What Happens If Your Domain Name Expires? (How to Protect It)

Losing your domain name due to expiration is one of the worst things that can happen to an online business. Yet every year, thousands of website owners accidentally let their domains expire, only to watch in horror as their digital identity disappears—sometimes forever.

Maybe your credit card on file expired. Perhaps you missed the renewal emails. Or you simply forgot about a domain you registered years ago. Whatever the reason, domain expiration can have devastating consequences for your business, brand, and search engine rankings.

The good news? Domain expiration follows a predictable timeline with multiple safety nets. Understanding this process—and taking simple preventive measures—can save you from disaster.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk through exactly what happens when a domain expires, the grace and redemption periods available, recovery options and costs, and most importantly, how to prevent expiration from ever happening.

The Domain Expiration Timeline

Domain expiration isn't instantaneous. There's a structured lifecycle with multiple stages, giving you several chances to recover your domain before permanent loss.

The Standard Domain Lifecycle

Active Domain (Before Expiration):

• Domain is active and operational
• Website and email work normally
• Full control and management access
• Can renew at any time

Expiration Date Arrives:

• Domain technically expires
• But doesn't disappear immediately
• Grace period begins
• Services may continue briefly

Grace Period (0-45 days typically):

• Domain can be renewed at normal price
• May still be functional or start showing errors
• Email may stop working
• Website may go offline

Redemption Period (30-40 days typically):

• Domain can still be recovered
• Requires redemption fee ($75-200+ extra)
• No longer under your direct control
• Must pay premium to get it back

Pending Delete (5 days):

• Final countdown before release
• Cannot be recovered by original owner
• Domain will be deleted and released

Deleted/Available:

• Domain returns to public pool
• Anyone can register it
• Original owner has no priority
• First come, first served

Important Timeline Notes

Variation by Extension:

• .com: Standard timeline above
• ccTLDs (country domains): Often shorter or no grace periods
• Some extensions delete immediately after expiration
• Always check specific extension policies

Variation by Registrar:

• Different registrars offer different grace period lengths
• Some provide additional courtesy time
• Others are stricter
• Read your registrar's specific policies

Stage 1: Approaching Expiration (30-60 Days Before)

Before your domain actually expires, registrars send multiple notifications.

What Happens

Email Reminders:

• First notice: 30-60 days before expiration
• Second notice: 2-3 weeks before
• Final notice: 1 week before
• Last-chance: 1-3 days before

Where Emails Go:

• Registrant email address on file
• Must be current and monitored
• Check spam folders regularly
• Update email if you've changed it

Account Notifications:

• Dashboard alerts appear
• Banner warnings on login
• Renewal prompts when managing domain
• Mobile app notifications (if available)

What You Should Do

Review and Renew:

1. Log into registrar account
2. Navigate to domain management
3. Select domain to renew
4. Choose renewal term (1-10 years)
5. Complete payment

Update Payment Methods:

• Verify credit card isn't expired
• Update billing information if changed
• Add backup payment method
• Ensure sufficient funds

Review Contact Information:

• Confirm email address is correct
• Update phone number if changed
• Verify mailing address
• All contact points current

Consider Multi-Year Renewal:

• Renew for 2-5+ years at once
• Lock in current pricing
• Reduce renewal frequency
• Better peace of mind

Cost at This Stage:

• Standard renewal: $12-18/year for .com
• No penalties or fees
• Cheapest time to renew
• Sometimes discount for multi-year

Stage 2: Expiration Date (Day 0)

Your domain reaches its expiration date. What actually happens depends on your registrar and extension.

Immediate Effects

Website:

• May continue working briefly (hours to days)
• Could go offline immediately
• Eventually shows error messages
• Visitor sees "Domain Expired" page or nothing

Email:

• Often stops working quickly
• Incoming emails bounce
• Outgoing emails fail
• Business communications disrupted

Domain Management:

• Still accessible in your account
• Shows as "Expired" status
• Can still renew (usually)
• Some features may be restricted

DNS and Services:

• DNS records may stop resolving
• Nameservers may be changed
• Third-party services disrupted
• Subdomains affected

Registrar Actions

Some Registrars:

• Immediately park domain
• Display "Renew" message
• Continue services briefly
• Provide grace period

Others:

• Shut down all services immediately
• Redirect to registrar page
• Require immediate action
• Less forgiving

Business Impact

Critical Disruptions:

• Website inaccessible to customers
• Email communications down
• Loss of customer trust
• Potential sales lost
• Professional reputation damaged
• SEO rankings begin declining

Real-World Example: A small e-commerce store let their domain expire on Black Friday. Website went down during their biggest sales day of the year. Customers couldn't access the site. Thousands in lost revenue. Embarrassing social media complaints.

What You Should Do

Renew Immediately:

1. Log into registrar account
2. Find expired domain
3. Click renew/reactivate
4. Pay renewal fee (standard pricing)
5. Services should restore within hours to 24 hours

Contact Support If Needed:

• If unable to renew automatically
• If payment fails
• If domain doesn't restore after payment
• For expedited restoration

Monitor Restoration:

• Wait 24-48 hours for full DNS propagation
• Test website functionality
• Send test emails
• Verify all services working

Cost at This Stage:

• Usually standard renewal rate
• $12-18/year for .com
• Some registrars charge small late fee ($5-10)
• Still relatively affordable

Stage 3: Grace Period (Days 1-45)

If you didn't renew immediately, you enter the grace period—your safety net.

Grace Period Details

What Is It?

• Time after expiration where domain can be renewed normally
• No extra fees beyond standard renewal (usually)
• Length varies by extension and registrar
• Last chance for easy recovery

Typical Lengths:

• .com, .net, .org: 30-45 days
• Some registrars offer up to 60 days
• ccTLDs: Often shorter (7-30 days) or none
• New gTLDs: Varies by registry

What Still Works (Maybe):

• Sometimes website continues functioning
• Often doesn't—showing parked page
• Email typically stops working
• DNS may still resolve temporarily

Registrar Differences:

• Namecheap: 30-day grace, standard renewal pricing
• GoDaddy: 30-day grace, may add fee after first days
• Porkbun: 30-day grace, standard pricing
• Others: Check specific policies

What Happens During Grace Period

Your Domain:

• Listed as "Expired" in account
• Can be renewed with one click
• Full ownership maintained
• Not available for others to register

Registrar Actions:

• May park domain with ads
• Often displays renewal notice
• Continues sending email reminders
• May call phone number on file

Risk Level:

• Relatively safe
• But don't wait until end
• Each day increases risk
• Services remain down

What You Should Do

Renew ASAP:

• Don't wait until end of grace period
• Risk of redemption if grace period shorter than expected
• Each day of downtime hurts business
• Sooner means faster restoration

Typical Process:

1. Log in to registrar
2. Navigate to expired domains
3. Select renew option
4. Pay standard renewal fee
5. Domain reactivates (usually within hours)

After Renewal:

• Monitor DNS propagation (24-48 hours)
• Test all services (website, email)
• Implement prevention measures
• Set up auto-renewal NOW

Cost During Grace Period:

• Standard renewal: $12-18/year
• Sometimes small late fee: $5-10
• Much cheaper than redemption
• No major penalties yet

Grace Period Exceptions:

Domains That Delete Faster:

• Some ccTLDs (.de, .eu, etc.) have short or no grace periods
• Can go straight to deletion or redemption
• Check your specific extension
• Don't assume 30 days exists

Example: .de domains may delete just days after expiration with no grace period. If you have German domains, be extra careful.

Stage 4: Redemption Period (Days 45-80+)

If you missed the grace period, you enter redemption—where recovery becomes expensive.

What Is the Redemption Grace Period?

Definition:

• Period after grace period expires
• Domain still recoverable but at high cost
• Lasts 30-40 days typically
• Managed by registry, not registrar

Why It's Expensive:

• Registry (not registrar) controls domain
• Requires registry restoration process
• Extra fees charged by registry
• Registrar adds markup

Registry Control:

• Domain transferred to registry control
• Original owner can still recover
• But must pay redemption fee
• No alternative recovery method

Redemption Period Details

Typical Length:

• 30 days for most TLDs
• 40 days for some
• Starts immediately after grace period ends
• Fixed duration by registry

Services During Redemption:

• Website completely offline
• Email non-functional
• DNS doesn't resolve
• No control or management access

Domain Status:

• Shows as "Redemption Period" in WHOIS
• Cannot be registered by others yet
• Original owner has recovery priority
• But at significant cost

Recovery Process and Costs

How to Recover:

1. Contact your registrar's support
2. Request domain redemption
3. Pay renewal fee + redemption fee
4. Wait for registry processing (3-7 days)
5. Domain returns to your account

Cost Breakdown:

Standard Renewal Fee:

• .com: $12-18
• Normal annual renewal cost
• Would have paid anyway

Redemption Fee:

• Registry fee: $80-150
• Registrar markup: $20-50
• Total redemption fee: $75-200+

Total Cost to Recover:

• Renewal + Redemption
• Typical total: $90-220
• Some registrars charge more
• 6-15x normal renewal cost

Registrar Redemption Pricing Examples (2025):

• GoDaddy: ~$80-100 redemption fee
• Namecheap: ~$160-180 redemption fee
• Network Solutions: ~$200 redemption fee
• Porkbun: ~$100-125 redemption fee

Time to Recover:

• Submit request: Immediate
• Processing time: 3-7 days typically
• DNS propagation: 24-48 hours after restoration
• Total: 5-10 days from payment to full function

What You Should Do

If in Redemption:

1. Act Quickly:

• Don't wait until end of redemption period
• Each day increases risk
• Processing takes time
• Start recovery immediately

2. Contact Registrar Support:

• Explain situation
• Request redemption
• Ask for exact cost
• Understand timeline

3. Pay Fees:

• Pay both renewal and redemption fees
• Use reliable payment method
• Get confirmation receipt
• Request expedited processing if available

4. Monitor Progress:

• Check account for status updates
• Watch for domain return
• Test services when restored
• Verify full functionality

5. Implement Prevention:

• Enable auto-renewal immediately
• Update contact information
• Set calendar reminders
• Add backup payment methods

Avoiding Redemption

Prevention Worth $100+:

• Set calendar reminders 60 days before expiration
• Enable auto-renewal on all domains
• Keep payment methods current
• Monitor email for renewal notices

Simple Math:

• Standard renewal: $12
• Redemption recovery: $90-220
• Savings from prevention: $78-208

Worth the effort to avoid!

Stage 5: Pending Delete (Days 80-85)

If you don't recover during redemption, the domain enters its final stage before release.

Pending Delete Status

What Happens:

• Domain enters 5-day pending delete phase
• Absolutely cannot be recovered by original owner
• Will be released to public soon
• No options remaining

Domain Characteristics:

• WHOIS shows "Pending Delete"
• Completely non-functional
• Countdown to deletion
• Original owner out of luck

Who Can Get It:

• Nobody during pending delete
• After 5 days, anyone can register
• Backorder services compete for it
• Highest bidder or fastest registrant wins

Backorder Services

What Are They?

• Services that automatically attempt to register domains when released
• Monitor pending delete domains
• Try to register the second it becomes available
• Competitive process

Popular Backorder Services:

• SnapNames
• DropCatch
• NameJet
• GoDaddy Domain Backorder

Costs:

• Backorder fee: $20-70
• If multiple backorders, goes to auction
• Auction can reach hundreds or thousands
• No guarantee you'll win

Original Owner:

• No priority or special rights
• Must compete like anyone else
• Could lose domain to someone else
• May have to pay inflated auction prices

Reality Check: If your domain enters pending delete, assume it's gone. You might recover it through backorder, but you might not. And if you do, it could cost 10-100x the renewal price.

Stage 6: Deleted and Available

After pending delete, the domain is released back to the public pool.

The Release

Timing:

• Exactly when varies (within minutes to hours after pending delete ends)
• Backorder services compete
• General public can also try
• First successful registration wins

Capture Methods:

1. Backorder Services:

• Automated systems try to register immediately
• If multiple backorders, auction among those users
• Winner pays backorder fee + domain cost

2. Drop Catching:

• Manual or automated attempts by individuals
• Very difficult to time correctly
• Low success rate without specialized tools
• Requires fast connection and good timing

3. Regular Registration:

• Once available, anyone can register normally
• If no backorders or they all fail
• Standard $12-15 cost
• Sometimes domain available briefly

Getting Your Domain Back

If Someone Else Registers It:

Option 1: Contact New Owner

• Find WHOIS contact info (if not private)
• Politely request purchase
• Negotiate price
• Be prepared to pay premium

Option 2: Domain Brokers

• Hire professional domain broker
• They negotiate on your behalf
• Better success rate
• Charge fee (% of sale or flat rate)

Option 3: Wait and Hope

• New owner might not renew
• Could expire again in a year
• Set backorder for future expiration
• Long shot strategy

Realistic Costs:

• If valuable domain: $500-$10,000+
• If someone realizes you want it: Price goes up
• Generic domains: Might get for $50-500
• Branded domains: Owner may demand ransom

Sad Reality: Recovering a domain after someone else registers it is expensive and often impossible. Prevention is 1000x better than attempting recovery at this stage.

Special Cases and Variations

Country-Code TLDs (ccTLDs)

Different Rules:

• Many ccTLDs have shorter or no grace periods
• .de (Germany): Can delete days after expiration
• .uk (United Kingdom): Short grace, then available
• .au (Australia): Strict deletion timelines

Check Specific Extension: Always verify your specific ccTLD policies. Don't assume 30-day grace period exists.

Learn more: ccTLD vs .com Domains

Premium Domains at Registrars

Registry Premium Renewals:

• Some domains have premium renewal fees
• May cost $100-1000+/year to renew
• Clearly disclosed during registration
• Plan for higher renewal costs

Important: If your domain has premium renewal pricing, factor that into budgets. Failure to pay premium renewal = same expiration process, but much more expensive to maintain.

Transferred Domains

Recent Transfers:

• Newly transferred domains can't be transferred again for 60 days
• Plan renewals carefully around transfers
• Don't let domain expire during transfer lock period

Legal and Trademark Issues

Trademarked Names:

• If domain contains trademark
• Original trademark owner may have recovery rights
• UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy) process
• Could lose domain even if you renew

Be Aware: Registering trademarked domains, even if available, can result in forced transfer. Don't rely on expiration cycles if domain infringes trademarks.

The Cost of Domain Expiration: Beyond Money

Financial costs are just the beginning. Domain expiration has cascading impacts.

Business Costs

Revenue Loss:

• Website down = no sales
• Customers can't reach you
• Orders can't be placed
• Income stream interrupted

Real Example: E-commerce site down for 5 days lost $15,000 in sales. Recovery cost was $150 (redemption). Total impact: $15,150.

SEO Impacts

Search Engine Rankings:

• Google de-indexes expired domains
• Rankings drop or disappear
• Traffic from search engines stops
• Competitors take your positions

Recovery Time:

• Even after restoration, rankings take weeks to months to fully recover
• Some rankings may never return
• Backlinks may be lost
• Domain authority damaged

Long-term Damage:

• 6+ months to recover SEO fully
• Some businesses never recover traffic
• Competitors gain permanent advantage
• Years of SEO work can be lost

Brand and Reputation Damage

Customer Trust:

• "Is this business even legitimate?"
• Looks unprofessional and unreliable
• Customers question stability
• Harder to win back trust

Social Media:

• Angry customers complain publicly
• Negative reviews mention downtime
• Viral complaints possible
• Reputation takes hit

Competitors:

• May purchase your expired domain
• Redirect to their site
• Confuse your customers
• Steal your traffic and brand equity

Professional Relationships:

• Partners lose confidence
• Investors question competence
• Suppliers get concerned
• Future opportunities harmed

Email Disruption

Communication Breakdown:

• Incoming emails bounce
• Clients can't reach you
• Miss important messages
• Appear unresponsive

Lost Opportunities:

• Sales inquiries unanswered
• Partnership offers missed
• Customer service failures
• Time-sensitive communications lost

Email History:

• May lose access to years of email archives
• Critical business communications gone
• Legal and compliance issues
• Historical record lost

How to Protect Your Domain From Expiration

Prevention is simple, effective, and free (or nearly free).

1. Enable Auto-Renewal (MOST IMPORTANT)

Why:

• Automatic renewal before expiration
• Charges payment method on file
• No manual action needed
• Best protection available

How:

1. Log into registrar account
2. Go to domain management
3. Find auto-renewal setting
4. Enable for each domain
5. Verify it's actually on

Verify:

• Check domain settings show "Auto-renew: ON"
• Receive confirmation email
• See status in account dashboard
• Test by checking before expiration date

Cost:

• Free to enable
• Only charged when renewal date arrives
• Standard renewal pricing
• No fees or penalties

Important: Don't assume it's on by default. Many registrars require manual enabling. Check every domain.

2. Keep Payment Methods Current

Auto-Renewal Only Works If:

• Credit card hasn't expired
• Sufficient funds available
• Card hasn't been cancelled/replaced
• Billing address is current

Best Practices:

• Update card before expiration
• Set calendar reminder to check annually
• Add backup payment method if possible
• Use card that auto-updates (some banks offer this)
• Verify charge will be approved (not at limit)

Failed Auto-Renewal:

• Registrar attempts to charge card
• Charge fails (expired/insufficient funds)
• Auto-renewal fails
• Domain expires anyway
• You still receive notification (hopefully)

Prevent Failure:

• Check registrar account quarterly
• Verify payment method validity
• Update immediately if card changes
• Add backup method

3. Maintain Accurate Contact Information

Why Email Matters:

• All renewal notices sent to email on file
• Expiration warnings sent there
• Recovery instructions sent there
• Critical for communication

Update Contact Info:

1. Log into registrar
2. Navigate to account settings
3. Update email address
4. Verify phone number
5. Update mailing address
6. Save changes

Use Reliable Email:

• Not a temporary or disposable email
• Account you check regularly
• Will exist for years
• Multiple-account access (don't use only work email if you might leave job)

Best Practice: Use personal email that you'll always have access to, not company email that could be revoked.

4. Set Calendar Reminders

Redundancy Matters: Even with auto-renewal, set manual reminders:

• 60 days before expiration: "Check domain renewal status"
• 30 days before: "Verify auto-renewal enabled"
• 7 days before: "Confirm renewal processed or manual renew"

Why:

• Auto-renewal can fail
• Backup safety net
• Catches issues before expiration
• Peace of mind

Tools:

• Google Calendar with email reminders
• iPhone/Android reminders
• Project management tools
• Dedicated domain management apps

5. Renew for Multiple Years

Longer Terms:

• Renew for 2, 5, or 10 years at once
• Reduces frequency of renewals
• May lock in current pricing
• Fewer chances to forget

Costs:

• Typically same annual rate, just prepaid
• Sometimes small discount for longer terms
• Total higher upfront, but same per year
• Worth it for important domains

Example:

• 1 year: $12 (renew annually)
• 5 years: $60 (pay once, forget for 5 years)
• 10 years: $120 (maximum term, longest protection)

When It Makes Sense:

• Primary business domain
• Critical brand domains
• Domains you know you'll keep long-term
• If you've previously forgotten renewals

6. Use Domain Management Tools

Portfolio Management:

• Track all domains in one place
• See expiration dates at a glance
• Get consolidated reminders
• Manage multiple registrars

Tools:

• Spreadsheet (simple, free)
• Domain management software
• Registrar dashboard (if all domains there)
• Third-party monitoring services

What to Track:

• Domain name
• Registrar
• Registration date
• Expiration date
• Auto-renewal status
• Cost per year
• Notes (purpose, related to which business, etc.)

7. Consolidate at Quality Registrars

Why Consolidation Helps:

• Easier to manage all domains in one place
• One login, one payment method
• Consistent renewal reminders
• Simpler oversight

Choose Quality Registrars:

• Strong renewal reminder systems
• Easy-to-use auto-renewal
• Good customer support
• Clear pricing
• Reliable service

Best Registrars for Domain Safety:

• Namecheap: Excellent reminders, easy auto-renewal
• Porkbun: Clean interface, good notifications
• Cloudflare: Reliable, transparent
• Google Domains/Squarespace: Simple management

Avoid registrars with:

• Confusing interfaces
• Hidden renewal fees
• Poor reminder systems
• Difficult auto-renewal

Learn more: Best Domain Registrars in 2025

8. Monitor Domain Portfolio Regularly

Quarterly Reviews: Set reminder to review all domains every 3 months:

• Verify auto-renewal still enabled
• Check payment methods current
• Confirm contact info accurate
• Review upcoming expirations
• Remove/don't renew domains you don't need

Annual Deep Review: Once per year, thorough audit:

• Review each domain's purpose and value
• Consolidate registrars if spread across many
• Update all contact information
• Renew for multiple years if desired
• Clean up portfolio

9. Use Trusted web hosting with Domain Monitoring

Some Hosts Monitor Domains:

• Alert if domain nearing expiration
• Especially if domain and hosting bundled
• Additional safety net
• Proactive notifications

Quality Hosting:

• Includes domain monitoring
• Sends independent renewal reminders
• Won't let your site go down without notice
• Values customer retention

10. Educate Team Members

If Multiple People Manage Domains:

• Document who's responsible
• Share access credentials securely
• Cross-train on renewal process
• Set up group reminders
• Have backup person

Business Continuity:

• What if primary person leaves company?
• What if they're on vacation during renewal?
• Who has access and authority?
• How to ensure continuity?

Documentation:

• Create domain management handbook
• List all domains and registrars
• Step-by-step renewal procedures
• Emergency contacts
• Recovery procedures

What to Do If Your Domain Has Already Expired

If you're reading this after expiration, act now.

Immediate Action Steps

1. Identify Stage:

• Check WHOIS: What's the status?
• Grace period, redemption, or pending delete?
• How long do you have?

2. Log Into Registrar:

• Access your account
• Find the expired domain
• Check renewal/redemption options

3. Renew or Redeem Immediately:

• If in grace: Renew now (standard cost)
• If in redemption: Pay redemption fee (expensive but necessary)
• If pending delete: Set backorder and hope

4. Contact Support:

• If unclear on process
• If payment issues
• If domain doesn't restore
• For expedited recovery

5. Monitor Restoration:

• Watch for confirmation
• Test website after 24-48 hours
• Verify email working
• Check all services

6. Implement Prevention:

• Enable auto-renewal immediately
• Update payment method
• Set multiple reminders
• Don't let it happen again

After Recovery

Root Cause Analysis:

• Why did it expire?
• Missed emails? Failed payment? Simply forgot?
• What went wrong?
• How to prevent repeat?

Prevent Recurrence:

• Address the cause
• Implement redundant safeguards
• Document lessons learned
• Update processes

Domain Expiration Myths Debunked

Myth 1: "I'll get notified before it expires"

Reality: You should get notified, but:

• Emails might go to spam
• Contact email might be wrong
• You might ignore/miss emails
• Technical issues can prevent delivery

Don't rely only on notifications. Use auto-renewal and calendar reminders.

Myth 2: "I have 30 days after expiration to renew"

Reality:

• Maybe yes, maybe no
• Depends on extension and registrar
• Some have shorter or no grace periods
• Don't gamble on grace period length

Never intentionally let domain expire hoping to renew during grace period.

Myth 3: "My registrar will protect my domain"

Reality:

• Registrars help with reminders
• But ultimate responsibility is yours
• They will delete expired domains per policy
• They're not babysitters

You must take ownership of renewal management.

Myth 4: "Auto-renewal means I never have to think about it"

Reality:

• Auto-renewal can fail
• Payment methods expire
• Cards get replaced
• Still need backup monitoring

Auto-renewal is critical but not foolproof. Monitor periodically.

Myth 5: "I can always buy back my domain"

Reality:

• Maybe, at enormous cost
• Might be registered by someone else
• Could enter auction and get expensive
• Might be gone forever

Recovery is expensive, difficult, and uncertain. Prevention is the only reliable strategy.

Conclusion: Don't Let Expiration Happen to You

Domain expiration is:

• Preventable
• Expensive to recover from
• Damaging to business
• Embarrassing and unprofessional
• Completely avoidable

The Solution:

1. Enable auto-renewal on every domain (5 minutes)
2. Keep payment methods current (check quarterly)
3. Set calendar reminders (backup safety net)
4. Renew for multiple years (reduce frequency)
5. Monitor domain portfolio (quarterly review)

Total time investment: 30 minutes per year.

Potential savings: $90-220 redemption fees, thousands in lost revenue, years of SEO recovery, infinite reputation damage.

The math is simple: Spend 30 minutes per year on prevention, or spend weeks recovering from expiration while losing money, traffic, and reputation.

Don't let your domain expire. The consequences are severe, but prevention is easy.

Take action now: Log into your registrar, enable auto-renewal on all domains, and set calendar reminders. Then use Namr's domain generator to find additional domains to protect your brand—and make sure those are protected from day one too.

Learn more about domain protection: Check our guide on WHOIS privacy and common domain mistakes to avoid.