# Error 1016: origin DNS error

Error 1016 means Cloudflare cannot resolve the target of your CNAME record. Your record is syntactically fine; the name it points to is broken, missing, or unresolvable.

## Common causes

- The target hostname was deleted or renamed (SaaS provider moved you, staging host torn down).
- The target's DNS is misconfigured or its nameservers are down.
- A typo in the target introduced during a migration.
- The target resolves externally but not from Cloudflare's resolvers (split-horizon DNS where the internal name leaks into public config).

## Diagnosis

`dig [target] +short` from multiple resolvers. If it resolves for you but not for Cloudflare, suspect split-horizon or geo-DNS issues. If it resolves nowhere, the target is gone: fix the target, not your record.

## Checklist

- 1016 is always about the target, never about your record syntax.
- Verify the target independently before editing anything.
- After SaaS or hosting migrations, re-verify every CNAME target; providers change them without telling you.