README.md

@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@ Contributions that introduce mocked, faked, or stubbed DNS will be rejected.
     - Port transitioned from open to closed (or vice versa).
     - New IP appeared (from DNS change) and its port state was recorded.
     - IP disappeared (from DNS change) — noted in the DNS change notification;
-      port state for that IP is removed.
+      port state for that IP is removed. When none of a name's nameservers
+      answered, its addresses are not known, so the port state saved for them is
+      kept.
 
 ### TLS Certificate Monitoring
 

TODO.md

@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ trial run of the finished image: https://git.eeqj.de/sneak/dnswatcher/issues/149
 
 # Completed Steps
 
+- 2026-10-01: when none of a configured name's nameservers answered, the port
+  state saved for its addresses is kept, not removed (closes #193).
 - 2026-10-01: `ResolveIPAddresses` returns an error, not no addresses, when no
   nameserver of the name's zone answered (closes #190).
 - 2026-10-01: `make fmt` and `make fmt-check` cover Markdown with prettier, run

internal/watcher/export_test.go

@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ func (w *Watcher) DetectNSAddressChanges(
 	w.detectNSAddressChanges(ctx, domain, prev, current)
 }
 
+// CheckAllPorts exports checkAllPorts for testing.
+func (w *Watcher) CheckAllPorts(ctx context.Context) {
+	w.checkAllPorts(ctx)
+}
+
 // BuildHostnameState exports buildHostnameState for testing.
 func BuildHostnameState(
 	results map[string]*resolver.NameserverResponse,

internal/watcher/nsfailure_test.go

@@ -331,3 +331,118 @@ func TestNameserverThatRefuses(t *testing.T) {
 		)
 	}
 }
+
+// TestPortStateWhenNoNameserverAnswered runs the port checks on
+// hostname state built here, which gives the name no address. The port
+// state saved for its old address is kept only when the name is a
+// configured hostname or domain and none of its nameservers answered.
+func TestPortStateWhenNoNameserverAnswered(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	noneAnswered := saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+		nsA: failed(), nsB: failed(),
+	})
+	oneAnsweredNoAddress := saved(map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+		nsA: answered(map[string][]string{}), nsB: failed(),
+	})
+
+	configured := []string{host}
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name      string
+		hostname  *state.HostnameState
+		hostnames []string
+		domains   []string
+		wantKept  bool
+	}{
+		{"no nameserver answered", noneAnswered, configured, nil, true},
+		{
+			"no nameserver answered, configured as a domain",
+			noneAnswered, nil, configured, true,
+		},
+		{
+			"one answered with no address",
+			oneAnsweredNoAddress, configured, nil, false,
+		},
+		{"no nameserver answered, not configured", noneAnswered, nil, nil, false},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
+			cfg.Hostnames = tt.hostnames
+			cfg.Domains = tt.domains
+
+			// The port checks read the saved hostname state and look
+			// nothing up, so the watcher has no resolver.
+			deps := newTestDeps(t, cfg)
+			w := watcher.NewForTest(
+				cfg, deps.state, nil,
+				deps.portChecker, deps.tlsChecker, deps.notifier,
+			)
+
+			key := ip1 + ":443"
+
+			deps.state.SetHostnameState(host, tt.hostname)
+			deps.state.SetPortState(key, &state.PortState{
+				Open: true, Hostnames: []string{host},
+			})
+
+			w.CheckAllPorts(t.Context())
+
+			_, kept := deps.state.GetPortState(key)
+			if kept != tt.wantKept {
+				t.Errorf("port state %s kept: %v, want %v", key, kept, tt.wantKept)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+// TestPortStateWhenNoNameserverAnsweredAndOtherNameMovesAway saves the
+// port state of an address two configured hostnames resolve to. While
+// none of the first one's nameservers answer, the port checks run with
+// the other one still at that address, then after it moved away; the
+// port state is kept both times.
+func TestPortStateWhenNoNameserverAnsweredAndOtherNameMovesAway(
+	t *testing.T,
+) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const other = "mail.example.net"
+
+	cfg := defaultTestConfig(t)
+	cfg.Hostnames = []string{host, other}
+
+	// The port checks read the saved hostname state and look nothing
+	// up, so the watcher has no resolver.
+	deps := newTestDeps(t, cfg)
+	w := watcher.NewForTest(
+		cfg, deps.state, nil,
+		deps.portChecker, deps.tlsChecker, deps.notifier,
+	)
+
+	key := ip1 + ":443"
+
+	deps.state.SetPortState(key, &state.PortState{
+		Open: true, Hostnames: []string{host, other},
+	})
+	deps.state.SetHostnameState(host, saved(
+		map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{nsA: failed(), nsB: failed()},
+	))
+
+	for _, otherIP := range []string{ip1, ip2} {
+		deps.state.SetHostnameState(other, saved(
+			map[string]*state.NameserverRecordState{
+				nsA: answered(map[string][]string{"A": {otherIP}}),
+			},
+		))
+
+		w.CheckAllPorts(t.Context())
+
+		if _, kept := deps.state.GetPortState(key); !kept {
+			t.Fatalf("port state %s removed with %s at %s", key, other, otherIP)
+		}
+	}
+}

internal/watcher/watcher.go

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
+	"slices"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
@@ -708,15 +709,46 @@ func parsePortKey(key string) (string, int) {
 }
 
 // cleanupStalePorts removes port state entries that are no
-// longer referenced by any hostname in the current DNS data.
+// longer referenced by any hostname in the current DNS data. An
+// entry saved for a configured name none of whose nameservers
+// answered is kept: that name's addresses are not known, not gone.
 func (w *Watcher) cleanupStalePorts(
 	currentAssociations map[string][]string,
 ) {
 	for _, key := range w.state.GetAllPortKeys() {
-		if _, exists := currentAssociations[key]; !exists {
+		if _, exists := currentAssociations[key]; exists {
-			w.state.DeletePortState(key)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		ps, ok := w.state.GetPortState(key)
+		if ok && slices.ContainsFunc(ps.Hostnames, w.noNameserverAnswered) {
+			continue
+		}
+
+		w.state.DeletePortState(key)
+	}
+}
+
+// noNameserverAnswered reports whether name is a configured domain or
+// hostname and none of its nameservers answered on its last check.
+func (w *Watcher) noNameserverAnswered(name string) bool {
+	if !slices.Contains(w.config.Hostnames, name) &&
+		!slices.Contains(w.config.Domains, name) {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	hs, ok := w.state.GetHostnameState(name)
+	if !ok {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	for _, nsState := range hs.RecordsByNameserver {
+		if nsState.Status == statusOK {
+			return false
 		}
 	}
+
+	return true
 }
 
 func (w *Watcher) collectIPs(hostname string) []string {
@@ -795,9 +827,24 @@ func (w *Watcher) checkSinglePort(
 		)
 	}
 
+	// A configured name on the saved list none of whose nameservers
+	// answered stays on it, so the entry is kept when the other names
+	// stop resolving to this address.
+	savedHostnames := slices.Clone(hostnames)
+
+	if hasPrev {
+		for _, name := range prev.Hostnames {
+			if !slices.Contains(hostnames, name) && w.noNameserverAnswered(name) {
+				savedHostnames = append(savedHostnames, name)
+			}
+		}
+
+		sort.Strings(savedHostnames)
+	}
+
 	w.state.SetPortState(key, &state.PortState{
 		Open:        result.Open,
-		Hostnames:   hostnames,
+		Hostnames:   savedHostnames,
 		LastChecked: now,
 	})
 }