diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/rdataslab.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/rdataslab.h
index ff2057808f..cf2c8f1567 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/rdataslab.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/rdataslab.h
@@ -70,9 +70,12 @@ struct dns_slabheader {
 	/*%
 	 * Locked by the owning node's lock.
 	 */
-	dns_trust_t    trust;
-	uint32_t       serial;
-	isc_stdtime_t  expire;
+	dns_trust_t trust;
+	uint32_t    serial;
+	union {
+		isc_stdtime_t expire;
+		dns_ttl_t     ttl;
+	};
 	dns_typepair_t type;
 
 	_Atomic(uint16_t) count;
diff --git a/lib/dns/qpzone.c b/lib/dns/qpzone.c
index 9771163fdc..43160741e2 100644
--- a/lib/dns/qpzone.c
+++ b/lib/dns/qpzone.c
@@ -265,7 +265,6 @@ typedef struct {
 	dns_slabheader_t *zonecut_header;
 	dns_slabheader_t *zonecut_sigheader;
 	dns_fixedname_t zonecut_name;
-	isc_stdtime_t now;
 } qpz_search_t;
 
 /*%
@@ -273,7 +272,6 @@ typedef struct {
  */
 typedef struct {
 	dns_db_t *db;
-	isc_stdtime_t now;
 	dns_qp_t *tree;
 	dns_qp_t *nsec;
 	dns_qp_t *nsec3;
@@ -972,7 +970,7 @@ unref:
 
 static void
 bindrdataset(qpzonedb_t *qpdb, qpznode_t *node, dns_slabheader_t *header,
-	     isc_stdtime_t now, dns_rdataset_t *rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG) {
+	     dns_rdataset_t *rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG) {
 	if (rdataset == NULL) {
 		return;
 	}
@@ -985,7 +983,7 @@ bindrdataset(qpzonedb_t *qpdb, qpznode_t *node, dns_slabheader_t *header,
 	rdataset->rdclass = qpdb->common.rdclass;
 	rdataset->type = DNS_TYPEPAIR_TYPE(header->type);
 	rdataset->covers = DNS_TYPEPAIR_COVERS(header->type);
-	rdataset->ttl = header->expire - now;
+	rdataset->ttl = header->ttl;
 	rdataset->trust = header->trust;
 
 	if (OPTOUT(header)) {
@@ -1622,9 +1620,9 @@ qpzone_findrdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 		}
 	}
 	if (found != NULL) {
-		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, found, 0, rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
+		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, found, rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 		if (foundsig != NULL) {
-			bindrdataset(qpdb, node, foundsig, 0,
+			bindrdataset(qpdb, node, foundsig,
 				     sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 		}
 	}
@@ -1827,7 +1825,7 @@ static isc_result_t
 add(qpzonedb_t *qpdb, qpznode_t *node, const dns_name_t *nodename,
     qpz_version_t *version, dns_slabheader_t *newheader, unsigned int options,
     bool loading, dns_rdataset_t *addedrdataset,
-    isc_stdtime_t now DNS__DB_FLARG) {
+    isc_stdtime_t now ISC_ATTR_UNUSED DNS__DB_FLARG) {
 	qpz_changed_t *changed = NULL;
 	dns_slabheader_t *topheader = NULL, *topheader_prev = NULL;
 	dns_slabheader_t *prioheader = NULL;
@@ -1890,10 +1888,10 @@ add(qpzonedb_t *qpdb, qpznode_t *node, const dns_name_t *nodename,
 				flags |= DNS_RDATASLAB_EXACT;
 			}
 			if ((options & DNS_DBADD_EXACTTTL) != 0 &&
-			    newheader->expire != header->expire)
+			    newheader->ttl != header->ttl)
 			{
 				result = DNS_R_NOTEXACT;
-			} else if (newheader->expire != header->expire) {
+			} else if (newheader->ttl != header->ttl) {
 				flags |= DNS_RDATASLAB_FORCE;
 			}
 			if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
@@ -2064,7 +2062,7 @@ add(qpzonedb_t *qpdb, qpznode_t *node, const dns_name_t *nodename,
 	}
 
 	if (addedrdataset != NULL) {
-		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, newheader, now,
+		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, newheader,
 			     addedrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 	}
 
@@ -2181,7 +2179,7 @@ loading_addrdataset(void *arg, const dns_name_t *name,
 	newheader = (dns_slabheader_t *)region.base;
 	*newheader = (dns_slabheader_t){
 		.type = DNS_TYPEPAIR_VALUE(rdataset->type, rdataset->covers),
-		.expire = rdataset->ttl + loadctx->now,
+		.ttl = rdataset->ttl,
 		.trust = rdataset->trust,
 		.node = (dns_dbnode_t *)node,
 		.serial = 1,
@@ -2667,10 +2665,10 @@ qpzone_setup_delegation(qpz_search_t *search, dns_dbnode_t **nodep,
 		isc_rwlock_t *nlock = &search->qpdb->node_locks[node->locknum];
 		NODE_RDLOCK(nlock, &nlocktype);
 		bindrdataset(search->qpdb, node, search->zonecut_header,
-			     search->now, rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
+			     rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 		if (sigrdataset != NULL && search->zonecut_sigheader != NULL) {
 			bindrdataset(search->qpdb, node,
-				     search->zonecut_sigheader, search->now,
+				     search->zonecut_sigheader,
 				     sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 		}
 		NODE_UNLOCK(nlock, &nlocktype);
@@ -3155,12 +3153,12 @@ again:
 					*nodep = (dns_dbnode_t *)node;
 				}
 				bindrdataset(search->qpdb, node, found,
-					     search->now,
+
 					     rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 				if (foundsig != NULL) {
 					bindrdataset(
 						search->qpdb, node, foundsig,
-						search->now,
+
 						sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 				}
 			} else if (found == NULL && foundsig == NULL) {
@@ -3758,10 +3756,10 @@ found:
 			*nodep = (dns_dbnode_t *)node;
 		}
 		if (search.version->secure && !search.version->havensec3) {
-			bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, nsecheader, 0,
+			bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, nsecheader,
 				     rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 			if (nsecsig != NULL) {
-				bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, nsecsig, 0,
+				bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, nsecsig,
 					     sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 			}
 		}
@@ -3826,10 +3824,10 @@ found:
 	}
 
 	if (type != dns_rdatatype_any) {
-		bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, found, 0,
+		bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, found,
 			     rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 		if (foundsig != NULL) {
-			bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, foundsig, 0,
+			bindrdataset(search.qpdb, node, foundsig,
 				     sigrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 		}
 	}
@@ -4186,8 +4184,7 @@ rdatasetiter_current(dns_rdatasetiter_t *iterator,
 
 	NODE_RDLOCK(nlock, &nlocktype);
 
-	bindrdataset(qpdb, node, header, qrditer->common.now,
-		     rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
+	bindrdataset(qpdb, node, header, rdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 
 	NODE_UNLOCK(nlock, &nlocktype);
 }
@@ -4687,7 +4684,7 @@ qpzone_addrdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 	};
 
 	dns_slabheader_reset(newheader, db, (dns_dbnode_t *)node);
-	newheader->expire = rdataset->ttl;
+	newheader->ttl = rdataset->ttl;
 	if (rdataset->ttl == 0U) {
 		DNS_SLABHEADER_SETATTR(newheader, DNS_SLABHEADERATTR_ZEROTTL);
 	}
@@ -4802,7 +4799,7 @@ qpzone_subtractrdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 
 	newheader = (dns_slabheader_t *)region.base;
 	dns_slabheader_reset(newheader, db, (dns_dbnode_t *)node);
-	newheader->expire = rdataset->ttl;
+	newheader->ttl = rdataset->ttl;
 	newheader->type = DNS_TYPEPAIR_VALUE(rdataset->type, rdataset->covers);
 	atomic_init(&newheader->attributes, 0);
 	newheader->serial = version->serial;
@@ -4852,7 +4849,7 @@ qpzone_subtractrdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 		result = ISC_R_SUCCESS;
 		if ((options & DNS_DBSUB_EXACT) != 0) {
 			flags |= DNS_RDATASLAB_EXACT;
-			if (newheader->expire != header->expire) {
+			if (newheader->ttl != header->ttl) {
 				result = DNS_R_NOTEXACT;
 			}
 		}
@@ -4899,7 +4896,7 @@ qpzone_subtractrdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 			dns_slabheader_destroy(&newheader);
 			newheader = dns_slabheader_new((dns_db_t *)qpdb,
 						       (dns_dbnode_t *)node);
-			newheader->expire = 0;
+			newheader->ttl = 0;
 			newheader->type = topheader->type;
 			atomic_init(&newheader->attributes,
 				    DNS_SLABHEADERATTR_NONEXISTENT);
@@ -4941,14 +4938,14 @@ qpzone_subtractrdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 	}
 
 	if (result == ISC_R_SUCCESS && newrdataset != NULL) {
-		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, newheader, 0,
+		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, newheader,
 			     newrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 	}
 
 	if (result == DNS_R_NXRRSET && newrdataset != NULL &&
 	    (options & DNS_DBSUB_WANTOLD) != 0)
 	{
-		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, header, 0,
+		bindrdataset(qpdb, node, header,
 			     newrdataset DNS__DB_FLARG_PASS);
 	}
 
@@ -4983,7 +4980,7 @@ qpzone_deleterdataset(dns_db_t *db, dns_dbnode_t *dbnode,
 
 	newheader = dns_slabheader_new(db, (dns_dbnode_t *)node);
 	newheader->type = DNS_TYPEPAIR_VALUE(type, covers);
-	newheader->expire = 0;
+	newheader->ttl = 0;
 	atomic_init(&newheader->attributes, DNS_SLABHEADERATTR_NONEXISTENT);
 	newheader->serial = version->serial;