diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 6cabbd86d7..6701087549 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2292.	[bug]		Log if the working directory is not writable.
+			[RT #17312]
+
+2291.   [bug]           PR_SET_DUMPABLE may be set too late.  Also report
+			failure to set PR_SET_DUMPABLE. [RT #17312]
+
 2290.	[bug]		Let AD in the query signal that the client wants AD
 			set in the response. [RT #17301]
 
diff --git a/bin/named/server.c b/bin/named/server.c
index 09496eacf3..86f7529881 100644
--- a/bin/named/server.c
+++ b/bin/named/server.c
@@ -15,13 +15,14 @@
  * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: server.c,v 1.495 2007/12/14 04:01:20 marka Exp $ */
+/* $Id: server.c,v 1.496 2008/01/09 04:48:33 marka Exp $ */
 
 /*! \file */
 
 #include <config.h>
 
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #include <isc/app.h>
 #include <isc/base64.h>
@@ -2934,6 +2935,15 @@ load_configuration(const char *filename, ns_server_t *server,
 	}
 	CHECK(result);
 
+	/*
+	 * Check that the working directory is writable.
+	 */
+	if (access(".", W_OK) != 0) {
+		isc_log_write(ns_g_lctx, NS_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL,
+			      NS_LOGMODULE_SERVER, ISC_LOG_ERROR,
+			      "the working directory is not writable");
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Check the validity of the configuration.
 	 */
diff --git a/bin/named/unix/os.c b/bin/named/unix/os.c
index 206deba44f..38652e1210 100644
--- a/bin/named/unix/os.c
+++ b/bin/named/unix/os.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: os.c,v 1.79 2007/06/19 23:46:59 tbox Exp $ */
+/* $Id: os.c,v 1.80 2008/01/09 04:48:33 marka Exp $ */
 
 /*! \file */
 
@@ -496,15 +496,19 @@ ns_os_changeuser(void) {
 		ns_main_earlyfatal("setuid(): %s", strbuf);
 	}
 
-#if defined(HAVE_LINUX_CAPABILITY_H) && !defined(HAVE_LINUXTHREADS)
-	linux_minprivs();
-#endif
 #if defined(HAVE_SYS_PRCTL_H) && defined(PR_SET_DUMPABLE)
 	/*
 	 * Restore the ability of named to drop core after the setuid()
 	 * call has disabled it.
 	 */
-	prctl(PR_SET_DUMPABLE,1,0,0,0);
+	if (prctl(PR_SET_DUMPABLE,1,0,0,0) < 0) {
+		isc__strerror(errno, strbuf, sizeof(strbuf));
+		ns_main_earlywarning("prctl(PR_SET_DUMPABLE) failed: %s",
+				     strbuf);
+	}
+#endif
+#if defined(HAVE_LINUX_CAPABILITY_H) && !defined(HAVE_LINUXTHREADS)
+	linux_minprivs();
 #endif
 }