diff --git a/nsupdate/api/views.py b/nsupdate/api/views.py
index 59bcac0..2ea1d70 100644
--- a/nsupdate/api/views.py
+++ b/nsupdate/api/views.py
@@ -198,6 +198,14 @@ def AuthorizedNicUpdateView(request):
 
 def _update(hostname, ipaddr):
     ipaddr = str(ipaddr)  # XXX bug in dnspython: crashes if ipaddr is unicode, wants a str!
+    hosts = Host.filter_by_fqdn(hostname)
+    num_hosts = len(hosts)
+    if num_hosts == 0:
+        return False
+    if num_hosts > 1:
+        logging.error("fqdn %s has multiple entries" % hostname)
+        return False
+    hosts[0].poke()
     try:
         update(hostname, ipaddr)
         logger.info('%s - received good update -> ip: %s' % (hostname, ipaddr, ))
diff --git a/nsupdate/main/models.py b/nsupdate/main/models.py
index fde541b..25e80b9 100644
--- a/nsupdate/main/models.py
+++ b/nsupdate/main/models.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ from django.db.models.signals import post_delete
 from django.contrib.auth.hashers import make_password
 from main import dnstools
 import dns.resolver
+from datetime import datetime
 
 import re
 
@@ -83,14 +84,18 @@ class Host(models.Model):
     def getIPv4(self):
         try:
             return dnstools.query_ns(self.get_fqdn(), 'A')
-        except dns.resolver.NXDOMAIN:
-            return ''
+        except (dns.resolver.NXDOMAIN, dns.resolver.NoAnswer):
+            return '-'
 
     def getIPv6(self):
         try:
             return dnstools.query_ns(self.get_fqdn(), 'AAAA')
-        except dns.resolver.NXDOMAIN:
-            return ''
+        except (dns.resolver.NXDOMAIN, dns.resolver.NoAnswer):
+            return '-'
+
+    def poke(self):
+        self.last_api_update = datetime.now()
+        self.save()
 
     def generate_secret(self):
         # note: we use a quick hasher for the update_secret as expensive