diff --git a/lib/dns/callbacks.c b/lib/dns/callbacks.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1278fd7312
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/dns/callbacks.c
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 1999 Internet Software Consortium.
+ * 
+ * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
+ * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+ * copyright notice and this permission notice appear in all copies.
+ * 
+ * THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND INTERNET SOFTWARE CONSORTIUM DISCLAIMS
+ * ALL WARRANTIES WITH REGARD TO THIS SOFTWARE INCLUDING ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES
+ * OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS. IN NO EVENT SHALL INTERNET SOFTWARE
+ * CONSORTIUM BE LIABLE FOR ANY SPECIAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL
+ * DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER RESULTING FROM LOSS OF USE, DATA OR
+ * PROFITS, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS
+ * ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS
+ * SOFTWARE.
+ */
+
+ /* $Id: callbacks.c,v 1.1 1999/02/10 05:22:01 marka Exp $ */
+
+#include <config.h>
+
+#include <stdarg.h>
+
+#include <isc/assertions.h>
+#include <dns/callbacks.h>
+
+static void default_error_warn_callback(dns_rdatacallbacks_t *, char *, ...);
+
+/*
+ * Public.
+ */
+
+void
+dns_rdatacallbacks_init(dns_rdatacallbacks_t *callbacks) {
+
+	REQUIRE(callbacks != NULL);
+
+	callbacks->commit = NULL;
+	callbacks->error = default_error_warn_callback;
+	callbacks->warn = default_error_warn_callback;
+	callbacks->commit_private = NULL;
+	callbacks->error_private = NULL;
+	callbacks->warn_private = NULL;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Private
+ */
+
+static void
+default_error_warn_callback(dns_rdatacallbacks_t *callbacks, char *fmt, ...) {
+	va_list ap;
+
+	callbacks = callbacks; /*unused*/
+
+	va_start(ap, fmt);
+	vfprintf(stderr, fmt, ap);
+	va_end(ap);
+}
diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/callbacks.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/callbacks.h
index 52d43a5844..ed97946f21 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/callbacks.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/callbacks.h
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (C) 1999  Internet Software Consortium.
+ * Copyright (C) 1999 Internet Software Consortium.
  * 
  * Permission to use, copy, modify, and distribute this software for any
  * purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
@@ -17,9 +17,19 @@
 
 #ifndef DNS_CALLBACKS_H
 #define DNS_CALLBACKS_H 1
+
+/***
+ ***	Imports
+ ***/
+
+#include <stdio.h>
 #include <dns/types.h>
 #include <dns/result.h>
  
+/***
+ ***	Types
+ ***/
+
 typedef struct dns_rdatacallbacks {
 	/* dns_load_master calls this when it has rdatasets to commit */
 	dns_result_t	(*commit)(struct dns_rdatacallbacks *,
@@ -34,4 +44,17 @@ typedef struct dns_rdatacallbacks {
 	void		*warn_private;
 } dns_rdatacallbacks_t;
 
+/***
+ ***	Initialization
+ ***/
+
+void dns_rdatacallbacks_init(dns_rdatacallbacks_t *callbacks);
+
+/*
+ * Make 'callbacks' empty.
+ *
+ * Requires:
+ *      'callbacks' is a valid dns_rdatacallbacks_t,
+ */
+
 #endif /* DNS_CALLBACKS_H */