GitHub Pages InvalidDNSError despite correct DNS records – HTTPS unavailable

[salev27-art]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

💬 Feature/Topic Area

Pages

Body

Hello GitHub Community,

I need help resolving a persistent DNS verification and HTTPS issue with my GitHub Pages website.

GitHub account: salev27-art
Repository: https://github.com/salev27-art/priyut-drakona
Custom domain: priyut-drakona.ru

The problem:

My website works over HTTP, but GitHub Pages displays InvalidDNSError in Settings → Pages.

HTTPS certificate provisioning is stuck at step 1 of 3, and the "Enforce HTTPS" option is unavailable.

My DNS configuration at REG.RU:

• A: 185.199.108.153
• A: 185.199.109.153
• A: 185.199.110.153
• A: 185.199.111.153
• CNAME for www: salev27-art.github.io

All four A records and the www CNAME resolve correctly in public DNS checks.

I also added the GitHub domain ownership verification TXT record at:

_github-pages-challenge-salev27-art.priyut-drakona.ru

DNSChecker confirms that the TXT record is publicly visible from multiple locations, but GitHub still cannot verify domain ownership.

The repository contains a CNAME file with priyut-drakona.ru, and GitHub Pages deployments complete successfully.

I already contacted GitHub Support, but my ticket was automatically closed with a recommendation to use community resources.

My questions:

1. Why might GitHub report InvalidDNSError when the DNS records resolve correctly?
2. Why does GitHub domain ownership verification fail even though the TXT record is publicly visible?
3. What else can I check to enable HTTPS and complete domain verification?

I would appreciate any advice on how to diagnose and resolve this issue.

Thank you!

[marcuspaula-seceng]

Your A records are the correct ones, so the usual culprits are records next to them that public checkers don't highlight. With REG.RU specifically, check these:

1. Leftover or default records at the apex.
REG.RU often keeps parking/hosting records. Run:

dig priyut-drakona.ru A +short
dig priyut-drakona.ru AAAA +short
dig www.priyut-drakona.ru +short

You should see only the four 185.199.10x.153 addresses for A. Any extra A record, or an AAAA that isn't GitHub's (2606:50c0:8000::153 … 8003::153), causes InvalidDNSError and blocks the certificate.

2. CAA records.
The certificate is issued by Let's Encrypt. If the zone has CAA records that don't include it, provisioning stays stuck at step 1:

dig priyut-drakona.ru CAA +short

Either have no CAA records, or add 0 issue "letsencrypt.org".

3. The TXT record name got the domain appended twice.
Many panels (REG.RU included) append the zone automatically. If you typed the full name, the real record becomes _github-pages-challenge-salev27-art.priyut-drakona.ru.priyut-drakona.ru. In the panel the host should be just:

_github-pages-challenge-salev27-art

Then verify:

dig TXT _github-pages-challenge-salev27-art.priyut-drakona.ru +short

4. Force a re-check.
After fixing the records and waiting for the TTL, go to Settings → Pages, remove the custom domain, save, then add it back. That restarts both the DNS check and the certificate request. Also click Verify again in your account settings (Settings → Pages → Verified domains).

There are several similar reports this month for .ru domains (#210123, #210108). If everything above is clean and it still fails after 24h, it may be on GitHub's side, and linking those threads in a new support ticket helps.