diff --git a/bin/named/zoneconf.c b/bin/named/zoneconf.c
index fbaea80128..d5ed4db571 100644
--- a/bin/named/zoneconf.c
+++ b/bin/named/zoneconf.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: zoneconf.c,v 1.70 2000/11/18 00:57:23 gson Exp $ */
+/* $Id: zoneconf.c,v 1.71 2000/11/18 02:54:22 gson Exp $ */
 
 #include <config.h>
 
@@ -207,11 +207,9 @@ dns_zone_configure(dns_c_ctx_t *cctx, dns_c_view_t *cview,
 	isc_mem_put(mctx, dbargv, dbargc * sizeof(*dbargv));
 
 	result = dns_c_zone_getfile(czone, &filename);
-	if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS)
-		RETERR(dns_zone_setfile(zone, filename));
-	else if (czone->ztype != dns_c_zone_slave &&
-		 czone->ztype != dns_c_zone_stub)
-		return (result);
+	if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS)
+		filename = NULL;
+	RETERR(dns_zone_setfile(zone, filename));
 
 #ifdef notyet
 	result = dns_c_zone_getchecknames(czone, &severity);
diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/zone.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/zone.h
index b795ff7516..fb8b0ad2a4 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/zone.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/zone.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: zone.h,v 1.90 2000/11/18 00:57:22 gson Exp $ */
+/* $Id: zone.h,v 1.91 2000/11/18 02:54:19 gson Exp $ */
 
 #ifndef DNS_ZONE_H
 #define DNS_ZONE_H 1
@@ -186,14 +186,14 @@ isc_result_t
 dns_zone_setfile(dns_zone_t *zone, const char *file);
 /*
  *	Sets the name of the master file from which the zone
- *	loads its database.
+ *	loads its database to 'file'.  For zones that have
+ *	no associated master file, 'file' will be NULL.
  *
  *	For zones with persistent databases, the file name
- *	is ignored.
+ *	setting is ignored.
  *
  * Require:
  *	'zone' to be a valid zone.
- *	'file' to be non-NULL.
  *
  * Returns:
  *	ISC_R_NOMEMORY
@@ -843,11 +843,11 @@ dns_zone_setjournal(dns_zone_t *zone, const char *journal);
 /*
  * Sets the filename used for journaling updates / IXFR transfers.
  * The default journal name is set by dns_zone_setfile() to be
- * "file.jnl".
+ * "file.jnl".  If 'journal' is NULL, the zone will have no
+ * journal name.
  *
  * Requires:
  *	'zone' to be a valid zone.
- *	'journal' to be non-NULL.
  *
  * Returns:
  *	ISC_R_SUCCESS
@@ -858,7 +858,7 @@ char *
 dns_zone_getjournal(dns_zone_t *zone);
 /*
  * Returns the journal name associated with this zone.
- * If not journal has been set this will be NULL.
+ * If no journal has been set this will be NULL.
  *
  * Requires:
  *	'zone' to be valid initialised zone.
diff --git a/lib/dns/zone.c b/lib/dns/zone.c
index 2ed42a1d7d..70fe9f7317 100644
--- a/lib/dns/zone.c
+++ b/lib/dns/zone.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: zone.c,v 1.254 2000/11/18 00:57:20 gson Exp $ */
+/* $Id: zone.c,v 1.255 2000/11/18 02:54:18 gson Exp $ */
 
 #include <config.h>
 
@@ -759,22 +759,37 @@ dns_zone_setorigin(dns_zone_t *zone, dns_name_t *origin) {
 	return (result);
 }
 
+	
+static isc_result_t
+dns_zone_setstring(dns_zone_t *zone, char **field, const char *value) {
+	char *copy;
+	if (value != NULL) {
+		copy = isc_mem_strdup(zone->mctx, value);
+		if (copy == NULL)
+			return (ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
+	} else {
+		copy = NULL;
+	}
+
+	if (*field != NULL)
+		isc_mem_free(zone->mctx, *field);
+
+	*field = copy;
+	return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+}	
+
 isc_result_t
 dns_zone_setfile(dns_zone_t *zone, const char *file) {
 	isc_result_t result = ISC_R_SUCCESS;
 
 	REQUIRE(DNS_ZONE_VALID(zone));
-	REQUIRE(file != NULL);
 
 	LOCK(&zone->lock);
-	if (zone->masterfile != NULL)
-		isc_mem_free(zone->mctx, zone->masterfile);
-	zone->masterfile = isc_mem_strdup(zone->mctx, file);
-	if (zone->masterfile == NULL)
-		result = ISC_R_NOMEMORY;
-	else
+	result = dns_zone_setstring(zone, &zone->masterfile, file);
+	if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS)
 		result = default_journal(zone);
 	UNLOCK(&zone->lock);
+
 	return (result);
 }
 
@@ -787,20 +802,26 @@ dns_zone_getfile(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 
 static isc_result_t
 default_journal(dns_zone_t *zone) {
-	int len;
+	isc_result_t result;
+	char *journal;
 
 	REQUIRE(DNS_ZONE_VALID(zone));
-	REQUIRE(zone->masterfile != NULL);
 
-	if (zone->journal != NULL)
-		isc_mem_free(zone->mctx, zone->journal);
-	len = strlen(zone->masterfile) + sizeof ".jnl"; 	/* includes '\0' */
-	zone->journal = isc_mem_allocate(zone->mctx, len);
-	if (zone->journal == NULL)
-		return (ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
-	strcpy(zone->journal, zone->masterfile);
-	strcat(zone->journal, ".jnl");
-	return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+	if (zone->masterfile != NULL) {
+		/* Calculate string length including '\0'. */
+		int len = strlen(zone->masterfile) + sizeof ".jnl";
+		journal = isc_mem_allocate(zone->mctx, len);
+		if (journal == NULL)
+			return (ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
+		strcpy(journal, zone->masterfile);
+		strcat(journal, ".jnl");
+	} else {
+		journal = NULL;
+	}
+	result = dns_zone_setstring(zone, &zone->journal, journal);
+	if (journal != NULL)
+		isc_mem_free(zone->mctx, journal);
+	return (result);
 }
 
 isc_result_t
@@ -808,15 +829,11 @@ dns_zone_setjournal(dns_zone_t *zone, const char *journal) {
 	isc_result_t result = ISC_R_SUCCESS;
 
 	REQUIRE(DNS_ZONE_VALID(zone));
-	REQUIRE(journal != NULL);
 
 	LOCK(&zone->lock);
-	if (zone->journal != NULL)
-		isc_mem_free(zone->mctx, zone->journal);
-	zone->journal = isc_mem_strdup(zone->mctx, journal);
-	if (zone->journal == NULL)
-		result = ISC_R_NOMEMORY;
+	result = dns_zone_setstring(zone, &zone->journal, journal);	
 	UNLOCK(&zone->lock);
+
 	return (result);
 }
 
@@ -842,10 +859,14 @@ dns_zone_load(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 
 	INSIST(zone->type != dns_zone_none);
 
-	if (zone->masterfile == NULL) {
+	if (zone->db != NULL && zone->masterfile == NULL) {
 		/*
-		 * The zone has no master file (maybe it is the built-in
-		 * version.bind. CH zone).  Do nothing.
+		 * The zone has no master file configured, but it already
+		 * has a database.  It could be the built-in
+		 * version.bind. CH zone, a zone with a persistent
+		 * database being reloaded, or maybe a zone that
+		 * used to have a master file but whose configuration
+		 * was changed so that it no longer has one.  Do nothing.
 		 */
 		result = ISC_R_SUCCESS;
 		goto cleanup;
@@ -858,13 +879,14 @@ dns_zone_load(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 	 * than the last time the zone was loaded.  If the zone has not
 	 * been loaded yet, zone->loadtime will be the epoch.
 	 */
-	if (!DNS_ZONE_FLAG(zone, DNS_ZONEFLG_HASINCLUDE)) {
+	if (zone->masterfile != NULL &&
+	    ! DNS_ZONE_FLAG(zone, DNS_ZONEFLG_HASINCLUDE)) {
 		result = isc_file_getmodtime(zone->masterfile, &filetime);
 		if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS &&
 		    !isc_time_isepoch(&zone->loadtime) &&
 		    isc_time_compare(&filetime, &zone->loadtime) < 0) {
 			zone_log(zone, me, ISC_LOG_DEBUG(1),
-				 "skipping: database file older"
+				 "skipping: master file older"
 				 " than last load");
 			result = ISC_R_SUCCESS;
 			goto cleanup;
@@ -895,8 +917,16 @@ dns_zone_load(dns_zone_t *zone) {
 		goto cleanup;
 	}
 
-	if (!dns_db_ispersistent(db))
-		result = zone_startload(db, zone, loadtime);
+	if (! dns_db_ispersistent(db)) {
+		if (zone->masterfile != NULL) {
+			result = zone_startload(db, zone, loadtime);
+		} else {
+			if (zone->type == dns_zone_master) {
+				zone_log(zone, me, ISC_LOG_ERROR,
+					 "no master file configured");
+			}
+		}
+	}
 
 	if (result == DNS_R_CONTINUE) {
 		zone->flags |= DNS_ZONEFLG_LOADING;
@@ -1015,7 +1045,7 @@ zone_postload(dns_zone_t *zone, dns_db_t *db, isc_time_t loadtime,
 		    zone->type == dns_zone_stub) {
 			if (result == ISC_R_FILENOTFOUND)
 				zone_log(zone, me, ISC_LOG_INFO,
-					 "no database file");
+					 "no master file");
 			else
 				zone_log(zone, me, ISC_LOG_ERROR,
 					 "loading master file %s: %s",