diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index c8ef33fed3..4eaa6bd7b0 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+1225.	[func]		dns_message_setopt() no longer requires that
+			dns_message_renderbegin() to have been called.
+
 1234.	[bug]		'rrset-order' and 'sortlist' should be additive
 			not exclusive.
 
diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h
index 8bed32a3a6..0b26f642fe 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/message.h
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: message.h,v 1.108 2002/02/20 03:34:32 marka Exp $ */
+/* $Id: message.h,v 1.109 2002/03/11 01:59:16 marka Exp $ */
 
 #ifndef DNS_MESSAGE_H
 #define DNS_MESSAGE_H 1
@@ -975,9 +975,8 @@ dns_message_setopt(dns_message_t *msg, dns_rdataset_t *opt);
  *
  * Requires:
  *
- *	'msg' is a valid message with rendering intent,
- *	dns_message_renderbegin() has been called, and no sections have been
- *	rendered.
+ *	'msg' is a valid message with rendering intent
+ *	and no sections have been rendered.
  *
  *	'opt' is a valid OPT record.
  *
diff --git a/lib/dns/message.c b/lib/dns/message.c
index 5d51a0709b..5878928af4 100644
--- a/lib/dns/message.c
+++ b/lib/dns/message.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: message.c,v 1.210 2002/02/28 05:13:57 marka Exp $ */
+/* $Id: message.c,v 1.211 2002/03/11 01:59:15 marka Exp $ */
 
 /***
  *** Imports
@@ -2411,7 +2411,6 @@ dns_message_setopt(dns_message_t *msg, dns_rdataset_t *opt) {
 	REQUIRE(DNS_MESSAGE_VALID(msg));
 	REQUIRE(opt->type == dns_rdatatype_opt);
 	REQUIRE(msg->from_to_wire == DNS_MESSAGE_INTENTRENDER);
-	REQUIRE(msg->buffer != NULL);
 	REQUIRE(msg->state == DNS_SECTION_ANY);
 
 	msgresetopt(msg);