diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 0046e4e564..599f9cef2d 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2037.	[func]		When unlinking the first or last element in a list
+			check that the list head points to the element to
+			be unlinked. [RT #15959]
+
 2036.	[bug]		'rndc recursing' could cause trigger a REQUIRE.
 			[RT #16075]
 
diff --git a/lib/bind/include/isc/list.h b/lib/bind/include/isc/list.h
index 816709b723..c85c6676b5 100644
--- a/lib/bind/include/isc/list.h
+++ b/lib/bind/include/isc/list.h
@@ -66,12 +66,16 @@
 		INSIST(LINKED(elt, link));\
 		if ((elt)->link.next != NULL) \
 			(elt)->link.next->link.prev = (elt)->link.prev; \
-		else \
+		else { \
+			INSIST((list).tail == (elt)); \
 			(list).tail = (elt)->link.prev; \
+		} \
 		if ((elt)->link.prev != NULL) \
 			(elt)->link.prev->link.next = (elt)->link.next; \
-		else \
+		else { \
+			INSIST((list).head == (elt)); \
 			(list).head = (elt)->link.next; \
+		} \
 		INIT_LINK_TYPE(elt, link, type); \
 	} while (0)
 #define UNLINK(list, elt, link) \