diff --git a/nsupdate/main/_tests/test_dnstools.py b/nsupdate/main/_tests/test_dnstools.py
index 4ef7d91..1d6978e 100644
--- a/nsupdate/main/_tests/test_dnstools.py
+++ b/nsupdate/main/_tests/test_dnstools.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ Tests for dnstools module.
 
 import pytest
 
-from ..dnstools import update, query_ns, parse_name, update_ns, SameIpError
+from ..dnstools import add, delete, update, query_ns, parse_name, update_ns, SameIpError
 from django.conf import settings
 BASEDOMAIN = settings.BASEDOMAIN
 
@@ -22,11 +22,66 @@ class TestIntelligentUpdater(object):
             pass
         # first update with this IP, should work without issue:
         update(host, ip)
+        assert query_ns(host, 'A') == ip
         with pytest.raises(SameIpError):
             # trying to update again with same IP should raise
             update(host, ip)
 
 
+class TestIntelligentAdder(object):
+    def test_double_add_same(self):
+        host, ip = 'test0.' + settings.BASEDOMAIN, '1.2.3.4'
+        # make sure the host is not there
+        try:
+            update_ns(host, 'A', action='del')
+        except NXDOMAIN:
+            # it is ok if it was never there
+            pass
+        # first add with this IP, should work without issue:
+        add(host, ip)
+        assert query_ns(host, 'A') == ip
+        with pytest.raises(SameIpError):
+            # trying to add again with same IP should raise
+            add(host, ip)
+
+    def test_double_add_different(self):
+        host, ip = 'test0.' + settings.BASEDOMAIN, '1.2.3.4'
+        # make sure the host is not there
+        try:
+            update_ns(host, 'A', action='del')
+        except NXDOMAIN:
+            # it is ok if it was never there
+            pass
+        # first add with this IP, should work without issue:
+        add(host, ip)
+        assert query_ns(host, 'A') == ip
+        different_ip = '4.3.2.1'
+        # trying to add again with same IP should raise
+        add(host, different_ip)  # internally triggers an update
+        assert query_ns(host, 'A') == different_ip
+
+
+class TestIntelligentDeleter(object):
+    def test_delete(self):
+        host, ip = 'test0.' + settings.BASEDOMAIN, '1.2.3.4'
+        # make sure the host is there
+        update_ns(host, 'A', ip, action='add')
+        delete(host)
+        # make sure it is gone
+        with pytest.raises(NXDOMAIN):
+            query_ns(host, 'A')
+
+    def test_double_delete(self):
+        host = 'test0.' + settings.BASEDOMAIN
+        # make sure the host is not there
+        try:
+            update_ns(host, 'A', action='del')
+        except NXDOMAIN:
+            # it is ok if it was never there
+            pass
+        delete(host)  # hmm, this doesn't raise NXDOMAIN!?
+
+
 class TestQuery(object):
     def test_queries_ok(self):
         assert query_ns(settings.WWW_IPV4_HOST, 'A') == settings.WWW_IPV4_IP  # v4 ONLY
diff --git a/nsupdate/main/dnstools.py b/nsupdate/main/dnstools.py
index eb11198..17903fc 100644
--- a/nsupdate/main/dnstools.py
+++ b/nsupdate/main/dnstools.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 """
 Misc. DNS related code: query, dynamic update, etc.
+
+Usually, higher level code wants to call the add/update/delete functions.
 """
 
 from django.conf import settings
@@ -20,6 +22,63 @@ class SameIpError(ValueError):
     """
 
 
+def get_rdtype(ipaddr):
+    """
+    Get the record type 'A' or 'AAAA' for this ipaddr.
+
+    :param ipaddr: ip address v4 or v6 (str)
+    :return: 'A' or 'AAAA'
+    """
+    af = dns.inet.af_for_address(ipaddr)
+    return 'A' if af == dns.inet.AF_INET else 'AAAA'
+
+
+def add(fqdn, ipaddr, ttl=60):
+    """
+    intelligent dns adder - first does a lookup on the master server to find
+    the current ip and only sends an 'add' if there is no such entry.
+    otherwise send an 'upd' if the if we have a different ip.
+
+    :param fqdn: fully qualified domain name (str)
+    :param ipaddr: new ip address
+    :param ttl: time to live, default 60s (int)
+    :raises: SameIpError if new and old IP is the same
+    """
+    rdtype = get_rdtype(ipaddr)
+    try:
+        current_ipaddr = query_ns(fqdn, rdtype)
+        # check if ip really changed
+        ok = ipaddr != current_ipaddr
+        action = 'upd'
+    except (dns.resolver.NXDOMAIN, dns.resolver.NoAnswer):
+        # no dns entry yet, ok
+        ok = True
+        action = 'add'
+    if ok:
+        # only send an add/update if the ip really changed as the update
+        # causes write I/O on the nameserver and also traffic to the
+        # dns slaves (they get a notify if we update the zone).
+        update_ns(fqdn, rdtype, ipaddr, action=action, ttl=ttl)
+    else:
+        raise SameIpError
+
+
+def delete(fqdn, rdtype=None):
+    """
+    dns deleter
+
+    :param fqdn: fully qualified domain name (str)
+    :param rdtype: 'A', 'AAAA' or None (deletes 'A' and 'AAAA')
+    """
+    if rdtype is not None:
+        assert rdtype in ['A', 'AAAA', ]
+        rdtypes = [rdtype, ]
+    else:
+        rdtypes = ['A', 'AAAA']
+    for rdtype in rdtypes:
+        update_ns(fqdn, rdtype, action='del')
+
+
 def update(fqdn, ipaddr, ttl=60):
     """
     intelligent dns updater - first does a lookup on the master server to find
@@ -30,8 +89,7 @@ def update(fqdn, ipaddr, ttl=60):
     :param ttl: time to live, default 60s (int)
     :raises: SameIpError if new and old IP is the same
     """
-    af = dns.inet.af_for_address(ipaddr)
-    rdtype = 'A' if af == dns.inet.AF_INET else 'AAAA'
+    rdtype = get_rdtype(ipaddr)
     try:
         current_ipaddr = query_ns(fqdn, rdtype)
         # check if ip really changed