans
+// the one wrong answer its author thought of and silently admits
+// every other status, including any added to the resolver later; an
+// allowlist fails on anything nobody explicitly sanctioned. Silence
+// (timeout, error) is the only thing quorum exists to tolerate. A
+// *wrong answer* — nxdomain for a name that exists, ok for one that
+// does not, nodata for either — is never tolerated at any count.
+
+const (
+	// liveAttempts is how many times a live DNS operation is
+	// attempted before the test fails.
+	liveAttempts = 3
+
+	// liveAttemptTimeout bounds one attempt. Worst case for an
+	// operation is liveAttempts * liveAttemptTimeout plus the
+	// backoff — about 26 seconds, well inside the 90-second
+	// `go test -timeout` backstop even when several operations
+	// exhaust their attempts.
+	liveAttemptTimeout = 8 * time.Second
+
+	// liveBackoffBase is the delay after the first failed
+	// attempt; it is multiplied by liveBackoffFactor each time.
+	liveBackoffBase = 500 * time.Millisecond
+
+	// liveBackoffFactor is the exponential backoff multiplier.
+	liveBackoffFactor = 2
+
+	// liveConcurrency caps how many live resolutions may be in
+	// flight across the whole package at once.
+	liveConcurrency = 6
+
+	// minNameservers is the smallest nameserver count a
+	// well-run zone is expected to publish.
+	minNameservers = 2
+)
+
+// liveGate bounds concurrent live resolutions package-wide. It has
+// to be package scoped: the whole point is that it is shared by
+// every parallel test in the package.
+//
+//nolint:gochecknoglobals // package-wide live query rate limit
+var liveGate = make(chan struct{}, liveConcurrency)
+
+var (
+	// errLiveNoAnswer reports that a live operation produced no
+	// usable answer, which is retried rather than asserted on.
+	errLiveNoAnswer = errors.New("no answer from live DNS")
+
+	// errLiveNoQuorum reports that too few of a domain's
+	// nameservers answered for a quorum assertion to be made.
+	errLiveNoQuorum = errors.New("no nameserver quorum")
+)
+
+// runLive executes one attempt of a live operation, holding a slot
+// in liveGate for its duration and bounding it with its own
+// timeout.
+func runLive(op func(ctx context.Context) error) error {
+	liveGate <- struct{}{}
+	defer func() { <-liveGate }()
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(
+		context.Background(), liveAttemptTimeout,
+	)
+	defer cancel()
+
+	return op(ctx)
+}
+
+// retryLive runs op until it reports success, retrying transport
+// failures with exponential backoff, and fails the test if every
+// attempt fails. op returns an error only for a failure to obtain
+// an answer — never for an answer the test disagrees with, which
+// belongs in an assertion so that it fails immediately. op stores
+// whatever it obtained where its caller can find it.
+func retryLive(
+	t *testing.T,
+	what string,
+	op func(ctx context.Context) error,
+) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var last error
+
+	backoff := liveBackoffBase
+
+	for attempt := range liveAttempts {
+		if attempt > 0 {
+			t.Logf(
+				"%s: attempt %d of %d failed (%v), "+
+					"retrying in %s",
+				what, attempt, liveAttempts, last, backoff,
+			)
+			time.Sleep(backoff)
+
+			backoff *= liveBackoffFactor
+		}
+
+		last = runLive(op)
+		if last == nil {
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
+	t.Fatalf(
+		"%s: no answer after %d live attempts: %v",
+		what, liveAttempts, last,
+	)
+}
+
+// liveQuorum is how many of total nameservers must agree for a
+// multi-nameserver assertion to hold: a strict majority.
+func liveQuorum(total int) int {
+	if total < 1 {
+		return 1
+	}
+
+	return total/2 + 1
+}
+
+// countStatus counts the responses carrying the given status.
+func countStatus(
+	results map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse,
+	status string,
+) int {
+	n := 0
+
+	for _, resp := range results {
+		if resp.Status == status {
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+
+	return n
+}
+
+// liveAnswerStatuses is the closed set of statuses that count as a
+// nameserver having ANSWERED at all, whether or not the test agrees
+// with the answer. It is deliberately an allowlist: a status added
+// to the resolver later is treated as silence, so it can only ever
+// cause a retry and then a loud failure, never a quiet pass.
+func liveAnswerStatuses() []string {
+	return []string{
+		resolver.StatusOK,
+		resolver.StatusNXDomain,
+		resolver.StatusNoData,
+	}
+}
+
+// answeredCount counts the nameservers that produced an answer of
+// any kind, as opposed to failing or timing out.
+func answeredCount(
+	results map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse,
+) int {
+	answers := liveAnswerStatuses()
+
+	n := 0
+
+	for _, resp := range results {
+		if slices.Contains(answers, resp.Status) {
+			n++
+		}
+	}
+
+	return n
+}
+
+// unsanctionedStatuses returns "nameserver=status" for every result
+// whose status the caller did not explicitly sanction, sorted for a
+// stable failure message. Callers pass the full closed set they will
+// accept — the expected answer plus whichever non-answers (timeout,
+// error) quorum is allowed to tolerate — so that any status outside
+// it fails the test by name.
+func unsanctionedStatuses(
+	results map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse,
+	allowed ...string,
+) []string {
+	offenders := make([]string, 0, len(results))
+
+	for ns, resp := range results {
+		if slices.Contains(allowed, resp.Status) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		offenders = append(
+			offenders, fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", ns, resp.Status),
+		)
+	}
+
+	sort.Strings(offenders)
+
+	return offenders
+}
+
+// describeStatuses renders per-nameserver statuses for use in
+// assertion failure messages.
+func describeStatuses(
+	results map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse,
+) string {
+	parts := make([]string, 0, len(results))
+	for ns, resp := range results {
+		parts = append(
+			parts, fmt.Sprintf("%s=%s", ns, resp.Status),
+		)
+	}
+
+	sort.Strings(parts)
+
+	return strings.Join(parts, " ")
+}
+
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+// Live operation wrappers
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+// liveFindAuthoritative resolves a domain's authoritative
+// nameservers, retrying until the delegation chain can be walked.
+func liveFindAuthoritative(
+	t *testing.T,
+	r *resolver.Resolver,
+	domain string,
+) []string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var out []string
+
+	retryLive(
+		t,
+		"FindAuthoritativeNameservers("+domain+")",
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			ns, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(ctx, domain)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if len(ns) == 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"%w: %s has no nameservers",
+					errLiveNoAnswer, domain,
+				)
+			}
+
+			out = ns
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	return out
+}
+
+// liveLookupNS is liveFindAuthoritative through the LookupNS entry
+// point, so that both entry points stay independently exercised.
+func liveLookupNS(
+	t *testing.T,
+	r *resolver.Resolver,
+	domain string,
+) []string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var out []string
+
+	retryLive(
+		t,
+		"LookupNS("+domain+")",
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			ns, err := r.LookupNS(ctx, domain)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if len(ns) == 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"%w: %s has no nameservers",
+					errLiveNoAnswer, domain,
+				)
+			}
+
+			out = ns
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	return out
+}
+
+// liveQueryNameserver queries one nameserver, retrying while that
+// nameserver fails to answer. NXDOMAIN and NODATA are answers and
+// are returned to the caller to assert on.
+func liveQueryNameserver(
+	t *testing.T,
+	r *resolver.Resolver,
+	nameserver string,
+	hostname string,
+) *resolver.NameserverResponse {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	what := fmt.Sprintf(
+		"QueryNameserver(%s, %s)", nameserver, hostname,
+	)
+
+	var out *resolver.NameserverResponse
+
+	retryLive(
+		t,
+		what,
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
+				ctx, nameserver, hostname,
+			)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if resp.Status == resolver.StatusTimeout ||
+				resp.Status == resolver.StatusError {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"%w: %s returned %s: %s",
+					errLiveNoAnswer, nameserver,
+					resp.Status, resp.Error,
+				)
+			}
+
+			out = resp
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	return out
+}
+
+// liveQueryAllNameservers queries every authoritative nameserver
+// for a hostname, retrying until a quorum of them has answered.
+// Individual nameservers that stay silent are left in the result
+// for the caller to account for.
+func liveQueryAllNameservers(
+	t *testing.T,
+	r *resolver.Resolver,
+	hostname string,
+) map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var out map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse
+
+	retryLive(
+		t,
+		"QueryAllNameservers("+hostname+")",
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			results, err := r.QueryAllNameservers(ctx, hostname)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if len(results) == 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"%w: no nameservers queried for %s",
+					errLiveNoAnswer, hostname,
+				)
+			}
+
+			answered := answeredCount(results)
+			if answered < liveQuorum(len(results)) {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"%w: %d of %d answered: %s",
+					errLiveNoQuorum, answered,
+					len(results), describeStatuses(results),
+				)
+			}
+
+			out = results
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	return out
+}
+
+// liveResolveIPs resolves a hostname that is expected to have
+// addresses, retrying until at least one is returned.
+func liveResolveIPs(
+	t *testing.T,
+	r *resolver.Resolver,
+	hostname string,
+) []string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var out []string
+
+	retryLive(
+		t,
+		"ResolveIPAddresses("+hostname+")",
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, hostname)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			if len(ips) == 0 {
+				return fmt.Errorf(
+					"%w: no addresses for %s",
+					errLiveNoAnswer, hostname,
+				)
+			}
+
+			out = ips
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	return out
+}
+
+// liveResolveIPsAllowingEmpty resolves a hostname that may legitimately
+// have no addresses, so the empty result is returned rather than
+// retried. Used for names that must not exist; the corresponding
+// QueryAllNameservers test is what proves the nameservers actively
+// said NXDOMAIN rather than merely staying silent.
+func liveResolveIPsAllowingEmpty(
+	t *testing.T,
+	r *resolver.Resolver,
+	hostname string,
+) []string {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	var out []string
+
+	retryLive(
+		t,
+		"ResolveIPAddresses("+hostname+")",
+		func(ctx context.Context) error {
+			ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, hostname)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			out = ips
+
+			return nil
+		},
+	)
+
+	return out
+}
--- a/internal/resolver/resolver_test.go
+++ b/internal/resolver/resolver_test.go
@@ -1,10 +1,3 @@
-// Package resolver_test verifies the iterative resolver against
-// live DNS. Per TESTING.md, all resolver tests use real queries
-// against real nameservers — no mocking of the DNS client layer.
-// Tests target long-lived public infrastructure (root servers,
-// gTLD servers, IANA, Google, Cloudflare, GitHub) to minimize
-// fixture churn, plus dedicated fixture records in the
-// sneak.cloud zone.
 package resolver_test

 import (
@@ -17,36 +10,13 @@ import (
 	"testing"
 	"time"

+	"github.com/miekg/dns"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"

 	"sneak.berlin/go/dnswatcher/internal/resolver"
 )

-// ----------------------------------------------------------------
-// Test fixtures
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------
-
-// Fixture hostnames in the sneak.cloud zone (hosted on
-// Cloudflare). These records must exist in the sneak.cloud zone:
-//
-//	basic.dns.sneak.cloud         A      192.0.2.1
-//	multi.dns.sneak.cloud         A      192.0.2.1
-//	multi.dns.sneak.cloud         A      192.0.2.2
-//	ipv6.dns.sneak.cloud          AAAA   2001:db8::1
-//	dual.dns.sneak.cloud          A      192.0.2.1
-//	dual.dns.sneak.cloud          AAAA   2001:db8::1
-//	cname-target.dns.sneak.cloud  A      198.51.100.1
-//	cname.dns.sneak.cloud         CNAME  cname-target.dns.sneak.cloud
-const (
-	testDomain        = "sneak.cloud"
-	testHostBasic     = "basic.dns.sneak.cloud"
-	testHostMultiA    = "multi.dns.sneak.cloud"
-	testHostIPv6      = "ipv6.dns.sneak.cloud"
-	testHostDualStack = "dual.dns.sneak.cloud"
-	testHostCNAME     = "cname.dns.sneak.cloud"
-)
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
 // Test helpers
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -62,32 +32,17 @@ func newTestResolver(t *testing.T) *resolver.Resolver {
 	return resolver.NewFromLogger(log)
 }

-func testContext(t *testing.T) context.Context {
-	t.Helper()
-
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(
-		context.Background(), 60*time.Second,
-	)
-	t.Cleanup(cancel)
-
-	return ctx
-}
-
+// findOneNSForDomain picks one authoritative nameserver to aim a
+// test at. Live-DNS retry, concurrency and quorum handling live in
+// livedns_test.go.
 func findOneNSForDomain(
 	t *testing.T,
 	r *resolver.Resolver,
-	ctx context.Context, //nolint:revive // test helper
 	domain string,
 ) string {
 	t.Helper()

-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, domain,
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
-
-	return nameservers[0]
+	return liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, domain)[0]
 }

 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -100,13 +55,7 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_ValidDomain(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
+	nameservers := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com")

 	hasGoogleNS := false

@@ -129,42 +78,9 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_Subdomain(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
+	nameservers := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "www.google.com")

-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "www.google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
-}
-
-func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_TLD(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers,
-		"should find TLD nameservers",
-	)
-
-	hasGTLD := false
-
-	for _, ns := range nameservers {
-		if strings.Contains(ns, "gtld-servers.net") {
-			hasGTLD = true
-
-			break
-		}
-	}
-
-	assert.True(t, hasGTLD,
-		"expected gtld-servers for com, got: %v", nameservers,
-	)
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
 }

 func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_ReturnsSorted(
@@ -173,12 +89,7 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_ReturnsSorted(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	nameservers := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com")

 	assert.True(
 		t,
@@ -193,17 +104,8 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_Deterministic(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	first, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	second, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	first := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com")
+	second := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com")

 	assert.Equal(t, first, second)
 }
@@ -214,17 +116,8 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_TrailingDot(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ns1, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	ns2, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com.",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns1 := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com")
+	ns2 := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com.")

 	assert.Equal(t, ns1, ns2)
 }
@@ -235,13 +128,7 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_CloudflareDomain(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "cloudflare.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
+	nameservers := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "cloudflare.com")

 	for _, ns := range nameservers {
 		assert.True(t, strings.HasSuffix(ns, "."),
@@ -250,68 +137,6 @@ func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_CloudflareDomain(
 	}
 }

-func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_AllNSRespondAuthoritatively(
-	t *testing.T,
-) {
-	// Every NS returned by FindAuthoritativeNameservers must
-	// actually serve the zone. A lame NS would return REFUSED,
-	// SERVFAIL, or a non-authoritative answer.
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
-
-	for _, ns := range nameservers {
-		resp, queryErr := r.QueryNameserver(
-			ctx, ns, "www.google.com",
-		)
-		require.NoError(t, queryErr,
-			"NS %s should be queryable", ns,
-		)
-		assert.Equal(
-			t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status,
-			"NS %s should respond authoritatively, "+
-				"status=%s error=%s",
-			ns, resp.Status, resp.Error,
-		)
-
-		hasRecords := len(resp.Records["A"]) > 0 ||
-			len(resp.Records["CNAME"]) > 0
-		assert.True(t, hasRecords,
-			"NS %s should return records for www.google.com",
-			ns,
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestFindAuthoritativeNameservers_IsIterative(
-	t *testing.T,
-) {
-	// Verify that resolution works for well-known domains,
-	// proving we trace from root rather than relying on a
-	// system stub resolver that might not be configured.
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	// Resolve a well-known domain to prove root->TLD->domain
-	// tracing works.
-	nameservers, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "example.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
-
-	t.Logf("example.com NS: %v", nameservers)
-}
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
 // QueryNameserver tests
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -320,13 +145,9 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_BasicA(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "www.google.com")

-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "www.google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
 	require.NotNil(t, resp)

 	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status)
@@ -339,39 +160,12 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_BasicA(t *testing.T) {
 	)
 }

-func TestQueryNameserver_MultipleA(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, testDomain)
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(ctx, ns, testHostMultiA)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status)
-
-	aRecords := resp.Records["A"]
-	require.Len(
-		t, aRecords, 2,
-		"multi.dns should have exactly 2 A records",
-	)
-
-	sort.Strings(aRecords)
-	assert.Equal(t, []string{"192.0.2.1", "192.0.2.2"}, aRecords)
-}
-
 func TestQueryNameserver_AAAA(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "cloudflare.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "cloudflare.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "cloudflare.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "cloudflare.com")

 	aaaaRecords := resp.Records["AAAA"]
 	require.NotEmpty(t, aaaaRecords,
@@ -386,55 +180,12 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_AAAA(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }

-func TestQueryNameserver_DualStack(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, testDomain)
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(ctx, ns, testHostDualStack)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status)
-
-	assert.Contains(t, resp.Records["A"], "192.0.2.1")
-	assert.Contains(t, resp.Records["AAAA"], "2001:db8::1")
-}
-
-func TestQueryNameserver_CNAME(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, testDomain)
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(ctx, ns, testHostCNAME)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status)
-
-	cnameRecords := resp.Records["CNAME"]
-	require.NotEmpty(
-		t, cnameRecords,
-		"cname.dns should have CNAME records",
-	)
-	assert.Contains(
-		t, cnameRecords, "cname-target.dns.sneak.cloud.",
-	)
-}
-
 func TestQueryNameserver_MX(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "google.com")

 	mxRecords := resp.Records["MX"]
 	require.NotEmpty(t, mxRecords,
@@ -446,13 +197,8 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_TXT(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "google.com")

 	txtRecords := resp.Records["TXT"]
 	require.NotEmpty(t, txtRecords,
@@ -478,14 +224,10 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_NXDomain(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns,
-		"this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(
+		t, r, ns, "this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
 	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)

 	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusNXDomain, resp.Status)
 }
@@ -494,13 +236,8 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_RecordsSorted(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "google.com")

 	for recordType, values := range resp.Records {
 		assert.True(
@@ -517,13 +254,8 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_ResponseIncludesNameserver(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "cloudflare.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "cloudflare.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "cloudflare.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "cloudflare.com")

 	assert.Equal(t, ns, resp.Nameserver)
 }
@@ -534,14 +266,10 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_EmptyRecordsOnNXDomain(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns,
-		"this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp := liveQueryNameserver(
+		t, r, ns, "this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
 	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)

 	totalRecords := 0
 	for _, values := range resp.Records {
@@ -555,132 +283,13 @@ func TestQueryNameserver_TrailingDotHandling(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	resp1, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	resp2, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "google.com.",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, "google.com")
+	resp1 := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "google.com")
+	resp2 := liveQueryNameserver(t, r, ns, "google.com.")

 	assert.Equal(t, resp1.Status, resp2.Status)
 }

-func TestQueryNameserver_NSRecordsForZoneApex(
-	t *testing.T,
-) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "cloudflare.com")
-
-	// Querying a zone apex should return NS records.
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "cloudflare.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status)
-
-	nsRecords := resp.Records["NS"]
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nsRecords,
-		"zone apex should have NS records",
-	)
-
-	hasCloudflare := false
-
-	for _, nsRecord := range nsRecords {
-		if strings.Contains(nsRecord, "cloudflare") {
-			hasCloudflare = true
-
-			break
-		}
-	}
-
-	assert.True(t, hasCloudflare,
-		"NS records should include cloudflare, got: %v",
-		nsRecords,
-	)
-}
-
-func TestQueryNameserver_NoNSRecordsForLeafHostname(
-	t *testing.T,
-) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-	ns := findOneNSForDomain(t, r, ctx, "google.com")
-
-	// A leaf hostname (not a zone cut) has no NS records.
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, ns, "www.google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-
-	assert.Empty(t, resp.Records["NS"],
-		"leaf hostname should not have NS records, got: %v",
-		resp.Records["NS"],
-	)
-}
-
-func TestQueryNameserver_LameNameserver(t *testing.T) {
-	// Querying a nameserver that does not serve a zone should
-	// return a non-ok status, not silently return empty results
-	// with status "ok". a.iana-servers.net serves example.com,
-	// not google.com.
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserver(
-		ctx, "a.iana-servers.net.", "www.google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err, "should not return Go-level error")
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-
-	assert.NotEqual(
-		t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status,
-		"lame NS should not return status ok; got status=%s "+
-			"records=%v",
-		resp.Status, resp.Records,
-	)
-}
-
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------
-// QueryNameserverIP tests
-// ----------------------------------------------------------------
-
-func TestQueryNameserverIP_BasicA(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	// a.iana-servers.net (199.43.135.53) is authoritative for
-	// example.com; query it directly by IP.
-	resp, err := r.QueryNameserverIP(
-		ctx, "a.iana-servers.net.", "199.43.135.53",
-		"example.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotNil(t, resp)
-
-	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status)
-	assert.Equal(t, "a.iana-servers.net.", resp.Nameserver)
-	assert.NotEmpty(t, resp.Records["A"],
-		"example.com should have A records",
-	)
-}
-
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
 // QueryAllNameservers tests
 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -689,15 +298,9 @@ func TestQueryAllNameservers_ReturnsAllNS(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
+	results := liveQueryAllNameservers(t, r, "google.com")

-	results, err := r.QueryAllNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, results)
-
-	assert.GreaterOrEqual(t, len(results), 2)
+	assert.GreaterOrEqual(t, len(results), minNameservers)

 	for ns, resp := range results {
 		assert.Equal(t, ns, resp.Nameserver)
@@ -708,53 +311,37 @@ func TestQueryAllNameservers_AllReturnOK(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
+	results := liveQueryAllNameservers(t, r, "google.com")

-	results, err := r.QueryAllNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	for ns, resp := range results {
-		assert.Equal(
-			t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status,
-			"NS %s should return OK", ns,
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestQueryAllNameservers_Consistent(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	results, err := r.QueryAllNameservers(ctx, testHostBasic)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, results)
-
-	// All NSes should return the same A records for a
-	// well-configured hostname.
-	var referenceRecords map[string][]string
-
-	for ns, resp := range results {
-		require.Equal(
-			t, resolver.StatusOK, resp.Status,
-			"NS %s should return OK status", ns,
+	// A quorum, not unanimity: one authoritative server being
+	// slow or rate-limiting us is a property of the live
+	// internet, not a resolver defect.
+	assert.GreaterOrEqual(
+		t,
+		countStatus(results, resolver.StatusOK),
+		liveQuorum(len(results)),
+		"a quorum of nameservers should answer OK: %s",
+		describeStatuses(results),
 	)

-		if referenceRecords == nil {
-			referenceRecords = resp.Records
-
-			continue
-		}
-
-		assert.Equal(
-			t, referenceRecords["A"], resp.Records["A"],
-			"NS %s A records should match", ns,
+	// Quorum tolerates SILENCE only. Every individual result must
+	// be either the expected answer or a non-answer: ok, timeout
+	// or error, and nothing else. Stated as a closed allowlist so
+	// that a wrong answer no one thought to ban — nxdomain and
+	// nodata today, any status added later — fails here rather
+	// than sliding through under the quorum.
+	assert.Empty(
+		t,
+		unsanctionedStatuses(
+			results,
+			resolver.StatusOK,
+			resolver.StatusTimeout,
+			resolver.StatusError,
+		),
+		"every nameserver must answer OK or not answer at all: %s",
+		describeStatuses(results),
 	)
 }
-}

 func TestQueryAllNameservers_NXDomainFromAllNS(
 	t *testing.T,
@@ -762,20 +349,34 @@ func TestQueryAllNameservers_NXDomainFromAllNS(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	results, err := r.QueryAllNameservers(
-		ctx,
-		"this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
+	results := liveQueryAllNameservers(
+		t, r, "this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
 	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)

-	for ns, resp := range results {
-		assert.Equal(
-			t, resolver.StatusNXDomain, resp.Status,
-			"NS %s should return nxdomain", ns,
+	assert.GreaterOrEqual(
+		t,
+		countStatus(results, resolver.StatusNXDomain),
+		liveQuorum(len(results)),
+		"a quorum of nameservers should report NXDOMAIN: %s",
+		describeStatuses(results),
+	)
+
+	// Silence is tolerated; any actual answer other than NXDOMAIN
+	// is not. Closed allowlist for the same reason as above: a
+	// server answering `ok` or `nodata` for a name that must not
+	// exist is a wrong answer, not a slow one.
+	assert.Empty(
+		t,
+		unsanctionedStatuses(
+			results,
+			resolver.StatusNXDomain,
+			resolver.StatusTimeout,
+			resolver.StatusError,
+		),
+		"every nameserver must report NXDOMAIN or not answer "+
+			"at all: %s",
+		describeStatuses(results),
 	)
-	}
 }

 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -786,11 +387,7 @@ func TestLookupNS_ValidDomain(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.LookupNS(ctx, "google.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, nameservers)
+	nameservers := liveLookupNS(t, r, "google.com")

 	for _, ns := range nameservers {
 		assert.True(t, strings.HasSuffix(ns, "."),
@@ -803,10 +400,7 @@ func TestLookupNS_Sorted(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	nameservers, err := r.LookupNS(ctx, "google.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	nameservers := liveLookupNS(t, r, "google.com")

 	assert.True(t, sort.StringsAreSorted(nameservers))
 }
@@ -815,15 +409,8 @@ func TestLookupNS_MatchesFindAuthoritative(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	fromLookup, err := r.LookupNS(ctx, "google.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	fromFind, err := r.FindAuthoritativeNameservers(
-		ctx, "google.com",
-	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	fromLookup := liveLookupNS(t, r, "google.com")
+	fromFind := liveFindAuthoritative(t, r, "google.com")

 	assert.Equal(t, fromFind, fromLookup)
 }
@@ -836,11 +423,7 @@ func TestResolveIPAddresses_ReturnsIPs(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, "google.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, ips)
+	ips := liveResolveIPs(t, r, "google.com")

 	for _, ip := range ips {
 		parsed := net.ParseIP(ip)
@@ -850,88 +433,11 @@ func TestResolveIPAddresses_ReturnsIPs(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }

-func TestResolveIPAddresses_BasicA(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, testHostBasic)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, ips)
-	assert.Contains(t, ips, "192.0.2.1")
-}
-
-func TestResolveIPAddresses_MultipleA(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, testHostMultiA)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	sort.Strings(ips)
-	assert.Contains(t, ips, "192.0.2.1")
-	assert.Contains(t, ips, "192.0.2.2")
-}
-
-func TestResolveIPAddresses_IPv6Only(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, testHostIPv6)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, ips)
-	assert.Contains(t, ips, "2001:db8::1")
-
-	// Should not contain any IPv4
-	for _, ip := range ips {
-		parsed := net.ParseIP(ip)
-		require.NotNil(t, parsed, "should be valid IP: %s", ip)
-		assert.Nil(
-			t, parsed.To4(),
-			"ipv6-only host should not return IPv4: %s", ip,
-		)
-	}
-}
-
-func TestResolveIPAddresses_DualStack(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, testHostDualStack)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-
-	assert.Contains(t, ips, "192.0.2.1")
-	assert.Contains(t, ips, "2001:db8::1")
-}
-
-func TestResolveIPAddresses_FollowsCNAME(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Parallel()
-
-	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	// www.github.com is a long-standing CNAME to github.com;
-	// resolution must follow the chain to A records.
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, "www.github.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, ips)
-}
-
 func TestResolveIPAddresses_Deduplicated(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, "google.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ips := liveResolveIPs(t, r, "google.com")

 	seen := make(map[string]bool)

@@ -945,10 +451,7 @@ func TestResolveIPAddresses_Sorted(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, "google.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+	ips := liveResolveIPs(t, r, "google.com")

 	assert.True(t, sort.StringsAreSorted(ips))
 }
@@ -959,13 +462,10 @@ func TestResolveIPAddresses_NXDomainReturnsEmpty(
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
-
-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(
-		ctx,
-		"this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
+	ips := liveResolveIPsAllowingEmpty(
+		t, r, "this-surely-does-not-exist-xyz.google.com",
 	)
-	require.NoError(t, err)
+
 	assert.Empty(t, ips)
 }

@@ -973,11 +473,9 @@ func TestResolveIPAddresses_CloudflareDomain(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	r := newTestResolver(t)
-	ctx := testContext(t)
+	ips := liveResolveIPs(t, r, "cloudflare.com")

-	ips, err := r.ResolveIPAddresses(ctx, "cloudflare.com")
-	require.NoError(t, err)
-	require.NotEmpty(t, ips)
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, ips)
 }

 // ----------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1021,6 +519,59 @@ func TestQueryAllNameservers_ContextCanceled(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Error(t, err)
 }

+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+// Timeout tests
+// ----------------------------------------------------------------
+
+func TestQueryNameserverIP_Timeout(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	log := slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(
+		os.Stderr,
+		&slog.HandlerOptions{Level: slog.LevelDebug},
+	))
+
+	r := resolver.NewFromLoggerWithClient(
+		log, &timeoutClient{},
+	)
+
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(
+		context.Background(), 10*time.Second,
+	)
+	t.Cleanup(cancel)
+
+	// Query any IP — the client always returns a timeout error.
+	resp, err := r.QueryNameserverIP(
+		ctx, "unreachable.test.", "192.0.2.1",
+		"example.com",
+	)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Equal(t, resolver.StatusTimeout, resp.Status)
+	assert.NotEmpty(t, resp.Error)
+}
+
+// timeoutClient simulates DNS timeout errors for testing.
+type timeoutClient struct{}
+
+func (c *timeoutClient) ExchangeContext(
+	_ context.Context,
+	_ *dns.Msg,
+	_ string,
+) (*dns.Msg, time.Duration, error) {
+	return nil, 0, &net.OpError{
+		Op:  "read",
+		Net: "udp",
+		Err: &timeoutError{},
+	}
+}
+
+type timeoutError struct{}
+
+func (e *timeoutError) Error() string   { return "i/o timeout" }
+func (e *timeoutError) Timeout() bool   { return true }
+func (e *timeoutError) Temporary() bool { return true }
+
 func TestResolveIPAddresses_ContextCanceled(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

--- a/internal/state/state_test.go
+++ b/internal/state/state_test.go
@@ -13,6 +13,16 @@ import (

 const testHostname = "www.example.com"

+// Shared fixture values used across tests.
+const (
+	testNS1     = "ns1.example.com."
+	testNS2     = "ns2.example.com."
+	testAltNS1  = "ns1.test.com."
+	testIPv4    = "93.184.216.34"
+	testIP      = "1.2.3.4"
+	statusError = "error"
+)
+
 // populateState fills a State with representative test data across all categories.
 func populateState(t *testing.T, s *state.State) {
 	t.Helper()
@@ -20,7 +30,7 @@ func populateState(t *testing.T, s *state.State) {
 	now := time.Now().UTC().Truncate(time.Second)

 	s.SetDomainState("example.com", &state.DomainState{
-		Nameservers: []string{"ns1.example.com.", "ns2.example.com."},
+		Nameservers: []string{testNS1, testNS2},
 		LastChecked: now,
 	})

@@ -31,17 +41,17 @@ func populateState(t *testing.T, s *state.State) {

 	s.SetHostnameState(testHostname, &state.HostnameState{
 		RecordsByNameserver: map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
-			"ns1.example.com.": {
+			testNS1: {
 				Records: map[string][]string{
-					"A":    {"93.184.216.34"},
+					"A":    {testIPv4},
 					"AAAA": {"2606:2800:220:1:248:1893:25c8:1946"},
 				},
 				Status:      "ok",
 				LastChecked: now,
 			},
-			"ns2.example.com.": {
+			testNS2: {
 				Records: map[string][]string{
-					"A": {"93.184.216.34"},
+					"A": {testIPv4},
 				},
 				Status:      "ok",
 				LastChecked: now,
@@ -152,13 +162,13 @@ func TestSaveLoadRoundTrip_Hostnames(t *testing.T) {
 func verifyNS1Records(t *testing.T, hn *state.HostnameState) {
 	t.Helper()

-	ns1, ok := hn.RecordsByNameserver["ns1.example.com."]
+	ns1, ok := hn.RecordsByNameserver[testNS1]
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatal("missing nameserver ns1.example.com.")
 	}

 	aRecords := ns1.Records["A"]
-	if len(aRecords) != 1 || aRecords[0] != "93.184.216.34" {
+	if len(aRecords) != 1 || aRecords[0] != testIPv4 {
 		t.Errorf("ns1 A records: got %v", aRecords)
 	}

@@ -213,7 +223,8 @@ func TestSaveLoadRoundTrip_Ports(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }

-// TestSaveLoadRoundTrip_Certificates verifies certificate data survives a save/load cycle.
+// TestSaveLoadRoundTrip_Certificates verifies certificate data
+// survives a save/load cycle.
 func TestSaveLoadRoundTrip_Certificates(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

@@ -653,7 +664,7 @@ func TestDomainState_GetSet(t *testing.T) {

 	now := time.Now().UTC().Truncate(time.Second)
 	ds := &state.DomainState{
-		Nameservers: []string{"ns1.test.com."},
+		Nameservers: []string{testAltNS1},
 		LastChecked: now,
 	}

@@ -664,7 +675,7 @@ func TestDomainState_GetSet(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("expected true for existing domain")
 	}

-	if len(got.Nameservers) != 1 || got.Nameservers[0] != "ns1.test.com." {
+	if len(got.Nameservers) != 1 || got.Nameservers[0] != testAltNS1 {
 		t.Errorf("nameservers: got %v", got.Nameservers)
 	}

@@ -674,7 +685,7 @@ func TestDomainState_GetSet(t *testing.T) {

 	// Overwrite.
 	ds2 := &state.DomainState{
-		Nameservers: []string{"ns1.test.com.", "ns2.test.com."},
+		Nameservers: []string{testAltNS1, "ns2.test.com."},
 		LastChecked: now.Add(time.Hour),
 	}

@@ -704,8 +715,8 @@ func TestHostnameState_GetSet(t *testing.T) {
 	now := time.Now().UTC().Truncate(time.Second)
 	hs := &state.HostnameState{
 		RecordsByNameserver: map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
-			"ns1.example.com.": {
-				Records:     map[string][]string{"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+			testNS1: {
+				Records:     map[string][]string{"A": {testIP}},
 				Status:      "ok",
 				LastChecked: now,
 			},
@@ -720,7 +731,7 @@ func TestHostnameState_GetSet(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("expected true for existing hostname")
 	}

-	nsState, ok := got.RecordsByNameserver["ns1.example.com."]
+	nsState, ok := got.RecordsByNameserver[testNS1]
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatal("missing nameserver entry")
 	}
@@ -730,7 +741,7 @@ func TestHostnameState_GetSet(t *testing.T) {
 	}

 	aRecords := nsState.Records["A"]
-	if len(aRecords) != 1 || aRecords[0] != "1.2.3.4" {
+	if len(aRecords) != 1 || aRecords[0] != testIP {
 		t.Errorf("A records: got %v", aRecords)
 	}
 }
@@ -869,7 +880,7 @@ func TestCertificateState_ErrorField(t *testing.T) {

 	now := time.Now().UTC().Truncate(time.Second)
 	cs := &state.CertificateState{
-		Status:      "error",
+		Status:      statusError,
 		Error:       "connection refused",
 		LastChecked: now,
 	}
@@ -893,8 +904,8 @@ func TestCertificateState_ErrorField(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("missing certificate after load")
 	}

-	if got.Status != "error" {
-		t.Errorf("status: got %q, want %q", got.Status, "error")
+	if got.Status != statusError {
+		t.Errorf("status: got %q, want %q", got.Status, statusError)
 	}

 	if got.Error != "connection refused" {
@@ -912,9 +923,9 @@ func TestHostnameState_ErrorField(t *testing.T) {
 	now := time.Now().UTC().Truncate(time.Second)
 	hs := &state.HostnameState{
 		RecordsByNameserver: map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
-			"ns1.example.com.": {
+			testNS1: {
 				Records:     nil,
-				Status:      "error",
+				Status:      statusError,
 				Error:       "SERVFAIL",
 				LastChecked: now,
 			},
@@ -941,9 +952,9 @@ func TestHostnameState_ErrorField(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatal("missing hostname after load")
 	}

-	nsState := got.RecordsByNameserver["ns1.example.com."]
-	if nsState.Status != "error" {
-		t.Errorf("status: got %q, want %q", nsState.Status, "error")
+	nsState := got.RecordsByNameserver[testNS1]
+	if nsState.Status != statusError {
+		t.Errorf("status: got %q, want %q", nsState.Status, statusError)
 	}

 	if nsState.Error != "SERVFAIL" {
@@ -1062,7 +1073,8 @@ func TestConcurrentGetSet(t *testing.T) {
 	wg.Wait()
 }

-// runConcurrentOps performs a series of get/set/delete operations for concurrency testing.
+// runConcurrentOps performs a series of get/set/delete
+// operations for concurrency testing.
 func runConcurrentOps(s *state.State, key string, now time.Time) {
 	const iterations = 50

@@ -1085,7 +1097,7 @@ func runConcurrentOps(s *state.State, key string, now time.Time) {
 		s.SetHostnameState(key+".example.com", &state.HostnameState{
 			RecordsByNameserver: map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
 				"ns1.test.": {
-					Records:     map[string][]string{"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+					Records:     map[string][]string{"A": {testIP}},
 					Status:      "ok",
 					LastChecked: now,
 				},
--- a/internal/watcher/watcher.go
+++ b/internal/watcher/watcher.go
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ const tlsPort = 443
 // hoursPerDay converts days to hours for duration calculations.
 const hoursPerDay = 24

+// Status values recorded for nameserver and certificate checks.
+const (
+	statusOK    = "ok"
+	statusError = "error"
+)
+
 // Params contains dependencies for Watcher.
 type Params struct {
 	fx.In
@@ -344,7 +350,7 @@ func buildHostnameState(
 	for ns, recs := range records {
 		hs.RecordsByNameserver[ns] = &state.NameserverRecordState{
 			Records:     recs,
-			Status:      "ok",
+			Status:      statusOK,
 			LastChecked: now,
 		}
 	}
@@ -402,7 +408,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectNSDisappearances(
 	current map[string]map[string][]string,
 ) {
 	for ns, prevNS := range prev.RecordsByNameserver {
-		if _, ok := current[ns]; ok || prevNS.Status != "ok" {
+		if _, ok := current[ns]; ok || prevNS.Status != statusOK {
 			continue
 		}

@@ -421,7 +427,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectNSDisappearances(

 	for ns := range current {
 		prevNS, ok := prev.RecordsByNameserver[ns]
-		if !ok || prevNS.Status != "error" {
+		if !ok || prevNS.Status != statusError {
 			continue
 		}

@@ -705,7 +711,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) handleTLSError(
 	now time.Time,
 	err error,
 ) {
-	if hasPrev && !w.firstRun && prev.Status == "ok" {
+	if hasPrev && !w.firstRun && prev.Status == statusOK {
 		msg := fmt.Sprintf(
 			"Host: %s\nIP: %s\nError: %s",
 			hostname, ip, err,
@@ -721,7 +727,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) handleTLSError(

 	w.state.SetCertificateState(
 		certKey, &state.CertificateState{
-			Status:      "error",
+			Status:      statusError,
 			Error:       err.Error(),
 			LastChecked: now,
 		},
@@ -748,7 +754,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) handleTLSSuccess(
 			Issuer:                  cert.Issuer,
 			NotAfter:                cert.NotAfter,
 			SubjectAlternativeNames: cert.SubjectAlternativeNames,
-			Status:                  "ok",
+			Status:                  statusOK,
 			LastChecked:             now,
 		},
 	)
@@ -760,7 +766,7 @@ func (w *Watcher) detectTLSChanges(
 	prev *state.CertificateState,
 	cert *tlscheck.CertificateInfo,
 ) {
-	if prev.Status == "error" {
+	if prev.Status == statusError {
 		msg := fmt.Sprintf(
 			"Host: %s\nIP: %s\nTLS recovered",
 			hostname, ip,
--- a/internal/watcher/watcher_test.go
+++ b/internal/watcher/watcher_test.go
@@ -18,6 +18,17 @@ import (
 // errNotFound is returned when mock data is missing.
 var errNotFound = errors.New("not found")

+// Fixture values shared across tests.
+const (
+	testDomain = "example.com"
+	testHost   = "www.example.com"
+	testNS1    = "ns1.example.com."
+	testNS2    = "ns2.example.com."
+	testIPv4   = "93.184.216.34"
+	testIP     = "1.2.3.4"
+	testIssuer = "DigiCert"
+)
+
 // --- Mock implementations ---

 type mockResolver struct {
@@ -256,8 +267,8 @@ func TestFirstRunBaseline(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)
 	setupBaselineMocks(deps)
@@ -269,37 +280,37 @@ func TestFirstRunBaseline(t *testing.T) {
 }

 func setupBaselineMocks(deps *testDeps) {
-	deps.resolver.nsRecords["example.com"] = []string{
-		"ns1.example.com.",
-		"ns2.example.com.",
+	deps.resolver.nsRecords[testDomain] = []string{
+		testNS1,
+		testNS2,
 	}
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.34"}},
-		"ns2.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.34"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testDomain] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIPv4}},
+		testNS2: {"A": {testIPv4}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.34"}},
-		"ns2.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.34"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIPv4}},
+		testNS2: {"A": {testIPv4}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
-		"93.184.216.34",
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
+		testIPv4,
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["93.184.216.34:80"] = true
 	deps.portChecker.results["93.184.216.34:443"] = true
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs["93.184.216.34:www.example.com"] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
-		CommonName: "www.example.com",
-		Issuer:     "DigiCert",
+		CommonName: testHost,
+		Issuer:     testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:   time.Now().Add(90 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{
-			"www.example.com",
+			testHost,
 		},
 	}
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs["93.184.216.34:example.com"] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
-		CommonName: "example.com",
-		Issuer:     "DigiCert",
+		CommonName: testDomain,
+		Issuer:     testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:   time.Now().Add(90 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{
-			"example.com",
+			testDomain,
 		},
 	}
 }
@@ -348,24 +359,24 @@ func TestDomainPortAndTLSChecks(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.nsRecords["example.com"] = []string{
-		"ns1.example.com.",
+	deps.resolver.nsRecords[testDomain] = []string{
+		testNS1,
 	}
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.34"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testDomain] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIPv4}},
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["93.184.216.34:80"] = true
 	deps.portChecker.results["93.184.216.34:443"] = true
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs["93.184.216.34:example.com"] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
-		CommonName: "example.com",
-		Issuer:     "DigiCert",
+		CommonName: testDomain,
+		Issuer:     testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:   time.Now().Add(90 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{
-			"example.com",
+			testDomain,
 		},
 	}

@@ -406,17 +417,17 @@ func TestNSChangeDetection(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.nsRecords["example.com"] = []string{
-		"ns1.example.com.",
-		"ns2.example.com.",
+	deps.resolver.nsRecords[testDomain] = []string{
+		testNS1,
+		testNS2,
 	}
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
-		"ns2.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testDomain] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
+		testNS2: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:80"] = false
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:443"] = false
@@ -425,13 +436,13 @@ func TestNSChangeDetection(t *testing.T) {
 	w.RunOnce(ctx)

 	deps.resolver.mu.Lock()
-	deps.resolver.nsRecords["example.com"] = []string{
-		"ns1.example.com.",
+	deps.resolver.nsRecords[testDomain] = []string{
+		testNS1,
 		"ns3.example.com.",
 	}
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
-		"ns3.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testDomain] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1:            {"A": {testIP}},
+		"ns3.example.com.": {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
 	deps.resolver.mu.Unlock()

@@ -459,15 +470,15 @@ func TestRecordChangeDetection(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.34"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIPv4}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
-		"93.184.216.34",
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
+		testIPv4,
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["93.184.216.34:80"] = false
 	deps.portChecker.results["93.184.216.34:443"] = false
@@ -476,10 +487,10 @@ func TestRecordChangeDetection(t *testing.T) {
 	w.RunOnce(ctx)

 	deps.resolver.mu.Lock()
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"93.184.216.35"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {"93.184.216.35"}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
 		"93.184.216.35",
 	}
 	deps.resolver.mu.Unlock()
@@ -501,24 +512,24 @@ func TestPortStateChange(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
-		"1.2.3.4",
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
+		testIP,
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:80"] = true
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:443"] = true
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs["1.2.3.4:www.example.com"] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
-		CommonName: "www.example.com",
-		Issuer:     "DigiCert",
+		CommonName: testHost,
+		Issuer:     testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:   time.Now().Add(90 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{
-			"www.example.com",
+			testHost,
 		},
 	}

@@ -541,24 +552,24 @@ func TestTLSExpiryWarning(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
-		"1.2.3.4",
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
+		testIP,
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:80"] = true
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:443"] = true
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs["1.2.3.4:www.example.com"] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
-		CommonName: "www.example.com",
-		Issuer:     "DigiCert",
+		CommonName: testHost,
+		Issuer:     testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:   time.Now().Add(3 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{
-			"www.example.com",
+			testHost,
 		},
 	}

@@ -592,25 +603,25 @@ func TestTLSExpiryWarningDedup(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}
 	cfg.TLSInterval = 24 * time.Hour

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
-		"1.2.3.4",
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
+		testIP,
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:80"] = true
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:443"] = true
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs["1.2.3.4:www.example.com"] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
-		CommonName: "www.example.com",
-		Issuer:     "DigiCert",
+		CommonName: testHost,
+		Issuer:     testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:   time.Now().Add(3 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{
-			"www.example.com",
+			testHost,
 		},
 	}

@@ -647,17 +658,17 @@ func TestGracefulShutdown(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}
 	cfg.DNSInterval = 100 * time.Millisecond
 	cfg.TLSInterval = 100 * time.Millisecond

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.nsRecords["example.com"] = []string{
-		"ns1.example.com.",
+	deps.resolver.nsRecords[testDomain] = []string{
+		testNS1,
 	}
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testDomain] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:80"] = false
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:443"] = false
@@ -687,13 +698,13 @@ func setupHostnameIP(
 	hostname, ip string,
 ) {
 	deps.resolver.allRecords[hostname] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {ip}},
+		testNS1: {"A": {ip}},
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results[ip+":80"] = true
 	deps.portChecker.results[ip+":443"] = true
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs[ip+":"+hostname] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
 		CommonName:              hostname,
-		Issuer:                  "DigiCert",
+		Issuer:                  testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:                time.Now().Add(90 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{hostname},
 	}
@@ -702,7 +713,7 @@ func setupHostnameIP(
 func updateHostnameIP(deps *testDeps, hostname, ip string) {
 	deps.resolver.mu.Lock()
 	deps.resolver.allRecords[hostname] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {ip}},
+		testNS1: {"A": {ip}},
 	}
 	deps.resolver.mu.Unlock()

@@ -714,7 +725,7 @@ func updateHostnameIP(deps *testDeps, hostname, ip string) {
 	deps.tlsChecker.mu.Lock()
 	deps.tlsChecker.certs[ip+":"+hostname] = &tlscheck.CertificateInfo{
 		CommonName:              hostname,
-		Issuer:                  "DigiCert",
+		Issuer:                  testIssuer,
 		NotAfter:                time.Now().Add(90 * 24 * time.Hour),
 		SubjectAlternativeNames: []string{hostname},
 	}
@@ -725,11 +736,11 @@ func TestDNSRunsBeforePortAndTLSChecks(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	setupHostnameIP(deps, "www.example.com", "10.0.0.1")
+	setupHostnameIP(deps, testHost, "10.0.0.1")

 	ctx := t.Context()
 	w.RunOnce(ctx)
@@ -740,7 +751,7 @@ func TestDNSRunsBeforePortAndTLSChecks(t *testing.T) {
 	}

 	// DNS changes to a new IP; port and TLS must pick it up.
-	updateHostnameIP(deps, "www.example.com", "10.0.0.2")
+	updateHostnameIP(deps, testHost, "10.0.0.2")

 	w.RunOnce(ctx)

@@ -760,8 +771,8 @@ func TestSendTestNotification_Enabled(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}
 	cfg.SendTestNotification = true

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)
@@ -786,8 +797,8 @@ func TestSendTestNotification_ViaRun(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}
 	cfg.SendTestNotification = true
 	cfg.DNSInterval = 24 * time.Hour
 	cfg.TLSInterval = 24 * time.Hour
@@ -833,8 +844,8 @@ func TestSendTestNotification_Disabled(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Domains = []string{"example.com"}
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Domains = []string{testDomain}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}
 	cfg.SendTestNotification = false
 	cfg.DNSInterval = 24 * time.Hour
 	cfg.TLSInterval = 24 * time.Hour
@@ -871,16 +882,16 @@ func TestNSFailureAndRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()

 	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
-	cfg.Hostnames = []string{"www.example.com"}
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{testHost}

 	w, deps := newTestWatcher(t, cfg)

-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
-		"ns2.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
+		testNS2: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
-	deps.resolver.ipAddresses["www.example.com"] = []string{
-		"1.2.3.4",
+	deps.resolver.ipAddresses[testHost] = []string{
+		testIP,
 	}
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:80"] = false
 	deps.portChecker.results["1.2.3.4:443"] = false
@@ -890,8 +901,8 @@ func TestNSFailureAndRecovery(t *testing.T) {
 	w.RunOnce(ctx)

 	deps.resolver.mu.Lock()
-	deps.resolver.allRecords["www.example.com"] = map[string]map[string][]string{
-		"ns1.example.com.": {"A": {"1.2.3.4"}},
+	deps.resolver.allRecords[testHost] = map[string]map[string][]string{
+		testNS1: {"A": {testIP}},
 	}
 	deps.resolver.mu.Unlock()

--- a/script/bootstrap
+++ b/script/bootstrap
@@ -3,15 +3,17 @@
 # this repo. Idempotent: every install is guarded by a check so already
 # installed tools are skipped. Base tooling comes from nix, apt, brew,
 # or apk (detected in that order); assumes nothing is present.
-# golangci-lint and goimports are installed via `go install` at the same
-# pinned commits the Dockerfile uses (never "latest").
+# goimports is installed via `go install` at a pinned commit (never
+# "latest") because script/fmt runs it on the host; script/fmt-check
+# does not (it runs gofmt only).
+# The linter is NOT installed here: golangci-lint runs via docker only
+# (script/lint), pinned by image digest, so its only prerequisite is a
+# working docker.
 set -eu

 ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd -P)"

-# Pinned versions, 2026-07-07 (same pins as the Dockerfile)
-# golangci-lint v2.10.1
-GOLANGCI_LINT_REF="github.com/golangci/golangci-lint/v2/cmd/golangci-lint@5d1e709b7be35cb2025444e19de266b056b7b7ee"
+# Pinned version, 2026-08-07 (same pin as the Dockerfile)
 # goimports v0.42.0
 GOIMPORTS_REF="golang.org/x/tools/cmd/goimports@009367f5c17a8d4c45a961a3a509277190a9a6f0"

@@ -69,11 +71,17 @@ main() {
    if missing make; then pkg_install gnumake make make make; fi
    if missing go; then pkg_install go golang go go; fi

-    # Lint/format tools, pinned via go install (installs into
+    # Format tools, pinned via go install (installs into
    # "$(go env GOPATH)/bin"; ensure that is on your PATH).
-    if missing golangci-lint; then go install "$GOLANGCI_LINT_REF"; fi
    if missing goimports; then go install "$GOIMPORTS_REF"; fi

+    # Linting runs via docker only (script/lint). Warn, don't fail:
+    # everything except `make lint` works without it.
+    if missing docker; then
+        echo "bootstrap: WARNING: docker not found; install it to" \
+            "run make lint and make docker." >&2
+    fi
+
    go mod download

    echo "bootstrap complete"
--- a/script/cibuild
+++ b/script/cibuild
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# script/cibuild: run the CI build. The Dockerfile runs make check, so
-# a successful build implies all checks pass.
+# script/cibuild: run the CI build. The Dockerfile's lint stage runs
+# make fmt-check and golangci-lint; its builder stage runs make test
+# and make build. A successful build implies all of those passed.
 set -eu

 ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd -P)"
--- a/script/lint
+++ b/script/lint
@@ -1,12 +1,28 @@
 #!/bin/sh
-# script/lint: run the linter.
+# script/lint: run the linter. golangci-lint is never installed or run
+# on the host: it runs via docker only, one way, everywhere. This
+# builds Dockerfile.lint, which COPYs the repo into the digest-pinned
+# golangci-lint image and lints as a build step, so a successful build
+# means a clean lint.
+#
+# --no-cache-filter=lint forces the lint stage (source copy + linter
+# run) to execute on every invocation. Without it an unchanged tree
+# returns success in well under a second having linted nothing. The
+# deps stage (base image + go mod download) stays cached, and no global
+# cache invalidation is performed. --progress=plain keeps the linter's
+# own output visible.
 set -eu

 ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd -P)"

 main() {
    cd "$ROOT"
-    golangci-lint run --config .golangci.yml ./...
+    docker build \
+        --progress=plain \
+        --no-cache-filter=lint \
+        --target lint \
+        -f Dockerfile.lint \
+        .
 }

 main "$@"
--- a/script/test
+++ b/script/test
@@ -1,12 +1,35 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 # script/test: run the test suite.
+#
+# -count=1 disables Go's test cache, and is load-bearing here. This
+# suite queries live DNS on every run by policy (TESTING.md); a cached
+# result is a replay of an earlier run's output with no query made at
+# all. On an unchanged tree the whole suite would return success in
+# under a second having resolved nothing, which makes the repeated-run
+# green that is used as evidence for flakiness fixes worthless. Do not
+# remove it.
+#
+# Conditional verbose rerun per REPO_POLICIES.md: run quiet first so
+# CI and docker build logs stay readable, and rerun with -v only on
+# failure. The rerun also carries -count=1 (a cached replay of the
+# failure would show nothing new), and the exit status is forced to 1
+# no matter how the rerun ends: the first failure already proved the
+# suite broken, so a flaky test that passes the second time must not
+# turn the build green.
+#
+# -timeout 90s is a deliberate backstop above the 60s hard cap on
+# suite duration. Do not lower it.
 set -eu

 ROOT="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")/.." && pwd -P)"

 main() {
    cd "$ROOT"
-    go test -v -race -timeout 30s -cover ./...
+    go test -count=1 -race -timeout 90s -cover ./... || {
+        echo "--- Rerunning with -v for details ---" >&2
+        go test -count=1 -race -timeout 90s -v ./... || true
+        exit 1
+    }
 }

 main "$@"
Author	SHA1	Message	Date
sneak	b8662b8a9c	docs: correct stale script headers and record the config-verify cost (closes #137 ) All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 51s Details script/bootstrap credited the goimports pin to script/fmt-check, which runs gofmt only; the header now credits script/fmt. script/cibuild still described the Dockerfile as running make check, which stopped being true once linting moved to its own stage. The docker-missing warning in script/bootstrap is one sentence instead of three fragments each carrying the bootstrap: prefix. Dockerfile.lint now states the residual risk of skipping golangci-lint config verify: unknown top-level keys in .golangci.yml are ignored silently, so a mistyped key lints clean and applies nothing. Comment and message text only; no behaviour changes.	2026-08-10 14:09:20 +00:00
sneak	168281ad60	docs: add MIT LICENSE and state the licence in the README (closes #102 ) Some checks failed check / check (push) Has been cancelled Details The repository had no licence file at all, which makes publicly readable code all-rights-reserved by default: nobody may legally use it. That is a 1.0 blocker rather than a nicety, and `LICENSE` was the only file from `REPO_POLICIES.md`'s required minimum still missing here. The choice is standing org policy rather than a per-repo call: any public repo lacking a licence gets MIT, while a private repo with no licence is already all-rights-reserved and needs nothing. `sneak/dnswatcher` is public, so MIT. `LICENSE` carries the canonical MIT text byte-for-byte with only the copyright line filled in; no clauses added, removed, reworded, or reflowed. `README.md`'s first line now names the licence, which the Description requirement in `REPO_POLICIES.md` calls for, and the License section states MIT and points at the file instead of recording the decision as pending.	2026-08-10 14:04:31 +00:00
sneak	6f6bf3a65b	test: disable Go's test cache so every run queries live DNS (closes #139 ) All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 1m34s Details `script/test` did not pass `-count=1`, so on an unchanged tree Go served the whole suite from its test cache: exit 0 in ~0.2s with every package marked `(cached)` and not one DNS query made. This repo's suite exists to exercise live resolution on every run (`TESTING.md`), so that green asserted nothing — and it is exactly the green used as evidence that a flakiness fix works, since "run it a few times" stops being runs after the first. `-count=1` now disables caching on every invocation. The conditional verbose rerun that `REPO_POLICIES.md` mandates was missing at the same spot and is added here rather than left broken: the primary run had been unconditionally `-v`, which is the failure mode the policy exists to prevent (unreadable CI and `docker build` logs on success). Tests now run quiet, and only a failure triggers the `-v` rerun. The rerun carries `-count=1` too, so it cannot replay a cached copy of the failure it is meant to diagnose, and its exit status is discarded in favour of a forced 1: the first failure already proved the suite broken, so a flake that passes the second time must not turn the build green. `-timeout 90s` is untouched. It is a deliberate backstop that must strictly exceed the 60s hard cap on suite duration. No special-casing for the Docker build, which also reaches this script via `RUN make test`: a fresh container's test cache is empty, so `-count=1` changes nothing there and carving out an exception would only create a second code path that could drift. Verified: three back-to-back `make test` runs on an unchanged tree, zero `(cached)` markers, ~4.0-4.5s wall each (was ~0.2s cached), comfortably inside the 20s target with `-race` and `-cover` both still working and coverage percentages unchanged. The rerun-and-still-fail path was exercised against a purpose-built flaky test that fails once then passes: quiet failure, verbose rerun that genuinely re-executed, exit 1 regardless. `make check` green.	2026-08-10 13:48:15 +00:00
sneak	87bce43f8d	test: rework live-DNS quorum unit — tolerate silence, never a wrong answer All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 1m23s Details Rework of the unit at #93 (commit `9cb2c2b`), against the review at #136 (comment). Review of `9cb2c2b` found the quorum assertions could not fail on a class of wrong answer. Each test banned exactly one bad status — _AllReturnOK banned only nxdomain, _NXDomainFromAllNS banned only ok — so resolver.StatusNoData passed both. nodata is a wrong answer, not silence, and answeredCount counted it as answered, so it did not even trigger a retry; with a quorum of 3 of 4 a single wrong nameserver slid through undetected. That is assertion-loosening beyond what the quorum change requires. Tolerance is now a closed allowlist rather than a blocklist of one status. unsanctionedStatuses() reports every per-nameserver result whose status the caller did not explicitly sanction: ok/timeout/error for the all-OK test, nxdomain/timeout/error for the NXDOMAIN test. Silence (timeout, error) is the only thing quorum exists to tolerate; any other status, including one added to the resolver later, fails by name. answeredCount is likewise an allowlist of ok/nxdomain/nodata, so an unknown status counts as silence and can only cause a retry and then a loud failure, never a quiet pass. Two harness tests cover the regression directly: three OK plus one nodata (quorum satisfied, no nxdomain present — the input that used to pass) is now reported as unsanctioned, and an unknown status is neither counted as answered nor tolerated. Verified by re-running the reviewer's probe: queryEachNS patched to force one of google.com's four nameservers to return StatusNoData turns both tests red, naming the offending nameserver and status — --- FAIL: TestQueryAllNameservers_AllReturnOK (1.12s) Should be empty, but was [ns1.google.com.=nodata] every nameserver must answer OK or not answer at all: ns1.google.com.=nodata ns2.google.com.=ok ns3.google.com.=ok ns4.google.com.=ok --- FAIL: TestQueryAllNameservers_NXDomainFromAllNS (1.34s) Should be empty, but was [ns1.google.com.=nodata] every nameserver must report NXDOMAIN or not answer at all: ns1.google.com.=nodata ns2.google.com.=nxdomain ns3.google.com.=nxdomain ns4.google.com.=nxdomain — and green with the probe reverted. Also fixes the review's nit: the per-attempt deadline assertion had no lower bound, so it passed for a deadline far shorter than intended. No production code changed; DNS is still never mocked.	2026-08-10 13:33:53 +00:00
sneak	9cb2c2b7e0	test: make live DNS tests robust instead of gated (closes #93 ) All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 1m18s Details The resolver's live-DNS tests failed nondeterministically, a different subset each run. Three structural causes, all test-side: - Burst fan-out. Every test in the package is parallel and the build hosts have many cores, so all ~35 iterative resolutions started at the same instant and, because queryServers walks rootServerList() in fixed order, hit the same root server within milliseconds. Root servers rate-limit that. - No retry anywhere. One dropped UDP packet in a delegation chain failed a test outright. - Unanimity assertions. TestQueryAllNameservers_AllReturnOK and _NXDomainFromAllNS required every one of a domain's nameservers to answer, with no tolerance for one being slow. New internal/resolver/livedns_test.go addresses each: a package-wide gate bounds how many live resolutions are in flight at once, every live operation gets three attempts with exponential backoff and its own deadline, and multi-nameserver assertions now need a strict majority rather than unanimity. The retry predicate is deliberately transport-level -- "did a nameserver answer at all" -- never the assertion under test, so a resolver that answers incorrectly still fails on the first attempt. A nameserver that stays silent is tolerated; one that answers wrongly is not. livedns_harness_test.go tests that machinery directly: quorum arithmetic, status counting, the gate's concurrency bound, per-attempt deadlines, and recovery from a transient failure. It touches no DNS. Nothing is mocked, faked, stubbed, recorded, skipped or build-tagged, and production resolver behaviour is unchanged. Test caps move to the new org-wide values ruled at prompts issue 41: 60s hard cap, 20s target, 90s -timeout backstop. REPO_POLICIES.md is re-vendored byte-identical from sneak/prompts rather than hand-edited, which also picks up the golangci-lint paragraph this copy had drifted behind on. TESTING.md's stale 30-second target follows to 60. #93	2026-08-10 13:09:17 +00:00
sneak	cc86473410	build: run all linting in Docker via Dockerfile.lint (closes #134 ) All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 1m17s Details golangci-lint is no longer installed or run on the host. script/lint is now a thin wrapper that builds the new root Dockerfile.lint, which COPYs the repo into the digest-pinned golangci/golangci-lint:v2.12.2 image and lints as a build step, so a successful build is a clean lint. This works even where the docker daemon is remote and bind mounts are impossible. Dockerfile.lint is split into a deps stage (base image, go mod download) and a lint stage (source copy, linter run). script/lint passes --no-cache-filter=lint so the lint stage executes on every invocation: caching is explicitly waived for linting, and a cached build lints nothing. The deps stage stays cached and no global cache invalidation is performed. --progress=plain keeps the linter's own output visible. golangci-lint config verify is deliberately omitted: it fetches its JSON schema over a live, unpinned HTTPS call, which would make linting network-dependent and defeat hash-pinning. script/bootstrap no longer installs golangci-lint and warns instead when docker is absent. The goimports install stays, since script/fmt and script/fmt-check still run it on the host. The root Dockerfile ran make check in its builder stage, which would now recurse into script/lint and shell out to docker build with no daemon available. It gains its own lint stage on the same pinned image, invoked directly, with the builder depending on it via COPY --from=lint and running make fmt-check, make test and make build.	2026-08-10 12:37:47 +00:00
clawbot	9347a2838b	build: update golangci-lint to v2.12.2 with org-standard v2 config (#96 ) All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 4s Details Updates golangci-lint to v2.12.2 and sets `.golangci.yml` to the org-standard v2-schema config already deployed across the org's repos. The config change is owner-authorized (see #96 (comment) and #96 (comment)); the same file is being landed as canonical via prompts PR #24 (sneak/prompts#24). ## Changes - Commit-pinned installs: golangci-lint pinned to commit `c0d3ddc9cf3faa61a4e378e879ece580256d76e5` (v2.12.2, released 2026-05-06) in `Dockerfile` and `script/bootstrap`. - `.golangci.yml` set to the org-standard v2 config (sha256 `021cc83f4e6fc7c31b95b34b846723dfcf20b66b7baeea1dc40406e643346bcb`), byte-identical to the file used across the org's other repos. Settings live under `linters.settings`, so the `lll`/`funlen`/`cyclop`/`dupl` thresholds are actually applied (under the old hybrid file, v2 silently ignored the top-level `linters-settings` block). - Lint fixes required by the now-active thresholds: - `goconst`: shared constants for repeated status/priority/DNS-fixture strings in `internal/watcher/watcher.go` and the notify, state, and watcher tests - `dupl`: consolidated duplicated ntfy/slack HTTP-error tests and SendNotification endpoint-error tests behind shared helpers in `internal/notify/delivery_test.go` - `lll`: wrapped long test table entries and comments in `internal/config/classify_test.go`, `internal/notify/history_test.go`, `internal/state/state_test.go`, `internal/watcher/watcher_test.go`; shortened one inline nolint justification in `internal/notify/retry.go` - `TODO.md`: Completed Steps entry updated in the same commit. - Rebased onto current `main` (`f79cd98`); the branch is one clean commit. ## Notes - v2.12 deprecates the `gomodguard` linter in favor of `gomodguard_v2`. The org-standard config does not disable the deprecated linter, so golangci-lint may emit an informational deprecation warning; this is accepted by the owner and does not affect the exit status (this exact config+code combination was CI-green at `dea7e44`). ## Verification - `make check` exits 0 (fmt-check, tests, lint) - `make lint`: 0 issues; no deprecation warning surfaced in the runs performed - sha256 of `.golangci.yml` at HEAD verified equal to `021cc83f4e6fc7c31b95b34b846723dfcf20b66b7baeea1dc40406e643346bcb` Co-authored-by: sneak <sneak@sneak.berlin> Reviewed-on: #96 Co-authored-by: clawbot <clawbot@noreply.example.org> Co-committed-by: clawbot <clawbot@noreply.example.org>	2026-08-07 23:15:47 +02:00
clawbot	f79cd98107	docs: document the no-DNS-mocking policy in README (closes #94 ) (#95 ) All checks were successful check / check (push) Successful in 5s Details Adds a prominent "No DNS mocking. Ever." section near the top of `README.md`, per owner policy (sneak, 2026-08-07): - DNS is never mocked in this project — no mock resolvers, fake DNS servers, or stubbed lookups, in tests or anywhere else. - Tests exercise real iterative resolution against live nameservers by design. - Flaky live tests are fixed with robustness (retries, multiple nameservers, timeouts) or explicit opt-in gating decided by the owner — never with mocks. - Contributions introducing DNS mocks will be rejected. Markdown-only change; matches the README's existing tone and hard-wrap style. `script/fmt` covers Go only, so no formatter output applies to this file. Verified via `script/cibuild` (docker build runs `make check` with the pinned toolchain) — green. A direct local `make check` shows 21 pre-existing `goconst` lint findings that come from a newer local `golangci-lint` (v2.12.2 vs the pinned v2.10.1) and are unrelated to this change. Related: #93 is being reframed under this policy. Co-authored-by: sneak <sneak@sneak.berlin> Reviewed-on: #95 Co-authored-by: clawbot <clawbot@noreply.example.org> Co-committed-by: clawbot <clawbot@noreply.example.org>	2026-08-07 22:31:48 +02:00