diff --git a/Makefile.in b/Makefile.in
index c4d17c82f..6b602e11e 100644
--- a/Makefile.in
+++ b/Makefile.in
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ logfile = @logfile@
 xfrdir = @xfrdir@
 xfrdfile = @xfrdfile@
 zonelistfile = @zonelistfile@
+cookiesecretsfile = @cookiesecretsfile@
 nsdconfigfile = @nsd_conf_file@
 zonesdir = @zonesdir@
 chrootdir= @chrootdir@
@@ -73,6 +74,7 @@ EDIT		= $(SED) \
 			-e 's,@xfrdir\@,$(xfrdir),g' \
 			-e 's,@xfrdfile\@,$(xfrdfile),g' \
 			-e 's,@zonelistfile\@,$(zonelistfile),g' \
+			-e 's,@cookiesecretsfile\@,$(cookiesecretsfile),g' \
 			-e 's,@nsdconfigfile\@,$(nsdconfigfile),g' \
 			-e 's,@shell\@,$(SHELL),g' \
 			-e 's,@ratelimit_default\@,@ratelimit_default@,g' \
@@ -167,6 +169,7 @@ install: all
 	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(xfrdir)
 	$(INSTALL) -d `dirname $(DESTDIR)$(xfrdfile)`
 	$(INSTALL) -d `dirname $(DESTDIR)$(zonelistfile)`
+	$(INSTALL) -d `dirname $(DESTDIR)$(cookiesecretsfile)`
 	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)
 	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man8
 	$(INSTALL) -d $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man5
@@ -189,7 +192,7 @@ uninstall:
 	rm -f -- $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man8/nsd-checkconf.8 $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man8/nsd-checkzone.8 $(DESTDIR)$(mandir)/man8/nsd-control.8
 	rm -f -- $(DESTDIR)$(pidfile)
 	@echo
-	@echo "You still need to remove $(DESTDIR)$(configdir), $(DESTDIR)$(piddir), $(DESTDIR)$(xfrdfile), $(DESTDIR)$(zonelistfile) directory by hand."
+	@echo "You still need to remove $(DESTDIR)$(configdir), $(DESTDIR)$(piddir), $(DESTDIR)$(xfrdfile), $(DESTDIR)$(zonelistfile) $(DESTDIR)$(cookiesecretsfile) directory by hand."
 
 test: 
 
diff --git a/configlexer.lex b/configlexer.lex
index 415beeeba..e3dbc9cc5 100644
--- a/configlexer.lex
+++ b/configlexer.lex
@@ -313,6 +313,7 @@ proxy-protocol-port{COLON} { LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_PROXY_PROTOC
 answer-cookie{COLON}	{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_ANSWER_COOKIE;}
 cookie-secret{COLON}	{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_COOKIE_SECRET;}
 cookie-secret-file{COLON}	{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_COOKIE_SECRET_FILE;}
+cookie-staging-secret{COLON}	{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_COOKIE_STAGING_SECRET;}
 xfrd-tcp-max{COLON}	{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_XFRD_TCP_MAX;}
 xfrd-tcp-pipeline{COLON}	{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_XFRD_TCP_PIPELINE;}
 verify{COLON}		{ LEXOUT(("v(%s) ", yytext)); return VAR_VERIFY; }
diff --git a/configparser.y b/configparser.y
index f9e6c29d6..9204bb7fd 100644
--- a/configparser.y
+++ b/configparser.y
@@ -196,6 +196,7 @@ struct component {
 %token VAR_ANSWER_COOKIE
 %token VAR_COOKIE_SECRET
 %token VAR_COOKIE_SECRET_FILE
+%token VAR_COOKIE_STAGING_SECRET
 %token VAR_MAX_REFRESH_TIME
 %token VAR_MIN_REFRESH_TIME
 %token VAR_MAX_RETRY_TIME
@@ -518,9 +519,39 @@ server_option:
   | VAR_ANSWER_COOKIE boolean
     { cfg_parser->opt->answer_cookie = $2; }
   | VAR_COOKIE_SECRET STRING
-    { cfg_parser->opt->cookie_secret = region_strdup(cfg_parser->opt->region, $2); }
+    {
+      uint8_t secret[32];
+      ssize_t len = hex_pton($2, secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+
+      if(len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE) {
+        yyerror("expected a 128 bit hex string");
+      } else {
+        cfg_parser->opt->cookie_secret = region_strdup(cfg_parser->opt->region, $2);
+      }
+    }
+  | VAR_COOKIE_STAGING_SECRET STRING
+    {
+      uint8_t secret[32];
+      ssize_t len = hex_pton($2, secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+
+      if(len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE) {
+        yyerror("expected a 128 bit hex string");
+      } else {
+        cfg_parser->opt->cookie_staging_secret = region_strdup(cfg_parser->opt->region, $2);
+      }
+    }
   | VAR_COOKIE_SECRET_FILE STRING
-    { cfg_parser->opt->cookie_secret_file = region_strdup(cfg_parser->opt->region, $2); }
+    {
+      /* Empty filename means explicitly disabled cookies from file, internally
+       * represented as NULL.
+       * Note that after parsing, if no value was configured, then
+       * cookie_secret_file_is_default is still 1, then the default cookie
+       * secret file value will be assigned to cookie_secret_file.
+       */
+      if(*$2) cfg_parser->opt->cookie_secret_file = region_strdup(cfg_parser->opt->region, $2);
+      cfg_parser->opt->cookie_secret_file_is_default = 0;
+    }
+    
   | VAR_XFRD_TCP_MAX number
     { cfg_parser->opt->xfrd_tcp_max = (int)$2; }
   | VAR_XFRD_TCP_PIPELINE number
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 88059c113..3ebcbbf51 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -126,6 +126,12 @@ AC_ARG_WITH([zonelistfile], AS_HELP_STRING([--with-zonelistfile=path],[Pathname
 AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(ZONELISTFILE, ["`eval echo $zonelistfile`"], [Pathname to the NSD zone list file.])
 AC_SUBST(zonelistfile)
 
+# default cookiesecrets file location.
+cookiesecretsfile=${dbdir}/cookiesecrets.txt
+AC_ARG_WITH([cookiesecretsfile], AS_HELP_STRING([--with-cookiesecretsfile=path],[Pathname to the NSD cookie secrets file]), [cookiesecretsfile=$withval])
+AC_DEFINE_UNQUOTED(COOKIESECRETSFILE, ["`eval echo $cookiesecretsfile`"], [Pathname to the NSD cookies secrets file.])
+AC_SUBST(cookiesecretsfile)
+
 # default xfr dir location.
 xfrdir="/tmp"
 AC_ARG_WITH([xfrdir], AS_HELP_STRING([--with-xfrdir=path],[Pathname to where the NSD transfer dir is created]), [xfrdir=$withval])
diff --git a/difffile.c b/difffile.c
index c4d18ad96..501d6e697 100644
--- a/difffile.c
+++ b/difffile.c
@@ -1714,44 +1714,25 @@ void task_new_del_key(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, const char* name)
 	udb_ptr_unlink(&e, udb);
 }
 
-void task_new_add_cookie_secret(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last,
-                                 const char* secret) {
+void task_new_cookies(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, int answer_cookie,
+		size_t cookie_count, void* cookie_secrets) {
 	udb_ptr e;
 	char* p;
-	size_t const secret_size = strlen(secret) + 1;
+	size_t const secrets_size = sizeof(cookie_secrets_type);
 
-	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "add task add_cookie_secret"));
+	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "add task cookies"));
 
 	if(!task_create_new_elem(udb, last, &e,
-	                         sizeof(struct task_list_d) + secret_size, NULL)) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "tasklist: out of space, cannot add add_cookie_secret");
+			sizeof(struct task_list_d) + secrets_size, NULL)) {
+		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "tasklist: out of space, cannot add cookies");
 		return;
 	}
-	TASKLIST(&e)->task_type = task_add_cookie_secret;
+	TASKLIST(&e)->task_type = task_cookies;
+	TASKLIST(&e)->newserial = (uint32_t) answer_cookie;
+	TASKLIST(&e)->yesno = (uint64_t) cookie_count;
 	p = (char*)TASKLIST(&e)->zname;
-	memmove(p, secret, secret_size);
-	udb_ptr_unlink(&e, udb);
-}
-
-void task_new_drop_cookie_secret(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last) {
-	udb_ptr e;
-	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "add task drop_cookie_secret"));
-	if(!task_create_new_elem(udb, last, &e, sizeof(struct task_list_d), NULL)) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "tasklist: out of space, cannot add drop_cookie_secret");
-		return;
-	}
-	TASKLIST(&e)->task_type = task_drop_cookie_secret;
-	udb_ptr_unlink(&e, udb);
-}
+	memmove(p, cookie_secrets, secrets_size);
 
-void task_new_activate_cookie_secret(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last) {
-	udb_ptr e;
-	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "add task activate_cookie_secret"));
-	if(!task_create_new_elem(udb, last, &e, sizeof(struct task_list_d), NULL)) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "tasklist: out of space, cannot add activate_cookie_secret");
-		return;
-	}
-	TASKLIST(&e)->task_type = task_activate_cookie_secret;
 	udb_ptr_unlink(&e, udb);
 }
 
@@ -1988,53 +1969,14 @@ task_process_del_key(struct nsd* nsd, struct task_list_d* task)
 }
 
 static void
-task_process_add_cookie_secret(struct nsd* nsd, struct task_list_d* task) {
-	uint8_t secret_tmp[NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE];
-	ssize_t decoded_len;
-	char* secret = (char*)task->zname;
-
-	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "add_cookie_secret task %s", secret));
-
-	if( strlen(secret) != 32 ) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "invalid cookie secret: %s", secret);
-		explicit_bzero(secret, strlen(secret));
-		return;
-	}
-
-	decoded_len = hex_pton(secret, secret_tmp, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-	if( decoded_len != 16 ) {
-		explicit_bzero(secret_tmp, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "unable to parse cookie secret: %s", secret);
-		explicit_bzero(secret, strlen(secret));
-		return;
-	}
-	explicit_bzero(secret, strlen(secret));
-	add_cookie_secret(nsd, secret_tmp);
-	explicit_bzero(secret_tmp, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-}
-
-static void
-task_process_drop_cookie_secret(struct nsd* nsd, struct task_list_d* task)
-{
-	(void)task;
-	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "drop_cookie_secret task"));
-	if( nsd->cookie_count <= 1 ) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "can not drop the only active cookie secret");
-		return;
-	}
-	drop_cookie_secret(nsd);
-}
-
-static void
-task_process_activate_cookie_secret(struct nsd* nsd, struct task_list_d* task)
-{
-	(void)task;
-	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "activate_cookie_secret task"));
-	if( nsd->cookie_count <= 1 ) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "can not activate the only active cookie secret");
-		return;
-	}
-	activate_cookie_secret(nsd);
+task_process_cookies(struct nsd* nsd, struct task_list_d* task) {
+	DEBUG(DEBUG_IPC, 1, (LOG_INFO, "cookies task answer: %s, count: %d",
+		task->newserial ? "yes" : "no", (int)task->yesno));
+	
+	nsd->do_answer_cookie = (int) task->newserial;
+	nsd->cookie_count = (size_t) task->yesno;
+	memmove(nsd->cookie_secrets, task->zname, sizeof(nsd->cookie_secrets));
+	explicit_bzero(task->zname, sizeof(nsd->cookie_secrets));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2179,14 +2121,8 @@ void task_process_in_reload(struct nsd* nsd, udb_base* udb, udb_ptr *last_task,
 	case task_apply_xfr:
 		task_process_apply_xfr(nsd, udb, last_task, task);
 		break;
-	case task_add_cookie_secret:
-		task_process_add_cookie_secret(nsd, TASKLIST(task));
-		break;
-	case task_drop_cookie_secret:
-		task_process_drop_cookie_secret(nsd, TASKLIST(task));
-		break;
-	case task_activate_cookie_secret:
-		task_process_activate_cookie_secret(nsd, TASKLIST(task));
+	case task_cookies:
+		task_process_cookies(nsd, TASKLIST(task));
 		break;
 	default:
 		log_msg(LOG_WARNING, "unhandled task in reload type %d",
diff --git a/difffile.h b/difffile.h
index 4a88d4b1d..1490f1ac8 100644
--- a/difffile.h
+++ b/difffile.h
@@ -111,12 +111,8 @@ struct task_list_d {
 		task_opt_change,
 		/** zonestat increment */
 		task_zonestat_inc,
-		/** add a new cookie secret */
-		task_add_cookie_secret,
-		/** drop the oldest cookie secret */
-		task_drop_cookie_secret,
-		/** make staging cookie secret active */
-		task_activate_cookie_secret,
+		/** cookies */
+		task_cookies,
 	} task_type;
 	uint32_t size; /* size of this struct */
 
@@ -152,9 +148,8 @@ void task_new_add_pattern(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last,
 void task_new_del_pattern(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, const char* name);
 void task_new_opt_change(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, struct nsd_options* opt);
 void task_new_zonestat_inc(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, unsigned sz);
-void task_new_add_cookie_secret(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, const char* secret);
-void task_new_drop_cookie_secret(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last);
-void task_new_activate_cookie_secret(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last);
+void task_new_cookies(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, int answer_cookie,
+		size_t cookie_count, void* cookie_secrets);
 int task_new_apply_xfr(udb_base* udb, udb_ptr* last, const dname_type* zone,
 	uint32_t old_serial, uint32_t new_serial, uint64_t filenumber);
 void task_process_in_reload(struct nsd* nsd, udb_base* udb, udb_ptr *last_task,
diff --git a/nsd-checkconf.c b/nsd-checkconf.c
index 4ce3e50a8..f4a2801d4 100644
--- a/nsd-checkconf.c
+++ b/nsd-checkconf.c
@@ -440,6 +440,7 @@ config_print_zone(nsd_options_type* opt, const char* k, int s, const char *o,
 		SERV_GET_STR(tls_port, o);
 		SERV_GET_STR(tls_cert_bundle, o);
 		SERV_GET_STR(cookie_secret, o);
+		SERV_GET_STR(cookie_staging_secret, o);
 		SERV_GET_STR(cookie_secret_file, o);
 		SERV_GET_BIN(answer_cookie, o);
 		/* int */
@@ -718,10 +719,15 @@ config_test_print_server(nsd_options_type* opt)
 	print_string_var("tls-port:", opt->tls_port);
 	print_string_var("tls-cert-bundle:", opt->tls_cert_bundle);
 	printf("\tanswer-cookie: %s\n", opt->answer_cookie?"yes":"no");
-	if (opt->cookie_secret)
-		print_string_var("cookie-secret:", opt->cookie_secret);
-	if (opt->cookie_secret_file)
+	print_string_var("cookie-secret:", opt->cookie_secret);
+	print_string_var("cookie-staging-secret:", opt->cookie_staging_secret);
+	if(opt->cookie_secret_file_is_default) {
+		print_string_var("#cookie-secret-file:", opt->cookie_secret_file);
+	} else if(opt->cookie_secret_file) {
 		print_string_var("cookie-secret-file:", opt->cookie_secret_file);
+	} else {
+		print_string_var("cookie-secret-file:", "");
+	}
 	if(opt->proxy_protocol_port) {
 		struct proxy_protocol_port_list* p;
 		for(p = opt->proxy_protocol_port; p; p = p->next)
diff --git a/nsd-control.8.in b/nsd-control.8.in
index 0625eb913..4920e7ad8 100644
--- a/nsd-control.8.in
+++ b/nsd-control.8.in
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ be dropped with the \fBdrop_cookie_secret\fR command.
 .sp
 Persistence is accomplished by writing to a file which if configured with the
 \fBcookie\-secret\-file\fR option in the server section of the config file.
-The default value for that is: @configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt .
+The default value for that is: @cookiesecretsfile@ .
 .TP
 .B drop_cookie_secret
 Drop the \fIstaging\fR cookie secret.
diff --git a/nsd.c b/nsd.c
index 1cd968c55..c049675e2 100644
--- a/nsd.c
+++ b/nsd.c
@@ -902,40 +902,6 @@ bind8_stats (struct nsd *nsd)
 }
 #endif /* BIND8_STATS */
 
-static
-int cookie_secret_file_read(nsd_type* nsd) {
-	char secret[NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE * 2 + 2/*'\n' and '\0'*/];
-	char const* file = nsd->options->cookie_secret_file;
-	FILE* f;
-	int corrupt = 0;
-	size_t count;
-
-	assert( nsd->options->cookie_secret_file != NULL );
-	f = fopen(file, "r");
-	/* a non-existing cookie file is not an error */
-	if( f == NULL ) { return errno != EPERM; }
-	/* cookie secret file exists and is readable */
-	nsd->cookie_count = 0;
-	for( count = 0; count < NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE; count++ ) {
-		size_t secret_len = 0;
-		ssize_t decoded_len = 0;
-		if( fgets(secret, sizeof(secret), f) == NULL ) { break; }
-		secret_len = strlen(secret);
-		if( secret_len == 0 ) { break; }
-		assert( secret_len <= sizeof(secret) );
-		secret_len = secret[secret_len - 1] == '\n' ? secret_len - 1 : secret_len;
-		if( secret_len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE * 2 ) { corrupt++; break; }
-		/* needed for `hex_pton`; stripping potential `\n` */
-		secret[secret_len] = '\0';
-		decoded_len = hex_pton(secret, nsd->cookie_secrets[count].cookie_secret,
-		                       NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-		if( decoded_len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE ) { corrupt++; break; }
-		nsd->cookie_count++;
-	}
-	fclose(f);
-	return corrupt == 0;
-}
-
 extern char *optarg;
 extern int optind;
 
@@ -977,14 +943,16 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	nsd.chrootdir	= 0;
 	nsd.nsid 	= NULL;
 	nsd.nsid_len 	= 0;
+	nsd.do_answer_cookie = 0;
 	nsd.cookie_count = 0;
+	nsd.cookie_secrets_source = COOKIE_SECRETS_NONE;
+	nsd.cookie_secrets_filename = NULL;
 
 	nsd.child_count = 0;
 	nsd.maximum_tcp_count = 0;
 	nsd.current_tcp_count = 0;
 	nsd.file_rotation_ok = 0;
 
-	nsd.do_answer_cookie = 1;
 
 	/* Set up our default identity to gethostname(2) */
 	if (gethostname(hostname, MAXHOSTNAMELEN) == 0) {
@@ -1261,35 +1229,7 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 #endif /* IPV6 MTU) */
 #endif /* defined(INET6) */
 
-	nsd.do_answer_cookie = nsd.options->answer_cookie;
-	if (nsd.cookie_count > 0)
-		; /* pass */
-
-	else if (nsd.options->cookie_secret) {
-		ssize_t len = hex_pton(nsd.options->cookie_secret,
-			nsd.cookie_secrets[0].cookie_secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-		if (len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE ) {
-			error("A cookie secret must be a "
-			      "128 bit hex string");
-		}
-		nsd.cookie_count = 1;
-	} else {
-		size_t j;
-		size_t const cookie_secret_len = NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE;
-		/* Calculate a new random secret */
-		srandom(getpid() ^ time(NULL));
-
-		for( j = 0; j < NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE; j++) {
-#if defined(HAVE_SSL)
-			if (!RAND_status()
-			    || !RAND_bytes(nsd.cookie_secrets[j].cookie_secret, cookie_secret_len))
-#endif
-			for (i = 0; i < cookie_secret_len; i++)
-				nsd.cookie_secrets[j].cookie_secret[i] = random_generate(256);
-		}
-		// XXX: all we have is a random cookie, still pretend we have one
-		nsd.cookie_count = 1;
-	}
+	reconfig_cookies(&nsd, nsd.options);
 
 	if (nsd.nsid_len == 0 && nsd.options->nsid) {
 		if (strlen(nsd.options->nsid) % 2 != 0) {
@@ -1592,11 +1532,6 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	}
 #endif /* HAVE_SSL */
 
-	if(nsd.options->cookie_secret_file && nsd.options->cookie_secret_file[0]
-	   && !cookie_secret_file_read(&nsd) ) {
-		log_msg(LOG_ERR, "cookie secret file corrupt or not readable");
-	}
-
 	/* Unless we're debugging, fork... */
 	if (!nsd.debug) {
 		int fd;
diff --git a/nsd.conf.5.in b/nsd.conf.5.in
index e6e4e7d8f..6c13847ea 100644
--- a/nsd.conf.5.in
+++ b/nsd.conf.5.in
@@ -481,25 +481,56 @@ With the value 0 the rate is unlimited.
 .B answer\-cookie:\fR <yes or no>
 Enable to answer to requests containing DNS Cookies as specified in RFC7873.
 Default is no.
+.sp
+DNS Cookies increase transaction security and provide limited protection 
+against denial-off-service amplification attacks. Server cookies will be
+created and included in responses. Server cookies are created based on the
+client cookie in the request, the current time, the client's IP address and
+a secret. When a client includes a valid server cookie in successive requests,
+the client will not be subjected to Request Rate Limiting (see \fBrrl\-ratelimit\fR).
+.sp
+Servers in an anycast deployment need to be able to verify each other's server
+cookies. For this they need to share the secret used to construct and verify
+the cookies. These cookie secrets can be specified in the configuration files
+with the \fBcookie\-secret\fR and \fBcookie\-staging\-secret\fR options.
+.sp
+If no cookie secrets are provided via configuration file, server cookie secrets
+can be added, dropped and activated with the \fInsd\-control\fR(8) tool.
+These secrets will be stored persistently in the cookie secret file for which
+the location can be specified with the \fBcookie\-secret\-file\fR option.
+.sp
+If no cookie secrets are provided via configuration file, and there is no or an
+empty cookie secret file, a random cookie secret is generated.
 .TP
 .B cookie\-secret:\fR <128 bit hex string>
-Servers in an anycast deployment need to be able to  verify  each other's DNS
-Server Cookies.  For  this they need to share the secret used to construct and
-verify the DNS Cookies.  Default is a 128 bits random secret generated at
-startup time.  This option is ignored if a \fBcookie\-secret\-file\fR is
-present.  In that case the secrets from that file are used in DNS Cookie
-calculations.
+The cookie secret with which server cookies are created and can be verified.
+If a \fBcookie\-secret\fR is specified via configuration file, cookie secrets
+from the cookie secret file will be ignored. 
+.TP
+.B cookie\-staging\-secret:\fR <128 bit hex string>
+A cookie secret with which server cookies can be verified, but will not be
+created. This is helpful in rolling cookie secrets in anycast setups.
+.sp
+A \fBcookie\-staging\-secret\fR can only be configured when there is also a
+\fBcookie\-secret\fR configured.
 .TP
 .B cookie\-secret\-file:\fR <filename>
-File from which the secrets are read used in DNS Cookie calculations. When this
-file exists, the secrets in this file are used and the secret specified by the
-\fBcookie-secret\fR option is ignored.
-Default is @configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt
-.sp
-The content of this file must be manipulated with the \fBadd_cookie_secret\fR,
-\fBdrop_cookie_secret\fR and \fBactivate_cookie_secret\fR commands to the
-\fInsd\-control\fR(8) tool. Please see that manpage how to perform a safe
-cookie secret rollover.
+File from which the secrets are read used in DNS Cookie calculations. Secrets
+will only be read from this file if no cookie secrets are given in the
+configuration file via the \fBcookie\-secret\fR and
+\fBcookie\-staging\-secret\fR options.
+Default is "@cookiesecretsfile@"
+.sp
+In NSD version 4.10.1 and earlier, the default location of the cookie secret
+file was "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt". For migration purposes, cookie
+secrets will be read from that location if no value is given for the
+\fBcookie\-secret\-file\fR option and when the current default location
+("@cookiesecretsfile@") does not exist.
+.sp
+The content of the cookie secret file must be manipulated with the
+\fBadd_cookie_secret\fR, \fBdrop_cookie_secret\fR and
+\fBactivate_cookie_secret\fR commands to the \fInsd\-control\fR(8) tool.
+Please see that manpage how to perform a safe cookie secret rollover.
 .TP
 .B tls\-service\-key:\fR <filename>
 If enabled, the server provides TLS service on TCP sockets with the TLS
diff --git a/nsd.h b/nsd.h
index d5f3bdf34..2401865f5 100644
--- a/nsd.h
+++ b/nsd.h
@@ -206,11 +206,20 @@ struct nsd_child
 #define NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE 2
 #define NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE 16
 
-typedef struct cookie_secret cookie_secret_type;
 struct cookie_secret {
 	/** cookie secret */
 	uint8_t cookie_secret[NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE];
 };
+typedef struct cookie_secret cookie_secret_type;
+typedef cookie_secret_type cookie_secrets_type[NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE];
+
+enum cookie_secrets_source {
+	COOKIE_SECRETS_NONE        = 0,
+	COOKIE_SECRETS_GENERATED   = 1,
+	COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_FILE   = 2,
+	COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_CONFIG = 3
+};
+typedef enum cookie_secrets_source cookie_secrets_source_type;
 
 /* NSD configuration and run-time variables */
 typedef struct nsd nsd_type;
@@ -359,15 +368,22 @@ struct	nsd
 	/* ratelimit for errors, packet count */
 	unsigned int err_limit_count;
 
-	/** do answer with server cookie when request contained cookie option */
+	/* do answer with server cookie when request contained cookie option */
 	int do_answer_cookie;
 
-	/** how many cookies are there in the cookies array */
+	/* how many cookies are there in the cookies array */
 	size_t cookie_count;
 
 	/* keep track of the last `NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE`
 	 * cookies as per rfc requirement .*/
-	cookie_secret_type cookie_secrets[NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE];
+	cookie_secrets_type cookie_secrets;
+
+	/* From where came the configured cookies */
+	cookie_secrets_source_type cookie_secrets_source;
+
+	/* The cookie secrets filename when they came from file; when
+	 * cookie_secrets_source == COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_FILE */
+	char* cookie_secrets_filename;
 
 	struct nsd_options* options;
 
diff --git a/options.c b/options.c
index fa39a642d..dcae09344 100644
--- a/options.c
+++ b/options.c
@@ -152,7 +152,9 @@ nsd_options_create(region_type* region)
 	opt->proxy_protocol_port = NULL;
 	opt->answer_cookie = 0;
 	opt->cookie_secret = NULL;
-	opt->cookie_secret_file = CONFIGDIR"/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt";
+	opt->cookie_staging_secret = NULL;
+	opt->cookie_secret_file = NULL;
+	opt->cookie_secret_file_is_default = 1;
 	opt->control_enable = 0;
 	opt->control_interface = NULL;
 	opt->control_port = NSD_CONTROL_PORT;
@@ -257,6 +259,16 @@ parse_options_file(struct nsd_options* opt, const char* file,
 
 	opt->configfile = region_strdup(opt->region, file);
 
+	/* Set default cookie_secret_file value */
+	if(opt->cookie_secret_file_is_default && !opt->cookie_secret_file) {
+		opt->cookie_secret_file =
+			region_strdup(opt->region, COOKIESECRETSFILE);
+	}
+	/* Semantic errors */
+	if(opt->cookie_staging_secret && !opt->cookie_secret) {
+		c_error("a cookie-staging-secret cannot be configured without "
+		        "also providing a cookie-secret");
+	}
 	RBTREE_FOR(pat, struct pattern_options*, opt->patterns)
 	{
 		struct pattern_options* old_pat =
diff --git a/options.h b/options.h
index 3ff1cbcf8..2567a62d8 100644
--- a/options.h
+++ b/options.h
@@ -209,8 +209,12 @@ struct nsd_options {
 	int answer_cookie;
 	/** cookie secret */
 	char *cookie_secret;
+	/** cookie staging secret */
+	char *cookie_staging_secret;
 	/** path to cookie secret store */
-	char const* cookie_secret_file;
+	char *cookie_secret_file;
+	/** set when the cookie_secret_file whas not explicitely configured */
+	uint8_t cookie_secret_file_is_default;
 	/** enable verify */
 	int verify_enable;
 	/** list of ip addresses used to serve zones for verification */
diff --git a/region-allocator.c b/region-allocator.c
index f53841ad1..e4c75a6ab 100644
--- a/region-allocator.c
+++ b/region-allocator.c
@@ -428,6 +428,25 @@ region_strdup(region_type *region, const char *string)
 	return (char *) region_alloc_init(region, string, strlen(string) + 1);
 }
 
+void
+region_str_replace(region_type *region, char **to_replace, const char *string)
+{
+	assert(to_replace);
+	if(!*to_replace) {
+		if(!string)
+			return;
+		*to_replace = region_strdup(region, string);
+	}
+	else if(!string) {
+		region_recycle(region, *to_replace, strlen(*to_replace) + 1);
+		*to_replace = NULL;
+	}
+	else if(strcmp(*to_replace, string)) {
+		region_recycle(region, *to_replace, strlen(*to_replace) + 1);
+		*to_replace = region_strdup(region, string);
+	}
+}
+
 void
 region_recycle(region_type *region, void *block, size_t size)
 {
diff --git a/region-allocator.h b/region-allocator.h
index 99af23350..fc6496ffd 100644
--- a/region-allocator.h
+++ b/region-allocator.h
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ void region_free_all(region_type *region);
  */
 char *region_strdup(region_type *region, const char *string);
 
+/*
+ * Replace a string on the to_replace location, if string is different
+ */
+void region_str_replace(region_type* region, char **to_replace,
+		const char *string);
 /*
  * Recycle an allocated memory block. Pass size used to alloc it.
  * Does nothing if recycling is not enabled for the region.
diff --git a/remote.c b/remote.c
index 2e79b3a4a..83d791954 100644
--- a/remote.c
+++ b/remote.c
@@ -1969,21 +1969,66 @@ repat_options_changed(xfrd_state_type* xfrd, struct nsd_options* newopt)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static int opt_str_changed(const char* old, const char* new)
+{ return !old ? ( !new ? 0 : 1 ) : ( !new ? 1 : strcasecmp(old, new) ); }
+
+/** true if cookie options are different that can be set via repat. */
+static int
+repat_cookie_options_changed(struct nsd_options* old, struct nsd_options* new)
+{
+	return old->answer_cookie != new->answer_cookie
+	    || opt_str_changed( old->cookie_secret
+	                      , new->cookie_secret)
+	    || opt_str_changed( old->cookie_staging_secret
+	                      , new->cookie_staging_secret)
+	    || old->cookie_secret_file_is_default !=
+	       new->cookie_secret_file_is_default
+	    || opt_str_changed( old->cookie_secret_file
+	                      , new->cookie_secret_file);
+}
+
 /** check if global options have changed */
 static void
 repat_options(xfrd_state_type* xfrd, struct nsd_options* newopt)
 {
+	struct nsd_options* oldopt = xfrd->nsd->options;
+
 	if(repat_options_changed(xfrd, newopt)) {
 		/* update our options */
 #ifdef RATELIMIT
-		xfrd->nsd->options->rrl_ratelimit = newopt->rrl_ratelimit;
-		xfrd->nsd->options->rrl_whitelist_ratelimit = newopt->rrl_whitelist_ratelimit;
-		xfrd->nsd->options->rrl_slip = newopt->rrl_slip;
+		oldopt->rrl_ratelimit = newopt->rrl_ratelimit;
+		oldopt->rrl_whitelist_ratelimit = newopt->rrl_whitelist_ratelimit;
+		oldopt->rrl_slip = newopt->rrl_slip;
 #endif
 		task_new_opt_change(xfrd->nsd->task[xfrd->nsd->mytask],
 			xfrd->last_task, newopt);
 		xfrd_set_reload_now(xfrd);
 	}
+	if(repat_cookie_options_changed(oldopt, newopt)) {
+		/* update our options */
+		oldopt->answer_cookie = newopt->answer_cookie;
+		region_str_replace(  oldopt->region
+		                  , &oldopt->cookie_secret
+		                  ,  newopt->cookie_secret);
+		region_str_replace(  oldopt->region
+		                  , &oldopt->cookie_staging_secret
+		                  ,  newopt->cookie_staging_secret);
+		oldopt->cookie_secret_file_is_default =
+			newopt->cookie_secret_file_is_default;
+		region_str_replace(  oldopt->region
+		                  , &oldopt->cookie_secret_file
+		                  ,  newopt->cookie_secret_file);
+
+		xfrd->nsd->cookie_count = 0;
+		xfrd->nsd->cookie_secrets_source = COOKIE_SECRETS_NONE;
+		reconfig_cookies(xfrd->nsd, newopt);
+		task_new_cookies( xfrd->nsd->task[xfrd->nsd->mytask]
+		                , xfrd->last_task
+		                , xfrd->nsd->do_answer_cookie
+		                , xfrd->nsd->cookie_count
+		                , xfrd->nsd->cookie_secrets);
+		xfrd_set_reload_now(xfrd);
+	}
 }
 
 /** print errors over ssl, gets pointer-to-pointer to ssl, so it can set
@@ -2340,19 +2385,42 @@ do_del_tsig(RES* ssl, xfrd_state_type* xfrd, char* arg) {
 	send_ok(ssl);
 }
 
+
+static int
+can_dump_cookie_secrets(RES* ssl, nsd_type* const nsd)
+{
+	if(!nsd->options->cookie_secret_file)
+		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: empty cookie-secret-file\n");
+
+	else if(nsd->cookie_secrets_source == COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_CONFIG)
+		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: cookie secrets are already "
+			"configured. Remove \"cookie-secret:\" and "
+			"\"cookie-staging-secret:\" entries from configuration "
+			"first (and reconfig) before managing cookies with "
+			"nsd-control\n");
+	else
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+	
+}
+
 /* returns `0` on failure */
 static int
-cookie_secret_file_dump(RES* ssl, nsd_type const* nsd) {
-	char const* secret_file = nsd->options->cookie_secret_file;
+cookie_secret_file_dump_and_reload(RES* ssl, nsd_type* const nsd) {
 	char secret_hex[NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE * 2 + 1];
 	FILE* f;
 	size_t i;
-	assert( secret_file != NULL );
 
 	/* open write only and truncate */
-	if((f = fopen(secret_file, "w")) == NULL ) {
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "unable to open cookie secret file %s: %s",
-		                 secret_file, strerror(errno));
+	if(!nsd->options->cookie_secret_file) {
+		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "cookie-secret-file empty\n");
+		return 0;
+	}
+	else if((f = fopen(nsd->options->cookie_secret_file, "w")) == NULL ) {
+		(void)ssl_printf( ssl
+		                , "unable to open cookie secret file %s: %s\n"
+		                , nsd->options->cookie_secret_file
+		                , strerror(errno));
 		return 0;
 	}
 	for(i = 0; i < nsd->cookie_count; i++) {
@@ -2366,65 +2434,77 @@ cookie_secret_file_dump(RES* ssl, nsd_type const* nsd) {
 	}
 	explicit_bzero(secret_hex, sizeof(secret_hex));
 	fclose(f);
+	nsd->cookie_secrets_source = COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_FILE;
+	region_str_replace(nsd->region, &nsd->cookie_secrets_filename
+	                              , nsd->options->cookie_secret_file);
+	task_new_cookies(xfrd->nsd->task[xfrd->nsd->mytask], xfrd->last_task,
+		nsd->do_answer_cookie, nsd->cookie_count, nsd->cookie_secrets);
+	xfrd_set_reload_now(xfrd);
+	send_ok(ssl);
 	return 1;
 }
 
 static void
 do_activate_cookie_secret(RES* ssl, xfrd_state_type* xrfd, char* arg) {
 	nsd_type* nsd = xrfd->nsd;
+	size_t backup_cookie_count;
+	cookie_secrets_type backup_cookie_secrets;
 	(void)arg;
 
+	if(!can_dump_cookie_secrets(ssl, xfrd->nsd))
+		return;
+
 	if(nsd->cookie_count <= 1 ) {
 		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: no staging cookie secret to activate\n");
 		return;
 	}
-	if(!nsd->options->cookie_secret_file || !nsd->options->cookie_secret_file[0]) {
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: no cookie secret file configured\n");
-		return;
-	}
-	if(!cookie_secret_file_dump(ssl, nsd)) {
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: writing to cookie secret file: \"%s\"\n",
-				nsd->options->cookie_secret_file);
-		return;
-	}
+	backup_cookie_count = nsd->cookie_count;
+	memcpy( backup_cookie_secrets, nsd->cookie_secrets
+	      , sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
 	activate_cookie_secret(nsd);
-	(void)cookie_secret_file_dump(ssl, nsd);
-	task_new_activate_cookie_secret(xfrd->nsd->task[xfrd->nsd->mytask],
-	    xfrd->last_task);
-	xfrd_set_reload_now(xfrd);
-	send_ok(ssl);
+	if(!cookie_secret_file_dump_and_reload(ssl, nsd)) {
+		memcpy( nsd->cookie_secrets, backup_cookie_secrets
+		      , sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
+		nsd->cookie_count = backup_cookie_count;
+	}
+	explicit_bzero(backup_cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
 }
 
 static void
 do_drop_cookie_secret(RES* ssl, xfrd_state_type* xrfd, char* arg) {
 	nsd_type* nsd = xrfd->nsd;
+	size_t backup_cookie_count;
+	cookie_secrets_type backup_cookie_secrets;
 	(void)arg;
 
+	if(!can_dump_cookie_secrets(ssl, xfrd->nsd))
+		return;
+
 	if(nsd->cookie_count <= 1 ) {
 		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: can not drop the currently active cookie secret\n");
 		return;
 	}
-	if(!nsd->options->cookie_secret_file || !nsd->options->cookie_secret_file[0]) {
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: no cookie secret file configured\n");
-		return;
-	}
-	if(!cookie_secret_file_dump(ssl, nsd)) {
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: writing to cookie secret file: \"%s\"\n",
-				nsd->options->cookie_secret_file);
-		return;
-	}
+	backup_cookie_count = nsd->cookie_count;
+	memcpy( backup_cookie_secrets, nsd->cookie_secrets
+	      , sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
 	drop_cookie_secret(nsd);
-	(void)cookie_secret_file_dump(ssl, nsd);
-	task_new_drop_cookie_secret(xfrd->nsd->task[xfrd->nsd->mytask],
-	    xfrd->last_task);
-	xfrd_set_reload_now(xfrd);
-	send_ok(ssl);
+	if(!cookie_secret_file_dump_and_reload(ssl, nsd)) {
+		memcpy( nsd->cookie_secrets, backup_cookie_secrets
+		      , sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
+		nsd->cookie_count = backup_cookie_count;
+	}
+	explicit_bzero(backup_cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
 }
 
 static void
 do_add_cookie_secret(RES* ssl, xfrd_state_type* xrfd, char* arg) {
 	nsd_type* nsd = xrfd->nsd;
 	uint8_t secret[NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE];
+	size_t backup_cookie_count;
+	cookie_secrets_type backup_cookie_secrets;
+
+	if(!can_dump_cookie_secrets(ssl, xfrd->nsd))
+		return;
 
 	if(*arg == '\0') {
 		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: missing argument (cookie_secret)\n");
@@ -2443,27 +2523,26 @@ do_add_cookie_secret(RES* ssl, xfrd_state_type* xrfd, char* arg) {
 		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "please provide a 128bit hex encoded secret\n");
 		return;
 	}
-	if(!nsd->options->cookie_secret_file || !nsd->options->cookie_secret_file[0]) {
-		explicit_bzero(secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-		explicit_bzero(arg, strlen(arg));
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: no cookie secret file configured\n");
-		return;
-	}
-	if(!cookie_secret_file_dump(ssl, nsd)) {
-		explicit_bzero(secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-		explicit_bzero(arg, strlen(arg));
-		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: writing to cookie secret file: \"%s\"\n",
-				nsd->options->cookie_secret_file);
-		return;
+	explicit_bzero(arg, strlen(arg));
+
+	backup_cookie_count = nsd->cookie_count;
+	memcpy( backup_cookie_secrets, nsd->cookie_secrets
+	      , sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
+	if(nsd->cookie_secrets_source != COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_FILE
+	&& nsd->cookie_secrets_source != COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_CONFIG) {
+		nsd->cookie_count = 0;
 	}
 	add_cookie_secret(nsd, secret);
 	explicit_bzero(secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
-	(void)cookie_secret_file_dump(ssl, nsd);
-	task_new_add_cookie_secret(xfrd->nsd->task[xfrd->nsd->mytask],
-	    xfrd->last_task, arg);
-	explicit_bzero(arg, strlen(arg));
-	xfrd_set_reload_now(xfrd);
-	send_ok(ssl);
+	if(!cookie_secret_file_dump_and_reload(ssl, nsd)) {
+		explicit_bzero(arg, strlen(arg));
+		(void)ssl_printf(ssl, "error: writing to cookie secret file: \"%s\"\n"
+		                , nsd->options->cookie_secret_file);
+		memcpy( nsd->cookie_secrets, backup_cookie_secrets
+		      , sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
+		nsd->cookie_count = backup_cookie_count;
+	}
+	explicit_bzero(backup_cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets_type));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -2473,7 +2552,23 @@ do_print_cookie_secrets(RES* ssl, xfrd_state_type* xrfd, char* arg) {
 	int i;
 	(void)arg;
 
-	/* (void)ssl_printf(ssl, "cookie_secret_count=%zu\n", nsd->cookie_count); */
+	switch(nsd->cookie_secrets_source){
+	case COOKIE_SECRETS_NONE:
+		break;
+	case COOKIE_SECRETS_GENERATED:
+		ssl_printf(ssl, "source : random generated\n");
+		break;
+	case COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_FILE:
+		ssl_printf( ssl, "source : \"%s\"\n"
+		          , nsd->cookie_secrets_filename);
+		break;
+	case COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_CONFIG:
+		ssl_printf(ssl, "source : configuration\n");
+		break;
+	default:
+		ssl_printf(ssl, "source : unknown\n");
+		break;
+	}
 	for(i = 0; (size_t)i < nsd->cookie_count; i++) {
 		struct cookie_secret const* cs = &nsd->cookie_secrets[i];
 		ssize_t const len = hex_ntop(cs->cookie_secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE,
diff --git a/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check b/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check
index 5cd52731f..f24511053 100644
--- a/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check
+++ b/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "/etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "/var/db/nsd/cookiesecrets.txt"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -192,7 +194,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "/etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "/var/db/nsd/cookiesecrets.txt"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -270,7 +274,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "/etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "/var/db/nsd/cookiesecrets.txt"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -357,7 +363,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "/etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "/var/db/nsd/cookiesecrets.txt"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -488,7 +496,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "/etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "/var/db/nsd/cookiesecrets.txt"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -561,7 +571,7 @@ checkconf.nsd09.conf:9: error: expected yes or no
 read checkconf.nsd09.conf failed: 1 errors in configuration file
 checkconf.nsd10.conf:10: error: expected a number
 read checkconf.nsd10.conf failed: 1 errors in configuration file
-# Read file checkconf.nsd11.conf: 1 patterns, 0 fixed-zones, 0 keys, 0 tls-auth.
+# Read file checkconf.nsd11.conf: 5 patterns, 1 fixed-zones, 0 keys, 0 tls-auth.
 # Config settings.
 server:
 	debug-mode: no
@@ -617,7 +627,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "/etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "/var/db/nsd/cookiesecrets.txt"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -635,7 +647,23 @@ verify:
 	verifier-feed-zone: yes
 	verifier-timeout: 0
 
+pattern:
+	name: "group1"
+	catalog-producer-zone: "producer.catalog.invalid"
+
+pattern:
+	name: "group2"
+	catalog-producer-zone: "producer.catalog.invalid"
+
+pattern:
+	name: "group3"
+	catalog-producer-zone: "producer.catalog.invalid"
+
 pattern:
 	name: "myzones"
 	catalog: consumer
 	catalog-member-pattern: "mycatalog2"
+
+zone:
+	name: "producer.catalog.invalid"
+	catalog: producer
diff --git a/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check2.in b/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check2.in
index 072edcc22..5f01c8e1f 100644
--- a/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check2.in
+++ b/tpkg/checkconf.tdir/checkconf.check2.in
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "@cookiesecretsfile@"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -192,7 +194,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "@cookiesecretsfile@"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -270,7 +274,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "@cookiesecretsfile@"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -357,7 +363,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "@cookiesecretsfile@"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -488,7 +496,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "@cookiesecretsfile@"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
@@ -617,7 +627,9 @@ server:
 	tls-port: "853"
 	#tls-cert-bundle:
 	answer-cookie: no
-	cookie-secret-file: "@configdir@/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"
+	#cookie-secret:
+	#cookie-staging-secret:
+	#cookie-secret-file: "@cookiesecretsfile@"
 
 remote-control:
 	control-enable: no
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.by-config.conf b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.by-config.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e3e28b3d1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.by-config.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+server:
+    username: ""
+    zonesdir: ""
+    xfrdfile: ""
+    logfile: "nsd.log"
+    ip-address: lo
+
+include: "cookiesecrets.conf"
+
+remote-control:
+    control-enable: yes
+    control-key-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_control.key"
+    control-cert-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_control.pem"
+    server-key-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_server.key"
+    server-cert-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_server.pem"
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c06757e9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+server:
+    username: ""
+    zonesdir: ""
+    xfrdfile: ""
+    cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+    answer-cookie: yes
+    logfile: "nsd.log"
+    ip-address: lo
+
+remote-control:
+    control-enable: yes
+    control-key-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_control.key"
+    control-cert-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_control.pem"
+    server-key-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_server.key"
+    server-cert-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_server.pem"
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.conf b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4af1baaf7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+server:
+    username: ""
+    zonesdir: ""
+    xfrdfile: ""
+    cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+    answer-cookie: yes
+    logfile: "nsd.log"
+    ip-address: lo
+
+    cookie-secret: "e5e973e5a6b2a43f48e7dc849e37bfcf"
+    cookie-staging-secret: "342ed7de87073f9011b5a6c849d91caa"
+
+remote-control:
+    control-enable: yes
+    control-key-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_control.key"
+    control-cert-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_control.pem"
+    server-key-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_server.key"
+    server-cert-file: "dns-cookies.nsd_server.pem"
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.defaults.conf b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.defaults.conf
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef90ffd62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.defaults.conf
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+server:
+    username: ""
+    answer-cookie: yes
+    ip-address: lo
+
+remote-control:
+    control-enable: yes
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.dsc b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.dsc
index 48bf8b8b3..6ab32b8af 100644
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.dsc
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.dsc
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 BaseName: dns-cookies
 Version: 1.0
-Description: Test DNS Cookies
+Description: Execute tests from Appendix A of RFC 9018 and tests involving
+	configuring DNS cookie secrets.
 CreationDate: Mon Jun 21 13:39:31 UTC 2021
 Maintainer: Tom Carpay
 Category: 
 Component:
-CmdDepends: 
+CmdDepends: unshare, faketime, ip
 Depends: 
 Help:
 Pre:
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_control.key b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_control.key
similarity index 100%
rename from tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_control.key
rename to tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_control.key
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_control.pem b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_control.pem
similarity index 100%
rename from tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_control.pem
rename to tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_control.pem
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_server.key b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_server.key
similarity index 100%
rename from tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_server.key
rename to tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_server.key
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_server.pem b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_server.pem
similarity index 100%
rename from tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/nsd_server.pem
rename to tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.nsd_server.pem
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test
index bafaab76f..827964fc8 100644
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test
@@ -8,6 +8,11 @@ if test ! -x "`which unshare 2>&1`"; then
 	echo "no unshare (from util-linux package) available, skip test"
 	exit 0
 fi
+if test ! -x "`which faketime 2>&1`"; then
+	echo "no faketime available, skip test"
+	exit 0
+fi
+
 
 echo "Starting test A1"
 unshare -rUn bash dns-cookies.test.A1 || exit 1
@@ -20,3 +25,10 @@ unshare -rUn bash dns-cookies.test.A3 || exit 1
 
 echo "Starting test A4"
 unshare -rUn bash dns-cookies.test.A4 || exit 1
+
+echo "Starting test C1"
+unshare -rUn bash dns-cookies.test.C1 || exit 1
+
+echo "Starting test C2"
+unshare -mrUn bash dns-cookies.test.C2 || exit 1
+
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A1 b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A1
index 2a0d5af95..7cf100651 100644
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A1
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A1
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ TPKG_NSD_PID="nsd.pid.$$"
 TPKG_NSD="$PRE/nsd"
 
 # start nsd with faketime
-TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 10:53:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.test.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 10:53:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
 
 wait_nsd_up nsd.log
 echo "faketime nsd instance A1 running"
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A2 b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A2
index 7d68a946e..f63de0712 100644
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A2
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A2
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ TPKG_NSD_PID="nsd.pid.$$"
 TPKG_NSD="$PRE/nsd"
 
 # start nsd with faketime
-TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 11:33:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.test.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 11:33:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
 
 wait_nsd_up nsd.log
 echo "faketime nsd instance A2 running"
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A3 b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A3
index bc20ef01a..898bd73fb 100644
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A3
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A3
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ TPKG_NSD_PID="nsd.pid.$$"
 TPKG_NSD="$PRE/nsd"
 
 # start nsd with faketime
-TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 11:38:20' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.test.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 11:38:20' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
 
 wait_nsd_up nsd.log
 echo "faketime nsd instance A3 running"
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A4 b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A4
index 2a507bdd5..8c85d6f32 100644
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A4
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.A4
@@ -20,21 +20,21 @@ TPKG_NSD_CONTROL="$PRE/nsd-control"
 # option in the config file, but no cookies configured.
 touch cookiesecrets.txt
 # start nsd with faketime
-TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 13:39:21' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.test.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PRI_PID &
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2019-06-05 13:39:21' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PRI_PID &
 
 wait_nsd_up nsd.log
 echo "faketime nsd instance A4 running"
 
 # add secret
-$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf add_cookie_secret dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715
-$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf add_cookie_secret 445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf add_cookie_secret dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf add_cookie_secret 445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962
 
-$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-1
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-1
 if ! grep -q "445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962" cookie_secrets.a4-1 \
 || ! grep -q "dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715" cookie_secrets.a4-1
 then
 	sleep 1
-	$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-1
+	$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-1
 	if ! grep -q "445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962" cookie_secrets.a4-1 \
 	|| ! grep -q "dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715" cookie_secrets.a4-1
 	then
@@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ else
 fi
 
 # secret rollover
-$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf activate_cookie_secret
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf activate_cookie_secret
 
-$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-2
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-2
 if ! grep -q "^active.*445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962" cookie_secrets.a4-2
 then
 	sleep 1
-	$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.test.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-2
+	$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf print_cookie_secrets > cookie_secrets.a4-2
 	if ! grep -q "^active.*445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962" cookie_secrets.a4-2 
 	then
 		cat cookie_secrets.a4-2
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.C1 b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.C1
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..06a4d9292
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.C1
@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@
+# #-- dns-cookies.pre--#
+# source the master var file when it's there
+[ -f ../.tpkg.var.master ] && source ../.tpkg.var.master
+# use .tpkg.var.test for in test variable passing
+[ -f .tpkg.var.test ] && source .tpkg.var.test
+. ../common.sh
+
+# set environment interfaces
+ip address add 198.51.100.100 dev lo
+ip link set dev lo up
+
+# set NSD environment variables
+PRE="../.."
+TPKG_NSD_PID="nsd.pid.$$"
+TPKG_NSD="$PRE/nsd"
+TPKG_NSD_CONTROL="$PRE/nsd-control"
+
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+	cookie-secret: c0be1977faa8661a00944c337c1a07e9
+	cookie-staging-secret: 1f4fd8475cb97ed70da5d7a019ad53f1
+EOF
+
+# start nsd with faketime
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2024-08-26 15:37:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf -P $TPKG_NSD_PID &
+wait_nsd_up nsd.log
+NSD_PID=`cat $TPKG_NSD_PID`
+echo "faketime nsd instance C1 running"
+
+if $TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf add_cookie_secret dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715 >/dev/null
+then
+	echo "C.1.1 Adding cookies by nsd-control should not be allowed with configured cookies"
+	# kill NSD
+	kill_pid $NSD_PID
+	rm -f nsd.log
+	exit 1
+else
+	echo "C.1.1 Adding cookies by nsd-control is not allowed with configured cookies"
+fi
+
+# dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957
+# $TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf print_cookie_secrets
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c1.2
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+	cookie-staging-secret: c0be1977faa8661a00944c337c1a07e9
+	cookie-secret: 1f4fd8475cb97ed70da5d7a019ad53f1
+EOF
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf reconfig
+
+sleep .1
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c1.3
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+EOF
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf reconfig
+
+sleep .1
+
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-nsd-control.conf add_cookie_secret dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715
+
+sleep .1
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c1.4
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+	cookie-staging-secret: c0be1977faa8661a00944c337c1a07e9
+	cookie-secret: 1f4fd8475cb97ed70da5d7a019ad53f1
+EOF
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf reconfig
+
+sleep .1
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c1.5
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+	cookie-staging-secret: c0be1977faa8661a00944c337c1a07e9
+	cookie-secret: error
+EOF
+if $TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf reconfig 2>/dev/null
+then
+	echo "C.1.6. Reconfigure was allowed with broken cookies"
+	# kill NSD
+	kill_pid $NSD_PID
+	rm -f nsd.log
+	exit 1
+else
+	echo "C.1.6. Cannot reconfigure with broken cookies"
+fi
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c1.7
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+	cookie-staging-secret: c0be1977faa8661a00944c337c1a07e9
+EOF
+if $TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf reconfig 2>/dev/null
+then
+	echo "C.1.8. Reconfigure was allowed with only a staging secret"
+	# kill NSD
+	kill_pid $NSD_PID
+	rm -f nsd.log
+	exit 1
+else
+	echo "C.1.8. Cannot reconfigure with only a staging secret"
+fi
+
+cat << EOF > cookiesecrets.conf
+server:
+	answer-cookie: yes
+	cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
+EOF
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.by-config.conf reconfig
+
+sleep .1
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c1.9
+
+# kill NSD
+kill_pid $NSD_PID
+rm -f nsd.log
+
+ERRORS=0
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cca121c6adacef8ac2bcdd" dig.output.c1.2
+then
+	echo "C.1.2. Active server cookie matched"
+else
+	echo "C.1.2. Active server cookie failed to match"
+	cat dig.output.c1.2
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cca121b789adffadb783df" dig.output.c1.3
+then
+	echo "C.1.3. Active server cookie matched"
+else
+	echo "C.1.3. Active server cookie failed to match"
+	cat dig.output.c1.3
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cca1218cf0b73f53bc2520" dig.output.c1.4
+then
+	echo "C.1.4. Active server cookie from file matched"
+else
+	echo "C.1.4. Active server cookie from file failed to match"
+	cat dig.output.c1.4
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cca121b789adffadb783df" dig.output.c1.5
+then
+	echo "C.1.5. Configured secrets prefered over dynamic secrets"
+else
+	echo "C.1.5. Error on configured secrets over dynamic secrets preference"
+	cat dig.output.c1.5
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cca121b789adffadb783df" dig.output.c1.7
+then
+	echo "C.1.7. Cookie secrets remain after broken reconfig"
+else
+	echo "C.1.7. Cookie secrets did not remain after broken reconfig"
+	cat dig.output.c1.7
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cca1218cf0b73f53bc2520" dig.output.c1.9
+then
+	echo "C.1.9. Active server cookie from file matched again"
+else
+	echo "C.1.9. Active server cookie from file failed to match again"
+	cat dig.output.c1.9
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+
+exit $ERRORS
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.C2 b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.C2
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b1dc8a7e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.C2
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+# #-- dns-cookies.pre--#
+# source the master var file when it's there
+[ -f ../.tpkg.var.master ] && source ../.tpkg.var.master
+# use .tpkg.var.test for in test variable passing
+[ -f .tpkg.var.test ] && source .tpkg.var.test
+. ../common.sh
+
+mkdir -p var/db/nsd
+mkdir -p var/run
+mkdir -p var/log
+mkdir -p etc/nsd
+
+mount --bind var /var
+mount --bind etc /etc
+
+cp -p dns-cookies.nsd_control.key /etc/nsd/nsd_control.key
+cp -p dns-cookies.nsd_control.pem /etc/nsd/nsd_control.pem
+cp -p dns-cookies.nsd_server.key /etc/nsd/nsd_server.key
+cp -p dns-cookies.nsd_server.pem /etc/nsd/nsd_server.pem
+
+cat << EOF > /etc/nsd/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt
+dd3bdf9344b678b185a6f5cb60fca715
+445536bcd2513298075a5d379663c962
+EOF
+
+# set environment interfaces
+ip address add 198.51.100.100 dev lo
+ip link set dev lo up
+
+# set NSD environment variables
+PRE="../.."
+TPKG_NSD_PID=`grep '^#define PIDFILE ' ../../config.h | sed -e 's/^[^"]*"//g' -e 's/"[^"]*$//g'`
+TPKG_NSD="$PRE/nsd"
+TPKG_NSD_CONTROL="$PRE/nsd-control"
+
+
+# start nsd with faketime
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2024-08-28 14:49:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.defaults.conf &
+sleep .1
+
+echo "faketime nsd instance C2 running"
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c2.1
+
+$TPKG_NSD_CONTROL -c dns-cookies.defaults.conf activate_cookie_secret
+
+sleep .1
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c2.2
+
+kill `cat /var/run/nsd.pid`
+sleep .1
+
+TZ=UTC faketime -f '2024-08-28 14:49:05' $TPKG_NSD -c dns-cookies.defaults.conf &
+sleep .1
+
+dig @198.51.100.100 +cookie=2464c4abcf10c957 > dig.output.c2.3
+
+kill `cat /var/run/nsd.pid`
+sleep .1
+rm -fr etc
+rm -fr var
+ERRORS=0
+
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cf38e136666f01c0260ed1" dig.output.c2.1
+then
+	echo "C.2.1 Old location cookie matched"
+else
+	echo "C.2.1 Old location cookie failed to match"
+	cat dig.output.c2.1
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cf38e1a75842528f29e33d" dig.output.c2.2
+then
+	echo "C.2.2 Automatic cookie secret file migration worked"
+else
+	echo "C.2.2 Automatic cookie secret file migration did not worked"
+	cat dig.output.c2.2
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+if grep -q "2464c4abcf10c9570100000066cf38e1a75842528f29e33d" dig.output.c2.3
+then
+	echo "C.2.3 Restart read cookies from new default secret file location"
+else
+	echo "C.2.3 Restart did not read cookies from new default secret file location"
+	cat dig.output.c2.3
+	ERRORS=1
+fi
+exit $ERRORS
diff --git a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.conf b/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.conf
deleted file mode 100644
index a14750f57..000000000
--- a/tpkg/dns-cookies.tdir/dns-cookies.test.conf
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,17 +0,0 @@
-server:
-    username: ""
-    zonesdir: ""
-    xfrdfile: ""
-    cookie-secret-file: "cookiesecrets.txt"
-    answer-cookie: yes
-    logfile: "nsd.log"
-    ip-address: lo
-
-    cookie-secret: "e5e973e5a6b2a43f48e7dc849e37bfcf"
-
-remote-control:
-    control-enable: yes
-    control-key-file: "nsd_control.key"
-    control-cert-file: "nsd_control.pem"
-    server-key-file: "nsd_server.key"
-    server-cert-file: "nsd_server.pem"
diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index 624f72d0d..e598695b7 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <errno.h>
+#ifdef HAVE_OPENSSL_RAND_H
+#include <openssl/rand.h>
+#endif
 #include <stdarg.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
@@ -37,6 +40,7 @@
 #include "rdata.h"
 #include "zonec.h"
 #include "nsd.h"
+#include "options.h"
 
 #ifdef USE_MMAP_ALLOC
 #include <sys/mman.h>
@@ -1170,3 +1174,133 @@ void drop_cookie_secret(struct nsd* nsd)
 	              , NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
 	nsd->cookie_count -= 1;
 }
+
+void reconfig_cookies(struct nsd* nsd, struct nsd_options* options)
+{
+	cookie_secret_type cookie_secrets[NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE];
+	char secret[NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE * 2 + 2/*'\n' and '\0'*/];
+	FILE* f = NULL;
+	size_t count = 0;
+	const char* fn;
+	size_t i, j;
+
+	nsd->do_answer_cookie = options->answer_cookie;
+
+	/* Cookie secrets in the configuration file take precedence */
+	if(options->cookie_secret) {
+		ssize_t len = hex_pton(options->cookie_secret,
+				nsd->cookie_secrets[0].cookie_secret,
+				NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+
+		/* Cookie length guaranteed in configparser.y */
+		assert(len == NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+		nsd->cookie_count = 1;
+		if(options->cookie_staging_secret) {
+			len = hex_pton(options->cookie_staging_secret,
+					nsd->cookie_secrets[1].cookie_secret,
+					NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+			/* Cookie length guaranteed in configparser.y */
+			assert(len == NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+			nsd->cookie_count = 2;
+		}
+		/*************************************************************/
+		nsd->cookie_secrets_source = COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_CONFIG;
+		return;
+		/*************************************************************/
+	}
+	/* Are cookies from file explicitly disabled? */
+	if(!(fn = nsd->options->cookie_secret_file))
+		goto generate_cookie_secrets;
+
+	else if((f = fopen(fn, "r")) != NULL)
+		; /* pass */
+
+	/* a non-existing cookie file is not necessarily an error */
+	else if(errno != ENOENT) {
+		log_msg( LOG_ERR
+		       , "error reading cookie secret file \"%s\": \"%s\""
+		       , fn, strerror(errno));
+		goto generate_cookie_secrets;
+
+	/* Only at startup cookie_secrets_source == COOKIE_SECRETS_NONE.
+	 * Only then the previous default file location will be tried
+	 * when the current default file location didn't exist.
+	 */
+	} else if(nsd->cookie_secrets_source == COOKIE_SECRETS_NONE
+	       && nsd->options->cookie_secret_file_is_default
+	       && (f = fopen((fn = CONFIGDIR"/nsd_cookiesecrets.txt"),"r")))
+		; /* pass */
+
+	else if(errno != ENOENT) {
+		log_msg( LOG_ERR
+		       , "error reading cookie secret file \"%s\": \"%s\""
+		       , fn, strerror(errno));
+		goto generate_cookie_secrets;
+	} else
+		goto generate_cookie_secrets;
+
+	/* cookie secret file exists and is readable */
+	for( count = 0; count < NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE; count++ ) {
+		size_t secret_len = 0;
+		ssize_t decoded_len = 0;
+		if( fgets(secret, sizeof(secret), f) == NULL ) { break; }
+		secret_len = strlen(secret);
+		if( secret_len == 0 ) { break; }
+		assert( secret_len <= sizeof(secret) );
+		secret_len = secret[secret_len - 1] == '\n' ? secret_len - 1 : secret_len;
+		if( secret_len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE * 2 ) {
+			fclose(f);
+			log_msg( LOG_ERR
+			       , "error parsing cookie secret file \"%s\""
+			       , fn);
+			explicit_bzero(cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets));
+			explicit_bzero(secret, sizeof(secret));
+			goto generate_cookie_secrets;
+		}
+		/* needed for `hex_pton`; stripping potential `\n` */
+		secret[secret_len] = '\0';
+		decoded_len = hex_pton(secret, cookie_secrets[count].cookie_secret,
+		                       NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE);
+		if( decoded_len != NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE ) {
+			fclose(f);
+			log_msg( LOG_ERR
+			       , "error parsing cookie secret file \"%s\""
+			       , fn);
+			explicit_bzero(cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets));
+			explicit_bzero(secret, sizeof(secret));
+			goto generate_cookie_secrets;
+		}
+		explicit_bzero(secret, sizeof(secret));
+	}
+	fclose(f);
+	if(count) {
+		nsd->cookie_count = count;
+		memcpy(nsd->cookie_secrets, cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets));
+		region_str_replace(  nsd->region
+		                  , &nsd->cookie_secrets_filename, fn );
+		explicit_bzero(cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets));
+		/*************************************************************/
+		nsd->cookie_secrets_source = COOKIE_SECRETS_FROM_FILE;
+		return;
+		/*************************************************************/
+	}
+	explicit_bzero(cookie_secrets, sizeof(cookie_secrets));
+
+generate_cookie_secrets:
+	/* Calculate a new random secret */
+	srandom(getpid() ^ time(NULL));
+
+	for( j = 0; j < NSD_COOKIE_HISTORY_SIZE; j++) {
+#if defined(HAVE_SSL)
+		if (!RAND_status()
+		||  !RAND_bytes(nsd->cookie_secrets[j].cookie_secret, NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE))
+#endif
+		for (i = 0; i < NSD_COOKIE_SECRET_SIZE; i++)
+			nsd->cookie_secrets[j].cookie_secret[i] = random_generate(256);
+	}
+	nsd->cookie_count = 1;
+	/*********************************************************************/
+	nsd->cookie_secrets_source = COOKIE_SECRETS_GENERATED;
+	/*********************************************************************/
+}
+
diff --git a/util.h b/util.h
index b18901464..aedc94cb9 100644
--- a/util.h
+++ b/util.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ struct rr;
 struct buffer;
 struct region;
 struct nsd;
+struct nsd_options;
 
 #ifdef HAVE_SYSLOG_H
 #  include <syslog.h>
@@ -438,4 +439,7 @@ void activate_cookie_secret(struct nsd* nsd);
 /* Drop a cookie secret. Drops the staging secret. An active secret will not
  * be dropped. */
 void drop_cookie_secret(struct nsd* nsd);
+/* Configure nsd struct with how to respond to DNS Cookies based on options */
+void reconfig_cookies(struct nsd* nsd, struct nsd_options* options);
+
 #endif /* UTIL_H */