diff --git a/bin/named/wire_debug.c b/bin/named/wire_debug.c
index 9911326b43..3a90ee390b 100644
--- a/bin/named/wire_debug.c
+++ b/bin/named/wire_debug.c
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ resolve_packet(dns_db_t *db, isc_buffer_t *source, isc_buffer_t *target)
 	dns_dbnode_t *node;
 	dns_rdataset_t rdataset;
 	isc_boolean_t authoritative = ISC_TRUE;
+	isc_region_t r;
 
 	count = 0;
 	status = 0;
@@ -151,6 +152,8 @@ resolve_packet(dns_db_t *db, isc_buffer_t *source, isc_buffer_t *target)
 	 */
 	isc_buffer_init(&tbuf, t, sizeof(t), ISC_BUFFERTYPE_BINARY);
 	dns_name_init(&name, NULL);
+	isc_buffer_remaining(source, &r);
+	isc_buffer_setactive(source, r.length);
 	result = dns_name_fromwire(&name, source, &dctx, ISC_FALSE, &tbuf);
 	qtype = getshort(source);
 	qclass = getshort(source);
diff --git a/bin/tests/wire_test.c b/bin/tests/wire_test.c
index 7155c2af60..76516479d9 100644
--- a/bin/tests/wire_test.c
+++ b/bin/tests/wire_test.c
@@ -157,6 +157,7 @@ getquestions(isc_buffer_t *source, dns_namelist_t *section, unsigned int count,
 	unsigned int type, class;
 	dns_name_t *name, *curr;
 	dns_rdatalist_t *rdatalist;
+	isc_region_t r;
 
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(*section);
 	while (count > 0) {
@@ -167,6 +168,9 @@ getquestions(isc_buffer_t *source, dns_namelist_t *section, unsigned int count,
 			exit(1);
 		}
 		name = &names[ncount++];
+
+		isc_buffer_remaining(source, &r);
+		isc_buffer_setactive(source, r.length);
 		(void)getname(name, source, target);
 		for (curr = ISC_LIST_HEAD(*section);
 		     curr != NULL;
@@ -224,6 +228,8 @@ getsection(isc_buffer_t *source, dns_namelist_t *section, unsigned int count,
 			exit(1);
 		}
 		name = &names[ncount++];
+		isc_buffer_remaining(source, &r);
+		isc_buffer_setactive(source, r.length);
 		(void)getname(name, source, target);
 		for (curr = ISC_LIST_HEAD(*section);
 		     curr != NULL;
diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/name.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/name.h
index 5b218e0fbd..2e16e0b6db 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/name.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/name.h
@@ -289,7 +289,8 @@ dns_name_compare(dns_name_t *name1, dns_name_t *name2);
 int
 dns_name_rdatacompare(dns_name_t *name1, dns_name_t *name2);
 /*
- * Compare two names as if they are part of rdata. 
+ * Compare two names as if they are part of rdata in DNSSEC cononical
+ * form.
  *
  * Requires:
  *	'name1' is a valid absolute name
@@ -430,7 +431,8 @@ dns_result_t dns_name_fromwire(dns_name_t *name,
 			       isc_boolean_t downcase,
 			       isc_buffer_t *target);
 /*
- * Copy the possibly-compressed name at source into target, decompressing it.
+ * Copy the possibly-compressed name at source (active region) into target,
+ * decompressing it.
  *
  * Notes:
  *	Decompression policy is controlled by 'dctx'.
@@ -451,8 +453,8 @@ dns_result_t dns_name_fromwire(dns_name_t *name,
  *	'name' is a valid name.
  *
  *	'source' is a valid buffer of type ISC_BUFFERTYPE_BINARY, and the
- *	first byte of the used region should be the first byte of a DNS wire
- *	format message.
+ *	first byte of the active region should be the first byte of a DNS
+ *	wire *	format message.
  *
  *	'target' is a valid buffer of type ISC_BUFFERTYPE_BINARY.
  *
diff --git a/lib/dns/name.c b/lib/dns/name.c
index 1f8c5e32d5..2b33ddab0f 100644
--- a/lib/dns/name.c
+++ b/lib/dns/name.c
@@ -1668,7 +1668,7 @@ dns_name_fromwire(dns_name_t *name, isc_buffer_t *source,
 	 * rather for correctness.  Speed will be addressed in the future.
 	 */
 
-	while (current < source->used && !done) {
+	while (current < source->active && !done) {
 		c = *cdata++;
 		current++;
 		if (hops == 0)
@@ -1740,16 +1740,17 @@ dns_name_fromwire(dns_name_t *name, isc_buffer_t *source,
 				state = fw_start;
 			break;
 		case fw_bitstring:
-			if (nrem < c + 1)
-				return (DNS_R_NOSPACE);
-			nrem -= c + 1;
-			nused += c + 1;
-			*ndata++ = c;
 			if (c == 0)
-				c = 256;
-			n = c / 8;
-			if (c % 8 != 0)
+				n = 256 / 8;
+			else
+				n = c / 8;
+			if ((c % 8) != 0)
 				n++;
+			if (nrem < n + 1)
+				return (DNS_R_NOSPACE);
+			nrem -= n + 1;
+			nused += n + 1;
+			*ndata++ = c;
 			state = fw_copy;
 			break;
 		case fw_newcurrent: