diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 283164758b..917644face 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+
+ 701.	[func]		Root hints are now fully optional.  Class IN
+			views use compiled-in hints by default, as
+			before.  Non-IN views with no root hints now
+			provide authoritative service but not recursion.
+			A warning is logged if a view has neither root
+			hints nor authoritative data for the root. [RT #696]
+
  700.	[bug]		$GENERATE range check was wrong. [RT #688]
 
  699.	[bug]		The lexer mishandled empty quoted strings. [RT #694]
diff --git a/bin/named/query.c b/bin/named/query.c
index cd95fec5ba..43aee30e00 100644
--- a/bin/named/query.c
+++ b/bin/named/query.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: query.c,v 1.174 2001/01/11 20:48:27 gson Exp $ */
+/* $Id: query.c,v 1.175 2001/01/22 19:21:19 gson Exp $ */
 
 #include <config.h>
 
@@ -2567,13 +2567,19 @@ query_find(ns_client_t *client, dns_fetchevent_t *event, dns_rdatatype_t qtype)
 		 * the hints DB.
 		 */
 		INSIST(!is_zone);
-		INSIST(client->view->hints != NULL);
 		if (db != NULL)
 			dns_db_detach(&db);
-		dns_db_attach(client->view->hints, &db);
-		result = dns_db_find(db, dns_rootname, NULL, dns_rdatatype_ns,
-				     0, client->now, &node, fname,
-				     rdataset, sigrdataset);
+
+		if (client->view->hints == NULL) {
+			/* We have no hints. */
+			result = ISC_R_FAILURE;
+		} else {
+			dns_db_attach(client->view->hints, &db);
+			result = dns_db_find(db, dns_rootname,
+					     NULL, dns_rdatatype_ns,
+					     0, client->now, &node, fname,
+					     rdataset, sigrdataset);
+		}
 		if (result != ISC_R_SUCCESS) {
 			/*
 			 * We can't even find the hints for the root
diff --git a/bin/named/server.c b/bin/named/server.c
index 211856b78e..404c026a83 100644
--- a/bin/named/server.c
+++ b/bin/named/server.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: server.c,v 1.282 2001/01/18 00:14:20 bwelling Exp $ */
+/* $Id: server.c,v 1.283 2001/01/22 19:21:18 gson Exp $ */
 
 #include <config.h>
 
@@ -562,15 +562,23 @@ configure_view(dns_view_t *view, dns_c_ctx_t *cctx, dns_c_view_t *cview,
 
 	/*
 	 * If we still have no hints, this is a non-IN view with no
-	 * "hints zone" configured.  That's an error.
+	 * "hints zone" configured.  Issue a warning, except if this
+	 * is a root server.  Root servers never need to consult 
+	 * their hints, so it's no point requireing users to configure
+	 * them.
 	 */
 	if (view->hints == NULL) {
-		isc_log_write(ns_g_lctx, NS_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL,
-			      NS_LOGMODULE_SERVER, ISC_LOG_ERROR,
-			      "no root hints for view '%s'",
-			      cview == NULL ? "<default>" : cview->name);
-		result = ISC_R_FAILURE;
-		goto cleanup;
+		dns_zone_t *rootzone = NULL;
+		dns_view_findzone(view, dns_rootname, &rootzone);
+		if (rootzone != NULL) {
+			dns_zone_detach(&rootzone);
+		} else {
+			isc_log_write(ns_g_lctx, NS_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL,
+				      NS_LOGMODULE_SERVER, ISC_LOG_WARNING,
+				      "no root hints for view '%s'",
+				      cview == NULL ? "<default>" :
+				      			cview->name);
+		}
 	}
 
 	/*