diff --git a/lib/dns/catz.c b/lib/dns/catz.c
index f02784c659..c878c79287 100644
--- a/lib/dns/catz.c
+++ b/lib/dns/catz.c
@@ -2096,6 +2096,7 @@ dns__catz_timer_cb(void *arg) {
 	LOCK(&catz->catzs->lock);
 
 	INSIST(DNS_DB_VALID(catz->db));
+	INSIST(catz->dbversion != NULL);
 	INSIST(catz->updb == NULL);
 	INSIST(catz->updbversion == NULL);
 
@@ -2103,12 +2104,22 @@ dns__catz_timer_cb(void *arg) {
 	catz->updaterunning = true;
 	catz->updateresult = ISC_R_UNSET;
 
+	dns_name_format(&catz->name, domain, DNS_NAME_FORMATSIZE);
+
+	if (!catz->active) {
+		isc_log_write(dns_lctx, DNS_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL,
+			      DNS_LOGMODULE_MASTER, ISC_LOG_INFO,
+			      "catz: %s: no longer active, reload is canceled",
+			      domain);
+		catz->updaterunning = false;
+		catz->updateresult = ISC_R_CANCELED;
+		goto exit;
+	}
+
 	dns_db_attach(catz->db, &catz->updb);
-	INSIST(catz->dbversion != NULL);
 	catz->updbversion = catz->dbversion;
 	catz->dbversion = NULL;
 
-	dns_name_format(&catz->name, domain, DNS_NAME_FORMATSIZE);
 	isc_log_write(dns_lctx, DNS_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL, DNS_LOGMODULE_MASTER,
 		      ISC_LOG_INFO, "catz: %s: reload start", domain);
 
@@ -2116,6 +2127,7 @@ dns__catz_timer_cb(void *arg) {
 	isc_work_enqueue(catz->loop, dns__catz_update_cb, dns__catz_done_cb,
 			 catz);
 
+exit:
 	isc_timer_destroy(&catz->updatetimer);
 	catz->loop = NULL;