diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 81f12e37d5..bf5e9818b6 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+3827.	[contrib]	The example DLZ driver (a version of which is
+			also used in the dlzexternal system test) could
+			use absolute names as relative. [RT #35802]
+
 3826.	[bug]		Corrected a use-after-free in isc_radix_remove().
 			(This function is not used in BIND, but could have
 			caused problems in programs linking to libisc.)
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/dlzexternal/driver.c b/bin/tests/system/dlzexternal/driver.c
index d1c356eba8..0cd3960751 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/dlzexternal/driver.c
+++ b/bin/tests/system/dlzexternal/driver.c
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
  * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id$ */
-
 /*
  * This provides a very simple example of an external loadable DLZ
  * driver, with update support.
@@ -250,7 +248,7 @@ dlz_create(const char *dlzname, unsigned int argc, char *argv[],
 	}
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	if (argc < 2) {
+	if (argc < 2 || argv[1][0] == '\0') {
 		if (state->log != NULL)
 			state->log(ISC_LOG_ERROR,
 				   "dlz_example: please specify a zone name");
@@ -258,11 +256,16 @@ dlz_create(const char *dlzname, unsigned int argc, char *argv[],
 		return (ISC_R_FAILURE);
 	}
 
-	state->zone_name = strdup(argv[1]);
+	/* Ensure zone name is absolute */
+	state->zone_name = malloc(strlen(argv[1]) + 2);
 	if (state->zone_name == NULL) {
 		free(state);
 		return (ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
 	}
+	if (argv[1][strlen(argv[1]) - 1] == '.')
+		strcpy(state->zone_name, argv[1]);
+	else
+		sprintf(state->zone_name, "%s.", argv[1]);
 
 	n = snprintf(soa_data, sizeof(soa_data),
 		     "%s hostmaster.%s 123 900 600 86400 3600",
@@ -307,17 +310,21 @@ dlz_destroy(void *dbdata) {
 	free(state);
 }
 
-
 /*
  * See if we handle a given zone
  */
 isc_result_t
 dlz_findzonedb(void *dbdata, const char *name) {
 	struct dlz_example_data *state = (struct dlz_example_data *)dbdata;
+	char absolute[1024];
 
 	if (strcasecmp(state->zone_name, name) == 0)
 		return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 
+	snprintf(absolute, sizeof(absolute), "%s.", name);
+	if (strcasecmp(state->zone_name, absolute) == 0)
+		return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+
 	return (ISC_R_NOTFOUND);
 }
 
@@ -568,6 +575,7 @@ modrdataset(struct dlz_example_data *state, const char *name,
 	    const char *rdatastr, struct record *list)
 {
 	char *full_name, *dclass, *type, *data, *ttlstr, *buf;
+	char absolute[1024];
 	isc_result_t result;
 #if defined(WIN32) || defined(_REENTRANT)
 	char *saveptr = NULL;
@@ -605,6 +613,11 @@ modrdataset(struct dlz_example_data *state, const char *name,
 	if (data == NULL)
 		goto error;
 
+	if (name[strlen(name) - 1] != '.') {
+		snprintf(absolute, sizeof(absolute), "%s.", name);
+		name = absolute;
+	}
+
 	result = add_name(state, list, name, type,
 			  strtoul(ttlstr, NULL, 10), data);
 	free(buf);
@@ -648,7 +661,6 @@ dlz_subrdataset(const char *name, const char *rdatastr,
 	return (modrdataset(state, name, rdatastr, &state->deletes[0]));
 }
 
-
 isc_result_t
 dlz_delrdataset(const char *name, const char *type,
 		void *dbdata, void *version)
diff --git a/contrib/dlz/example/dlz_example.c b/contrib/dlz/example/dlz_example.c
index 0ebc18e27d..2b2359d5ce 100644
--- a/contrib/dlz/example/dlz_example.c
+++ b/contrib/dlz/example/dlz_example.c
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
  * PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id$ */
-
 /*
  * This provides a very simple example of an external loadable DLZ
  * driver, with update support.
@@ -239,7 +237,7 @@ dlz_create(const char *dlzname, unsigned int argc, char *argv[],
 	}
 	va_end(ap);
 
-	if (argc < 2) {
+	if (argc < 2 || argv[1][0] == '\0') {
 		if (state->log != NULL)
 			state->log(ISC_LOG_ERROR,
 				   "dlz_example: please specify a zone name");
@@ -247,11 +245,16 @@ dlz_create(const char *dlzname, unsigned int argc, char *argv[],
 		return (ISC_R_FAILURE);
 	}
 
-	state->zone_name = strdup(argv[1]);
+	/* Ensure zone name is absolute */
+	state->zone_name = malloc(strlen(argv[1]) + 2);
 	if (state->zone_name == NULL) {
 		free(state);
 		return (ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
 	}
+	if (argv[1][strlen(argv[1]) - 1] == '.')
+		strcpy(state->zone_name, argv[1]);
+	else
+		sprintf(state->zone_name, "%s.", argv[1]);
 
 	if (strcmp(state->zone_name, ".") == 0)
 		extra = ".root";
@@ -301,17 +304,21 @@ dlz_destroy(void *dbdata) {
 	free(state);
 }
 
-
 /*
  * See if we handle a given zone
  */
 isc_result_t
 dlz_findzonedb(void *dbdata, const char *name) {
 	struct dlz_example_data *state = (struct dlz_example_data *)dbdata;
+	char absolute[1024];
 
 	if (strcasecmp(state->zone_name, name) == 0)
 		return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 
+	snprintf(absolute, sizeof(absolute), "%s.", name);
+	if (strcasecmp(state->zone_name, absolute) == 0)
+		return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
+
 	return (ISC_R_NOTFOUND);
 }
 
@@ -565,6 +572,7 @@ modrdataset(struct dlz_example_data *state, const char *name,
 	    const char *rdatastr, struct record *list)
 {
 	char *full_name, *dclass, *type, *data, *ttlstr, *buf;
+	char absolute[1024];
 	isc_result_t result;
 #if defined(WIN32) || defined(_REENTRANT)
 	char *saveptr = NULL;
@@ -602,6 +610,11 @@ modrdataset(struct dlz_example_data *state, const char *name,
 	if (data == NULL)
 		goto error;
 
+	if (name[strlen(name) - 1] != '.') {
+		snprintf(absolute, sizeof(absolute), "%s.", name);
+		name = absolute;
+	}
+
 	result = add_name(state, list, name, type,
 			  strtoul(ttlstr, NULL, 10), data);
 	free(buf);
@@ -645,7 +658,6 @@ dlz_subrdataset(const char *name, const char *rdatastr,
 	return (modrdataset(state, name, rdatastr, &state->deletes[0]));
 }
 
-
 isc_result_t
 dlz_delrdataset(const char *name, const char *type,
 		void *dbdata, void *version)