diff --git a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Server/Names.hs b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Server/Names.hs
index 19bae15fc..a5287956b 100644
--- a/src/Simplex/Messaging/Server/Names.hs
+++ b/src/Simplex/Messaging/Server/Names.hs
@@ -76,6 +76,10 @@ fetch NamesEnv {resolverEnv} d =
 mapResolverError :: ResolverError -> NameErrorType
 mapResolverError = \case
   HttpStatusErr 404 -> NOT_FOUND
+  -- 410 is a lapsed registration (past expiry, in grace or beyond): a correct
+  -- answer about the name, not a resolver failure, so it must not become
+  -- RESOLVER - that is reserved for the backing resolver/RPC breaking.
+  HttpStatusErr 410 -> NOT_FOUND
   HttpStatusErr 400 -> NOT_FOUND
   HttpStatusErr code -> RESOLVER ("HTTP " <> T.pack (show code))
   HttpFailure _ -> RESOLVER "transport failure"
diff --git a/tests/RSLVTests.hs b/tests/RSLVTests.hs
index 2416d851e..fbff33a43 100644
--- a/tests/RSLVTests.hs
+++ b/tests/RSLVTests.hs
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ import Data.List.NonEmpty (NonEmpty (..))
 import Data.Text (Text)
 import Data.Text.Encoding (encodeUtf8)
 import Data.Time.Clock (getCurrentTime)
-import Network.HTTP.Types (Status, status200, status404, status502)
+import Network.HTTP.Types (Status, status200, status404, status410, status502)
 import NamesResolverServer (memCfg, memCfg2, memProxyCfg, withNames)
 import qualified NamesResolverServer as NRS
 import SMPClient
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ rslvTests :: Spec
 rslvTests = do
   describe "RSLV direct (non-forwarded)" $ do
     it "resolver replies 404 -> NAME NOT_FOUND (reached, not CMD PROHIBITED)" testRslvBackendNotFound
+    it "resolver replies 410 -> NAME NOT_FOUND (a lapsed name, not a resolver failure)" testRslvBackendGone
     it "resolver replies 502 -> NAME (RESOLVER ..)" testRslvBackendHttpErr
     it "no names config -> NAME NO_RESOLVER" testRslvDisabled
     it "refuses to send RSLV on a session below namesSMPVersion" testRslvVersion
@@ -91,6 +92,17 @@ testRslvBackendNotFound =
       corrId `shouldBe` CorrId "rs01"
       resp `shouldBe` Right (ERR (NAME NOT_FOUND))
 
+-- The resolver answers 410 for a registration that has lapsed (in grace or
+-- past it). That is a correct answer about the name, so it has to arrive as
+-- NOT_FOUND; RESOLVER would make the client treat it as a broken resolver and
+-- abort domain verification instead of reporting the name as unverified.
+testRslvBackendGone :: IO ()
+testRslvBackendGone =
+  withResolverServer (status410, "{}") $
+    testSMPClient @TLS $ \h -> do
+      (_, _, resp) <- sendRslv h "rs08" (domain "lapsed.simplex")
+      resp `shouldBe` Right (ERR (NAME NOT_FOUND))
+
 testRslvBackendHttpErr :: IO ()
 testRslvBackendHttpErr =
   withResolverServer (status502, "{}") $
diff --git a/tests/SMPNamesTests.hs b/tests/SMPNamesTests.hs
index 0101a40a7..783a5d4e3 100644
--- a/tests/SMPNamesTests.hs
+++ b/tests/SMPNamesTests.hs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import Data.IORef (readIORef)
 import Data.List (sort)
 import qualified Data.Text as T
 import Data.Text.Encoding (encodeUtf8)
-import Network.HTTP.Types (status200, status400, status404, status500, status502)
+import Network.HTTP.Types (status200, status400, status404, status410, status500, status502)
 import NamesResolverServer (resolveResp, testNamesConfig, withResolverServer, withResolverServerDelayed)
 import Simplex.Messaging.Encoding (smpDecode, smpEncode)
 import Simplex.Messaging.Encoding.String (strDecode)
@@ -156,6 +156,14 @@ resolverSpec = do
       env <- newNamesEnv (testNamesConfig port)
       resolveName env aliceDomain `shouldReturn` Left NOT_FOUND
 
+  it "returns NOT_FOUND on 410 (registration lapsed)" $
+    -- A lapsed name is a correct answer, not a resolver failure: RESOLVER
+    -- would make the client abort domain verification instead of reporting
+    -- the name as unverified.
+    withResolverServer (resolveResp status410 "{}") $ \port _ -> do
+      env <- newNamesEnv (testNamesConfig port)
+      resolveName env aliceDomain `shouldReturn` Left NOT_FOUND
+
   it "returns RESOLVER on 502 (upstream failure)" $
     withResolverServer (resolveResp status502 "{}") $ \port _ -> do
       env <- newNamesEnv (testNamesConfig port)