A domain uses in-bailiwick nameservers such as ns1.example.com and you need to confirm the required glue exists.
Glue Record Check
Check whether in-bailiwick nameservers have the address records they need.
Use Glue Record Check to inspect the delegated nameserver set for a domain, identify which nameservers are inside the zone, and verify whether those child nameserver hostnames return usable A or AAAA records.
Check glue-related host records before assuming delegation alone is enough.
Lookup result
example.com
NOERROR
Type Value TTL
No in-bailiwick nameserver address records were returned for this domain.
What this tool does
Glue Record Check queries the delegated NS records for a root domain, identifies which nameserver hostnames are in-bailiwick, and then checks whether those nameserver hosts return public A or AAAA records.
Use it to catch cases where delegation points to child nameservers like
ns1.example.com, but those hostnames do not have the address records
resolvers need to reach them.
This is a practical resolver-based check. It does not replace registrar-side host object inspection, but it helps surface the public symptoms of missing or incomplete glue.
When to use this tool
Delegation looks correct on paper, but the zone still does not resolve and you suspect missing glue records.
A registrar update was made and you want to verify that the child nameserver hostnames have usable A or AAAA addresses.
You are moving authoritative nameservers under the same parent domain and need a focused glue validation step.
Resolution fails early because the resolver cannot find addresses for the delegated nameserver hostnames.
You want to separate delegation problems from missing glue or nameserver-host address problems.
How to use Glue Record Check
- Enter the root domain you want to verify.
- Run the check to fetch the delegated NS records for that domain.
- Review which nameserver hostnames are inside the same zone and therefore likely need glue-related host addresses.
- Compare the returned A and AAAA results for those child nameservers against the values you expected.
- If an in-bailiwick nameserver has no address records, fix the child nameserver host data before troubleshooting deeper DNS issues.
How to interpret glue results
Glue present
Likely meaning: At least one in-bailiwick nameserver has published address records that resolvers can use.
Common causes: This usually means the child nameserver hostnames have public A or AAAA answers visible from the resolver used by this page.
Next action: Compare the returned nameserver addresses with the values you expected, then continue to record-level or DNSSEC checks if needed.
No in-bailiwick nameservers
Likely meaning: The delegated nameservers are outside the domain you checked, so glue may not be required.
Common causes: Glue is only needed when the nameserver hostnames live inside the same zone or a child of it.
Next action: If the nameservers are out-of-bailiwick, focus on delegation and nameserver reachability instead of glue.
In-bailiwick NS without addresses
Likely meaning: The nameserver hostname is inside the zone, but no A or AAAA record was returned for it.
Common causes: The glue host record may be missing, stale, or published in the wrong place.
Next action: Add or correct the nameserver host A/AAAA records at the authoritative provider or registrar as required.
Only partial glue found
Likely meaning: Some in-bailiwick nameservers have address records while others do not.
Common causes: One child nameserver host may be missing its A/AAAA record, or IPv4/IPv6 setup may be incomplete.
Next action: Check each nameserver hostname individually and complete the missing address records.
NXDOMAIN
Likely meaning: The queried domain does not exist in public DNS.
Common causes: Typos, expired domains, or checking the wrong root domain are common causes.
Next action: Verify the domain first before troubleshooting glue.
SERVFAIL
Likely meaning: The recursive resolver could not complete the glue-related lookups successfully.
Common causes: Broken delegation, DNSSEC failures, or authoritative nameserver issues can all block glue validation.
Next action: Check delegation, validate DNSSEC, and compare with another resolver.
Common DNS issues this tool helps uncover
Child nameserver hostnames exist, but they have no public A or AAAA records
Only some in-bailiwick nameservers have glue-related address records
Registrar or provider updates were made, but the glue host records are stale
Glue exists for IPv4 but not IPv6, or vice versa
The wrong domain was checked and the nameservers are actually out-of-bailiwick
Delegation is correct, but nameserver host resolution still fails because glue is incomplete
Next steps after Glue Record Check
Run NS Lookup
Confirm the delegated nameserver set before focusing on glue details.
Check Delegation / Authority
Compare the active authority and SOA context if you suspect registrar or provider mismatch.
Inspect nameserver host records
Use DNS Lookup on a specific nameserver hostname if you need to compare its A or AAAA records directly.
Validate DNSSEC
If glue looks correct but resolution still fails, DNSSEC may still be the blocker.
Related tools
NS Lookup
Check authoritative name servers and delegation for a domain.
Delegation / Authoritative NS Check
Verify delegation and inspect the authoritative nameserver set for a domain.
DNS Lookup
Query A, AAAA, CNAME, TXT, and other DNS records for a domain.
DNS Propagation Check
Verify whether recent DNS changes are visible across resolvers.
DNSSEC Check
Validate whether a domain has DNSSEC configured correctly.
Glue Record Check FAQ
What does Glue Record Check do?
It checks the delegated nameserver hostnames for a domain, identifies which ones are in-bailiwick, and then looks for the A and AAAA records those nameservers need to be reachable.
When are glue records needed?
Glue is needed when the nameserver hostname is inside the same zone or a child of it, such as ns1.example.com for example.com.
What input should I enter?
Enter the root domain such as example.com. Glue checks are about the delegated zone and its child nameserver hostnames.
Why does the page say there are no in-bailiwick nameservers?
That usually means the delegated nameservers are hosted outside the zone, such as ns1.dns-provider.net, so traditional glue is not the issue.
What should I check after Glue Record Check?
Usually NS Lookup, Delegation / Authoritative NS Check, DNS Lookup for the child nameserver hostnames, and DNSSEC if resolution still fails.