diff --git a/checker/collect.go b/checker/collect.go
index c239b35..a27796c 100644
--- a/checker/collect.go
+++ b/checker/collect.go
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 		if err := json.Unmarshal(svc.Service, &b); err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("decode cname body: %w", err)
 		}
-		target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Target, owner, apex)
+		target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Target, apex)
 		if target == "" {
 			return nil, nil
 		}
@@ -175,7 +175,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 		}
 		out := make([]Pointer, 0, len(b.MXs))
 		for _, r := range b.MXs {
-			target := normaliseTarget(r.Mx, owner, apex)
+			target := normaliseTarget(r.Mx, apex)
 			if target == "" {
 				continue
 			}
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 		}
 		out := make([]Pointer, 0, len(b.Records))
 		for _, r := range b.Records {
-			target := normaliseTarget(r.Target, owner, apex)
+			target := normaliseTarget(r.Target, apex)
 			if target == "" {
 				continue
 			}
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 		ptOwner := preferRRName(b.Record.Hdr.Name, owner, apex)
 		switch b.Record.Hdr.Rrtype {
 		case dns.TypeNS:
-			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Ns, ptOwner, apex)
+			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Ns, apex)
 			if target == "" {
 				return nil, nil
 			}
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 				ServiceType: svc.Type,
 			}}, nil
 		case dns.TypeCNAME:
-			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Target, ptOwner, apex)
+			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Target, apex)
 			if target == "" {
 				return nil, nil
 			}
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ func extractPointers(sub, apex string, svc rawService) ([]Pointer, error) {
 				ServiceType: svc.Type,
 			}}, nil
 		case dns.TypeMX:
-			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Mx, ptOwner, apex)
+			target := normaliseTarget(b.Record.Mx, apex)
 			if target == "" {
 				return nil, nil
 			}
@@ -349,20 +349,14 @@ func preferRRName(rrName, fallback, apex string) string {
 	return rrName + "." + apex
 }
 
-// normaliseTarget converts a target to FQDN form; happyDomain stores in-zone targets relative, external ones absolute.
-func normaliseTarget(target, owner, apex string) string {
-	t := strings.TrimSpace(target)
-	if t == "" {
-		return ""
+// normaliseTarget converts a target to FQDN form without trailing dot.
+// Absolute FQDNs (trailing dot) are stripped; relative names and "@" are
+// resolved against apex via sdk.JoinRelative.
+func normaliseTarget(target, apex string) string {
+	if t, ok := strings.CutSuffix(strings.TrimSpace(target), "."); ok {
+		return t
 	}
-	if trimmed, ok := strings.CutSuffix(t, "."); ok {
-		return trimmed
-	}
-	// Relative target: anchor under apex (empty apex only occurs in tests that omit domain_name).
-	if apex != "" {
-		return t + "." + apex
-	}
-	return t + "." + owner
+	return sdk.JoinRelative(target, apex)
 }
 
 func displaySubdomain(s string) string {