Summary
Many email senders are encountering issues with Google bouncing emails due to PTR record problems, even when their setup appears to be compliant. This often stems from a mismatch between the IP address used for sending and the IP address that the PTR record's hostname resolves to, or issues with DNS propagation and outdated records.
Key findings
- Google's enforcement: Google is increasingly enforcing the requirement for proper PTR records as part of its new sender guidelines. This enforcement may be gradual, leading to sudden bounce issues for previously compliant setups.
- PTR record fundamentals: A PTR record (pointer record) resolves an IP address to a hostname (reverse DNS). For email deliverability, the sending IP address must match the IP address associated with the PTR record's hostname, (the forward DNS lookup).
- Mismatched DNS: A common problem is when the PTR record for a sending IP points to a hostname, but that hostname in turn resolves to different, incorrect IP addresses. This breaks the necessary alignment.
- DNS propagation: Changes to DNS records, including PTR records, can take time to propagate across the internet, sometimes up to 72 hours. This delay can lead to temporary bounce issues.
- Cloudflare and PTR: Cloudflare does not directly manage PTR records, as these are controlled by the internet service provider (ISP) or hosting provider that owns the IP address space.
Key considerations
- Verify PTR status: Always confirm that your sending IP has a PTR record that correctly resolves to a hostname, and that the hostname also resolves back to the original sending IP. This is known as reverse DNS.
- DNS hygiene: Regularly review and clean up old or unused DNS records that might be causing conflicts, especially after migrating email services.
- Contact ESP/ISP: If you are using an Email Service Provider (ESP) or a hosting provider, they are responsible for setting up and maintaining PTR records for your sending IPs. Engage their deliverability or technical support teams if you encounter issues, providing them with the exact bounce messages and IP addresses.
- Monitor deliverability: Use tools like Google Postmaster Tools to monitor your sending reputation and check for compliance issues. While GPT might not flag all specific PTR nuances, persistent bounces related to PTR indicate an issue that needs investigation. You can also explore how to improve your domain reputation with Postmaster Tools. Google also provides comprehensive email sender guidelines.
What email marketers say
Email marketers often face unexpected challenges with deliverability, especially when major mailbox providers like Google update their requirements. Despite having what appears to be a compliant setup and positive reports from tools like Google Postmaster Tools, PTR record issues can suddenly emerge, leading to frustrating bounces. This highlights a common disconnect between perceived compliance and the evolving technical standards.
Key opinions
- Sudden onset of bounces: Marketers often report that PTR record bounces appear suddenly, even when their existing setup has been stable and seemingly compliant with Google's earlier requirements.
- Discrepancy with GPT: There's confusion when Google Postmaster Tools (GPT) shows full compliance, yet emails are still bouncing due to PTR record errors. This suggests GPT might not always reflect granular, real-time enforcement.
- Service provider responses: Marketers sometimes find ESPs or CDN providers (like Cloudflare) dismiss PTR concerns, stating they are not required or are correctly configured, even when Google's bounce messages clearly indicate otherwise.
- Migration remnants: Old DNS records from previous email servers or migrations are frequently identified as the culprits, pointing to a need for thorough DNS housekeeping.
Key considerations
- Proactive monitoring: Don't solely rely on dashboard reports. Pay close attention to bounce messages for specific error codes like 550 5.7.25, which explicitly point to PTR issues. Our email deliverability tester can help.
- DNS management awareness: Understand that PTR records are managed at the IP address level by the network owner, not typically by DNS providers like Cloudflare, which manage domain-level records.
- Communicate specifics: When contacting support teams, provide the exact bounce error message and the sending IP address. This helps them pinpoint the issue more effectively.
- Regular DNS audits: Implement a routine for auditing your DNS records, especially after any major infrastructure changes or ESP switches, to prevent legacy records from causing problems. This is part of the broader effort to improve email deliverability.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks observes a new influx of Google bounces this week, noting the 550 5.7.25 'no PTR record' reason. They highlight that this issue randomly started, causing soft bounces and deferrals, despite their setup being compliant with Google's recent changes and showing correctly in Google Postmaster Tools and DNS.
Marketer view
Marketer from Server Fault shares that resolving PTR record issues often involves patience, waiting for the record to fully propagate to Google. They mention that Google's anti-spam checks then need time to register the change, suggesting a waiting period of at least three days.
What the experts say
Email deliverability experts consistently highlight the critical role of PTR records (reverse DNS) in establishing sender credibility. They emphasize that while many technical teams might overlook or misunderstand PTR requirements, Google and other major mailbox providers view them as a non-negotiable aspect of legitimate email sending. Expert insights often point to subtle DNS misconfigurations or slow enforcement rollouts as key reasons for unexpected PTR-related bounces.
Key opinions
- Misinformation about PTR: Experts strongly refute the idea that PTR records are no longer a requirement, emphasizing that this perspective is deeply incorrect in modern email deliverability.
- Forward and reverse mismatch: The core of many PTR issues lies not with the existence of the PTR record itself, but when the hostname it points to (the reverse DNS) does not correctly resolve back to the sending IP address (the forward DNS).
- Gradual enforcement: Google's new requirements, including PTR, are being rolled out and enforced gradually. This explains why issues might appear suddenly, even if the non-compliance existed for some time.
- DNS complexity: DNS management, especially cleanup of old records, is a common pain point. Unused or misconfigured A records for hostnames involved in reverse DNS can cause significant problems.
- Cloudflare's role: Experts often advise caution when relying on certain CDN providers for email DNS, as their core services may not align with granular email deliverability requirements.
Key considerations
- Direct DNS verification: Do not just trust service provider claims. Perform manual DNS lookups to verify that your sending IP's PTR record resolves to the correct hostname, and that hostname then resolves back to the original IP address. You can also explore specific troubleshooting for PTR issues with Cloudflare.
- Specific DNS instructions: Provide precise instructions to your DNS administrators: specify which A records for the PTR hostname need to be changed or deleted to ensure the correct forward-confirmed reverse DNS (FCrDNS) setup.
- Impact on other services: Before making DNS changes, verify if the hostname associated with the PTR record is used by any other services (e.g., website, other internal systems). If so, these services might need new hostnames and internal updates to avoid disruption.
- Compliance tools: Use tools designed to check DNS and PTR records for full Google (and Yahoo) compliance. This helps confirm that your email infrastructure meets the latest requirements. A comprehensive guide to Google Postmaster Tools can provide further insights.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks strongly states that the technical team's belief PTRs haven't been a requirement for a long time is incorrect. They emphasize that this view is deeply wrong, underlining the ongoing importance of PTR records for email deliverability.
Expert view
Expert from Spam Resource emphasizes that a properly configured PTR record is crucial for establishing sender trust with major mailbox providers like Google. They stress that without it, even with other authentication, emails are at risk of rejection.
What the documentation says
Official documentation from major mailbox providers like Google unequivocally states the importance of PTR records for email authentication and deliverability. These guidelines clarify that not only must a PTR record exist, but there must also be a forward-confirmed reverse DNS (FCrDNS) setup, where the hostname specified in the PTR record correctly resolves back to the original sending IP address. Non-compliance is explicitly stated as a reason for email rejection.
Key findings
- Explicit PTR requirement: Google's official sender guidelines clearly state that the IP address sending a message must have a PTR record that matches the hostname's forward DNS entry. This is a non-negotiable requirement for successful delivery.
- Red flag for spam: Documentation indicates that a missing or misaligned PTR record is a significant red flag for receiving mail servers. This can lead to messages being flagged, deferred, or outright rejected as potential spam.
- New requirements context: The emphasis on PTR records is part of broader new requirements introduced by Google and Yahoo in 2024, aimed at reducing spam and enhancing recipient protection. Senders must meet these criteria for consistent inbox placement.
- IPv6 considerations: While the primary issue is often IPv4, the PTR requirement applies to IPv6 addresses as well. Gmail's policies specifically state that messages from IPs (including IPv6) with missing PTR records may be rejected.
Key considerations
- Adherence to guidelines: Senders must carefully review and adhere to all specified guidelines, not just those related to SPF and DKIM. PTR is a fundamental layer of trust. For more information, read our simple guide to DMARC, SPF, and DKIM.
- Understanding bounce codes: Recognize that specific bounce codes, such as '550 5.7.25', directly indicate non-compliance with PTR requirements. This is a direct signal from the receiving server regarding the issue.
- Comprehensive setup: Ensure your entire email sending infrastructure (including ESPs, dedicated IPs, and hosting environments) supports and correctly configures PTR records for all outgoing mail servers. This will help resolve your email deliverability issues.
- Proactive compliance: Do not wait for bounces to occur. Implement and verify PTR records proactively to align with ongoing and future sender requirements from major mailbox providers.
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help states that the sending IP address must precisely match the IP address of the hostname specified in the Pointer (PTR) record. This highlights the requirement for consistent forward and reverse DNS resolution.
Technical article
Documentation from Email Sorter indicates that a missing or misaligned PTR record can significantly raise a red flag with receiving email servers. This misconfiguration often leads to messages being flagged as suspicious or directly rejected.
Related resources
8 resources
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