diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index a5b7b0e422..0b802a7bf6 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 
+ 707.	[func]		The "filename" argument to named-checkzone is no
+			longer optional, to avoid reduce confusion. [RT #612]
+
  706.	[bug]		Zones with an explicit "allow-update { none; };"
 			were considered dynamic and therefore not reloaded
 			on SIGHUP or "rndc reload".
diff --git a/bin/check/named-checkzone.8 b/bin/check/named-checkzone.8
index e37a9af358..caff42fda9 100644
--- a/bin/check/named-checkzone.8
+++ b/bin/check/named-checkzone.8
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 .\" NEGLIGENCE OR OTHER TORTIOUS ACTION, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION
 .\" WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
 
-.\" $Id: named-checkzone.8,v 1.3 2001/01/09 21:47:15 bwelling Exp $
+.\" $Id: named-checkzone.8,v 1.4 2001/01/24 00:56:56 gson Exp $
 
 .Dd Jun 13, 2000
 .Dt NAMED-CHECKZONE 1
@@ -26,14 +26,18 @@
 .Nm named-checkzone
 .Op Fl dq
 .Op Fl c Ar class
-.Ar zone
-.Op filename
+.Ar zonename
+.Ar filename
 .Sh DESCRIPTION
 .Pp
 .Nm named-checkzone
-is a tool for performing integrity checks on a zones contents.
-It uses the same integrity checks as
-.Nm named .
+checks the syntax and integrity of a zone file.
+It performs the same checks as
+.Nm named
+does when loading a zone.  This makes
+.Nm named-checkzone
+useful for checking zone files before
+configuring them into a name server.
 .Pp
 The options to
 .Nm named-checkzone
@@ -46,11 +50,10 @@ quiet mode - exit code only.
 .It Fl c Ar class
 specify the class of the zone.
 If not specified "IN" is assumed.
-.It Ar zone
-the name of the zone being loaded.
-.It Op filename
-the name of the file containing the zone.
-If not specified it defaults to the zone name.
+.It Ar zonename
+the domain name of the zone being checked.
+.It Ar filename
+the name of the zone file.
 .Sh RETURN VALUES
 .Pp
 .Nm named-checkzone
diff --git a/bin/check/named-checkzone.c b/bin/check/named-checkzone.c
index 6ca8acb629..177e444e9a 100644
--- a/bin/check/named-checkzone.c
+++ b/bin/check/named-checkzone.c
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@
  * WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THIS SOFTWARE.
  */
 
-/* $Id: named-checkzone.c,v 1.10 2001/01/11 18:29:53 gson Exp $ */
+/* $Id: named-checkzone.c,v 1.11 2001/01/24 00:56:55 gson Exp $ */
 
 #include <config.h>
 
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static const char *dbtype[] = { "rbt" };
 static void
 usage(void) {
 	fprintf(stderr,
-		"usage: named-checkzone [-dq] [-c class] zone [filename]\n");
+		"usage: named-checkzone [-dq] [-c class] zonename filename\n");
 	exit(1);
 }
 
@@ -123,12 +123,10 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	int c;
 	char *origin = NULL;
 	char *filename = NULL;
-	char *classname;
 	isc_log_t *lctx = NULL;
 	isc_result_t result;
 	char classname_in[] = "IN";
-
-	classname = classname_in;
+	char *classname = classname_in;
 
 	while ((c = isc_commandline_parse(argc, argv, "c:dqs")) != EOF) {
 		switch (c) {
@@ -146,20 +144,16 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (argv[isc_commandline_index] == NULL)
+	if (isc_commandline_index + 2 > argc)
 		usage();
 
 	RUNTIME_CHECK(isc_mem_create(0, 0, &mctx) == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 	if (!quiet)
 		RUNTIME_CHECK(setup_logging(mctx, &lctx) == ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 
-	origin = argv[isc_commandline_index];
-	isc_commandline_index++;
-	if (argv[isc_commandline_index] != NULL)
-		filename = argv[isc_commandline_index];
-	else
-		filename = origin;
-	result = setup(origin, filename, (char *)classname);
+	origin = argv[isc_commandline_index++];
+	filename = argv[isc_commandline_index++];
+	result = setup(origin, filename, classname);
 	if (!quiet && result == ISC_R_SUCCESS)
 		fprintf(stdout, "OK\n");
 	destroy();