Summary
Even when DMARC passes, the presence of temperrors and softfails in DMARC reports for Klaviyo indicates underlying issues needing attention. These can stem from DNS misconfigurations, forwarding, DKIM selector mismatches, overly permissive DMARC policies, or limitations within email platforms. While DMARC passes if one authentication method aligns, persistent errors can harm sender reputation and deliverability. Thorough investigation and proactive measures are vital for email security and reliable delivery.
Key findings
- DNS Configuration: DNS issues, including rogue nameservers or propagation inconsistencies, can cause authentication problems.
- Email Forwarding: SPF softfails frequently arise from email forwarding, where the forwarding server lacks authorization in the original SPF record.
- DKIM Selector Mismatch: Mismatched DKIM selectors between the email header and DNS records can trigger authentication failures.
- Permissive DMARC: Permissive DMARC policies (e.g., 'p=none') allow messages with authentication flaws to pass, undermining security.
- Platform Limitations: Some email platforms may have limitations or bugs that cause authentication issues with certain services.
- Reputation: Even with passing DMARC, persistent softfails and temperrors can negatively affect the sender's reputation.
- Third Party Errors: Errors can stem from the incorrect setup of Third party services such as Postmark.
Key considerations
- Inspect DNS Records: Carefully inspect DNS records for proper configuration and consistent propagation.
- Verify DKIM Selectors: Confirm that the DKIM selector used matches the one published in DNS.
- Assess DMARC Policy: Assess and adjust the DMARC policy, balancing security with the potential to block legitimate mail.
- Check Sender Reputation: Proactively monitor and safeguard sender reputation to ensure ongoing deliverability.
- Test Klaviyo Setup: Ensure that SPF and DKIM records have been correctly setup for Klaviyo. Additionally emails sent on your behalf, and the set up of third party DKIM/SPF/CNAME records for authentication purposes.
- Leverage DMARC Reports: Understand and utilize DMARC reports to identify authentication challenges and areas needing improvement.
- Consult Expertise: Seek guidance from experts or resources to better understand and resolve DMARC-related errors.
What email marketers say
11 marketer opinions
Even when DMARC reports a 'pass,' the presence of temperrors and softfails for Klaviyo indicates underlying issues that should be investigated. These errors can stem from various sources, including email forwarding, DNS propagation problems, mismatches in DKIM selectors, and even overly permissive DMARC policies. While DMARC might pass because at least one authentication method (SPF or DKIM) aligns, consistent authentication failures can negatively impact sender reputation and email deliverability over time. Therefore, addressing these errors is crucial for maintaining a positive sender reputation and ensuring reliable email delivery.
Key opinions
- Forwarding: SPF softfails often result from email forwarding, where the forwarding server isn't authorized by the original SPF record.
- DNS Issues: Temperrors can be caused by DNS propagation problems or inconsistencies, making it difficult for receiving servers to properly resolve SPF or DKIM records.
- DKIM Mismatch: DKIM temperrors can occur when the DKIM selector in the email doesn't match the selector published in the DNS records.
- Permissive Policies: DMARC might pass due to permissive policies (e.g., 'p=none'), which allow emails with authentication issues to be delivered.
- Platform Errors: Email Platforms such as Microsofts Outlook may break DKIM for services such as Postmark.
- Reputation impact: Even if DMARC passes, frequent softfails and temperrors can negatively impact sender reputation.
Key considerations
- Monitor DMARC reports: Regularly monitor DMARC reports to identify and address underlying authentication issues, even if DMARC is passing.
- Verify DNS records: Ensure that SPF and DKIM records are correctly configured and consistently propagated across different geographic locations.
- Check DKIM selectors: Verify that the DKIM selector used for signing emails matches the selector published in the DNS records.
- Review DMARC policy: Consider using a stricter DMARC policy (e.g., 'p=quarantine' or 'p=reject') to better protect your domain from email spoofing, but only after carefully monitoring the impact.
- Check for Third Party DKIM/SPF records: Check with Klaviyo to make sure the correct SPF/DKIM records have been setup for their service. Additionally emails sent on your behalf, and the set up of third party DKIM/SPF/CNAME records for authentication purposes.
- Investigate issues: Investigate any temperrors or softfails even when DMARC is passing, as they indicate potential problems that could lead to deliverability issues.
Marketer view
Email marketer from EmailOnAcid.com that says softfails/temperrors/permerrors which may pass DMARC could still be an indicator that the email servers are building a negative sender reputation, therefore they recommend investigating it more thoroughly.
15 Aug 2022 - EmailOnAcid.com
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks mentions that Outlook often breaks Postmark's DKIM and that the temperror/permerror issue has been ongoing for months with many domains, typically without both SPF and DKIM failures occurring simultaneously, which allows DMARC to pass.
15 Dec 2023 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
6 expert opinions
Even when DMARC passes, DMARC reports showing temperrors and softfails for Klaviyo indicate underlying issues that require attention. Experts suggest several potential causes: DNS misconfigurations (rogue nameservers, propagation issues), incorrect DKIM key setup (missing or wrong selector), and overly permissive DMARC policies ('p=none'). Addressing these issues is essential to maintain a secure and effective email sending setup.
Key opinions
- DNS Misconfiguration: Rogue nameservers or improperly propagated DNS records can cause authentication inconsistencies.
- Incorrect DKIM Setup: Missing or incorrect DKIM key setup, particularly related to the selector, can lead to authentication failures.
- Permissive DMARC Policy: An overly permissive DMARC policy (p=none) allows emails with authentication problems to be delivered.
- DMARC Reporting Meaning: It's important to understand the meaning of different error designations in DMARC reports to properly troubleshoot the issues.
Key considerations
- Check DNS Records: Thoroughly check all DNS records to ensure proper configuration and propagation.
- Verify DKIM Key: Verify the DKIM key is correctly set up, paying close attention to the selector.
- Review DMARC Policy: Evaluate and adjust the DMARC policy to balance security with the risk of blocking legitimate emails.
- Understand DMARC Reports: Consult resources or experts like Glockapps to understand the error designations in DMARC reports.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks suggests checking all DNS records, as the issue could stem from a rogue nameserver or improperly propagated DNS record, especially when encountering inconsistencies in DMARC reports.
15 Dec 2024 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks says that the authentication failures are likely due to the domain not publishing a key at k1._domainkeys.freedom-grooming.com, further clarifying that neither k1 nor kl1 records are published.
23 Jul 2021 - Email Geeks
What the documentation says
5 technical articles
DMARC reports showing temperrors and softfails despite passing DMARC indicate temporary authentication issues requiring investigation. Documentation highlights potential causes like DNS problems, server overloads, SPF lookup limits, and incorrect DKIM configurations. While these errors might not always cause immediate delivery failures, they signal areas for improvement in email authentication setup to enhance deliverability and security.
Key findings
- Temporary Errors: Temperrors indicate the receiving server temporarily couldn't authenticate the message due to transient issues.
- DNS Lookup Issues: SPF temperrors can occur because of DNS lookup problems on the receiving server's end.
- Authentication Improvement: Temperrors and softfails signal areas for improvement in email authentication setup.
- SPF Lookup Limit: Exceeding the DNS lookup limit in SPF records can cause temperrors.
- Incorrect DKIM: Incorrectly configured DKIM records (selector, key content) prevent proper authentication.
Key considerations
- Check DNS Configuration: Ensure proper DNS configuration and resolve any propagation issues.
- Monitor SPF Lookups: Keep SPF record lookups within the specified limits.
- Verify DKIM Setup: Verify the DKIM key and selector are correctly configured in DNS settings.
- Review DMARC Reports: Regularly review DMARC reports for authentication issues and areas to improve security.
- DNS overloads: Review overall DNS health as server overloads could impact email flow.
Technical article
Documentation from RFC explains that exceeding the DNS lookup limit in SPF records can cause temperrors. If an SPF record requires too many DNS queries to evaluate, the check might fail temporarily, resulting in authentication issues.
25 Apr 2024 - RFC
Technical article
Documentation from DMARC.org details that DMARC reports aggregate data about email authentication results. Temperrors and softfails indicate potential issues that, while not causing outright failures, signal areas for improvement in email authentication setup to enhance deliverability and security.
10 May 2025 - DMARC.org
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