diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 1b138cfb51..aa3949b897 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+3157.	[tuning]	Reduce the time spent in "rndc reconfig" by parsing
+			the config file before pausing the server. [RT #21373]
+
 3156.	[placeholder]
 
 	--- 9.9.0a2 released ---
diff --git a/bin/named/server.c b/bin/named/server.c
index 7091c2acd7..a15516a889 100644
--- a/bin/named/server.c
+++ b/bin/named/server.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: server.c,v 1.619 2011/09/06 22:29:32 smann Exp $ */
+/* $Id: server.c,v 1.620 2011/09/23 18:08:01 each Exp $ */
 
 /*! \file */
 
@@ -4341,15 +4341,12 @@ load_configuration(const char *filename, ns_server_t *server,
 	ns_cache_t *nsc;
 	struct cfg_context *nzctx;
 	int num_zones = 0;
+	isc_boolean_t exclusive = ISC_FALSE;
 
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(viewlist);
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(builtin_viewlist);
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(cachelist);
 
-	/* Ensure exclusive access to configuration data. */
-	result = isc_task_beginexclusive(server->task);
-	RUNTIME_CHECK(result == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
-
 	/* Create the ACL configuration context */
 	if (ns_g_aclconfctx != NULL)
 		cfg_aclconfctx_detach(&ns_g_aclconfctx);
@@ -4445,6 +4442,13 @@ load_configuration(const char *filename, ns_server_t *server,
 		CHECK(result);
 	}
 
+	/* Ensure exclusive access to configuration data. */
+	if (!exclusive) {
+		result = isc_task_beginexclusive(server->task);
+		RUNTIME_CHECK(result == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+		exclusive = ISC_TRUE;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Set process limits, which (usually) needs to be done as root.
 	 */
@@ -5212,7 +5216,8 @@ load_configuration(const char *filename, ns_server_t *server,
 		adjust_interfaces(server, ns_g_mctx);
 
 	/* Relinquish exclusive access to configuration data. */
-	isc_task_endexclusive(server->task);
+	if (exclusive)
+		isc_task_endexclusive(server->task);
 
 	isc_log_write(ns_g_lctx, NS_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL, NS_LOGMODULE_SERVER,
 		      ISC_LOG_DEBUG(1), "load_configuration: %s",