diff --git a/checker/collect.go b/checker/collect.go
index e8bb96c..ee326e3 100644
--- a/checker/collect.go
+++ b/checker/collect.go
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 		if target == "" {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
-		ptOwner := preferRRName(b.Record.Hdr.Name, owner)
+		ptOwner := preferRRName(b.Record.Hdr.Name, owner, apex)
 		return []Pointer{{
 			Owner:       ptOwner,
 			Subdomain:   sub,
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 				continue
 			}
 			out = append(out, Pointer{
-				Owner:       preferRRName(r.Hdr.Name, owner),
+				Owner:       preferRRName(r.Hdr.Name, owner, apex),
 				Subdomain:   sub,
 				Rrtype:      "MX",
 				Target:      target,
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 				continue
 			}
 			out = append(out, Pointer{
-				Owner:       preferRRName(r.Hdr.Name, owner),
+				Owner:       preferRRName(r.Hdr.Name, owner, apex),
 				Subdomain:   sub,
 				Rrtype:      "SRV",
 				Target:      target,
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(svc.Service, &b); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("decode orphan body: %w", err)
 		}
-		ptOwner := preferRRName(b.Record.Hdr.Name, owner)
+		ptOwner := preferRRName(b.Record.Hdr.Name, owner, apex)
 		switch b.Record.Hdr.Rrtype {
 		case dns.TypeNS:
 			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Ns, ptOwner, apex)
@@ -330,13 +330,20 @@ func ownerFQDN(svcDomain, sub, apex string) string {
 	return sub + "." + apex
 }
 
-// preferRRName returns the RR header Name when present, as it is authoritative over the service-derived owner.
-func preferRRName(rrName, fallback string) string {
+// preferRRName returns the RR header Name as an FQDN when present.
+// happyDomain encodes service-embedded record owners relative to the zone
+// apex, so the rrName must be joined with apex unless it already contains
+// the apex suffix (services published with absolute owners).
+func preferRRName(rrName, fallback, apex string) string {
 	rrName = strings.TrimSuffix(rrName, ".")
-	if rrName != "" {
+	if rrName == "" {
+		return fallback
+	}
+	apex = strings.TrimSuffix(apex, ".")
+	if apex == "" || rrName == apex || strings.HasSuffix(rrName, "."+apex) {
 		return rrName
 	}
-	return fallback
+	return rrName + "." + apex
 }
 
 // normaliseTarget converts a target to FQDN form; happyDomain stores in-zone targets relative, external ones absolute.