diff --git a/.github/workflows/tests.yml b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
index 7f1b219..8e21f66 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/tests.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/tests.yml
@@ -59,6 +59,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: test_hostname_filter.sh
         run: bash hosting-panels/common/tests/test_hostname_filter.sh
 
+      - name: test_pdns_restart.sh
+        run: bash hosting-panels/common/tests/test_pdns_restart.sh
+
       - name: test_cyberpanel_db.sh
         run: bash hosting-panels/common/tests/test_cyberpanel_db.sh
 
diff --git a/hosting-panels/common/tests/test_pdns_restart.sh b/hosting-panels/common/tests/test_pdns_restart.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b353481
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hosting-panels/common/tests/test_pdns_restart.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# PowerDNS rereads zones on a reload but not allow-axfr-ips, so a reload after
+# editing pdns.conf leaves AXFR refused and every zone stuck pending.
+# Run: bash hosting-panels/common/tests/test_pdns_restart.sh
+set -u
+HERE="$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)"
+PANELS="cpanel cyberpanel directadmin plesk"
+PASS=0; FAIL=0
+ok()   { PASS=$((PASS+1)); echo "  ok: $1"; }
+fail() { FAIL=$((FAIL+1)); echo "  FAIL: $1"; }
+
+checked=0
+for panel in $PANELS; do
+    src="$HERE/../../$panel/install.sh"
+    [ -f "$src" ] || { echo "missing $src"; exit 1; }
+    grep -q "pdns" "$src" || continue
+    checked=$((checked+1))
+    echo "== $panel"
+
+    if grep -qE "systemctl reload pdns|pdns_control reload|service pdns reload" "$src"; then
+        fail "reloads PowerDNS after editing pdns.conf"
+    else
+        ok "no PowerDNS reload"
+    fi
+
+    # editing the config at all obliges a restart
+    if grep -q 'allow-axfr-ips' "$src"; then
+        grep -qE "(systemctl|service) .*pdns.* restart|systemctl restart pdns" "$src" \
+            && ok "restarts PowerDNS" || fail "edits allow-axfr-ips without restarting"
+        # a restart that does not come back must not be reported as success:
+        # the config is restored and the operator told, not a cheerful "[+]"
+        grep -q 'did not come back' "$src" \
+            && ok "reports a PowerDNS that stayed down" || fail "a dead PowerDNS would be reported as success"
+        grep -qE 'cp "[^"]*(BAK|bak)[^"]*" "\$PDNS_CONF"' "$src" \
+            && ok "restores the config on a failed restart" || fail "no rollback on a failed restart"
+    fi
+done
+
+# a lower bound: a rename that stops matching the installers fails here
+[ "$checked" -ge 3 ] && ok "checked $checked installers" || fail "only $checked installers matched"
+
+echo
+echo "passed=$PASS failed=$FAIL"
+[ "$FAIL" -eq 0 ]
diff --git a/hosting-panels/cpanel/install.sh b/hosting-panels/cpanel/install.sh
index 0d5ca92..fbc37ea 100755
--- a/hosting-panels/cpanel/install.sh
+++ b/hosting-panels/cpanel/install.sh
@@ -351,7 +351,8 @@ else
         if [ ! -f "$PDNS_CONF" ]; then
             echo "[!] pdns.conf not found at $PDNS_CONF — configure AXFR manually"
         else
-            cp "$PDNS_CONF" "${PDNS_CONF}.bak.$(date +%s)"
+            PDNS_BAK="${PDNS_CONF}.bak.$(date +%s)"
+            cp "$PDNS_CONF" "$PDNS_BAK"
 
             # primary / master mode (name differs by pdns version)
             if grep -q "^master=" "$PDNS_CONF" 2>/dev/null; then
@@ -401,13 +402,19 @@ else
                 echo "[+] PowerDNS: also-notify=$SECONDARY_IP"
             fi
 
-            # Reload
-            if systemctl reload pdns &>/dev/null 2>&1; then
-                echo "[+] PowerDNS reloaded"
-            elif pdns_control reload &>/dev/null 2>&1; then
-                echo "[+] PowerDNS reloaded via pdns_control"
+            # A reload rereads the zones, not the settings above: allow-axfr-ips
+            # only takes effect on a restart, and until then AXFR is refused.
+            systemctl restart pdns 2>/dev/null || service pdns restart 2>/dev/null
+            sleep 2
+            if systemctl is-active --quiet pdns 2>/dev/null || pgrep -x pdns_server >/dev/null; then
+                echo "[+] PowerDNS configured and restarted"
             else
-                echo "[!] Restart PowerDNS manually: systemctl restart pdns"
+                # Saying "OK" while the DNS server is down is worse than
+                # failing: restore what was there and let a human look.
+                [ -n "${PDNS_BAK:-}" ] && cp "$PDNS_BAK" "$PDNS_CONF"
+                systemctl restart pdns 2>/dev/null || service pdns restart 2>/dev/null
+                echo "[!] PowerDNS did not come back — configuration restored from the backup"
+                echo "[!] Check: journalctl -u pdns -n 20"
             fi
         fi
 
diff --git a/hosting-panels/directadmin/install.sh b/hosting-panels/directadmin/install.sh
index eb3669e..94c3d27 100644
--- a/hosting-panels/directadmin/install.sh
+++ b/hosting-panels/directadmin/install.sh
@@ -344,7 +344,8 @@ if [ -n "$DNS_IPS" ]; then
 
         if [ "$ISSUES" -gt 0 ]; then
             if confirm "Apply PowerDNS fixes automatically? (backup will be created)"; then
-                cp "$PDNS_CONF" "${PDNS_CONF}.bak.$(date +%s)"
+                PDNS_BAK="${PDNS_CONF}.bak.$(date +%s)"
+                cp "$PDNS_CONF" "$PDNS_BAK"
 
                 grep -qE "^master=yes" "$PDNS_CONF" || echo "master=yes" >> "$PDNS_CONF"
                 grep -qE "^default-soa-edit=" "$PDNS_CONF" || echo "default-soa-edit=INCEPTION-INCREMENT" >> "$PDNS_CONF"
@@ -364,7 +365,17 @@ if [ -n "$DNS_IPS" ]; then
                 fi
 
                 systemctl restart pdns 2>/dev/null || service pdns restart 2>/dev/null
-                echo "[+] PowerDNS configured and restarted"
+                sleep 2
+                if systemctl is-active --quiet pdns 2>/dev/null || pgrep -x pdns_server >/dev/null; then
+                    echo "[+] PowerDNS configured and restarted"
+                else
+                    # Saying "OK" while the DNS server is down is worse than
+                    # failing: restore what was there and let a human look.
+                    cp "$PDNS_BAK" "$PDNS_CONF"
+                    systemctl restart pdns 2>/dev/null || service pdns restart 2>/dev/null
+                    echo "[!] PowerDNS did not come back — configuration restored from the backup"
+                    echo "[!] Check: journalctl -u pdns -n 20"
+                fi
             fi
         else
             echo "[+] PowerDNS AXFR config OK"