diff --git a/include/zone.h b/include/zone.h
index b7e27a8..d0a0bb3 100644
--- a/include/zone.h
+++ b/include/zone.h
@@ -437,6 +437,10 @@ typedef struct {
       a secondary as data may have been transferred over AXFR/IXFR that
       would have triggered an error otherwise. */
   bool secondary;
+  /** Programs that process zones that do not need the zone to be in perfect
+      order (for example programs that count the number of delegations),
+      may be even more lenient and allow syntax errors. */
+  bool skip_syntax_errors;
   /** Disable $INCLUDE directive. */
   /** Useful in setups where untrusted input may be offered. */
   bool no_includes;
diff --git a/src/bench.c b/src/bench.c
index 9c0aac7..3fcf621 100644
--- a/src/bench.c
+++ b/src/bench.c
@@ -157,6 +157,8 @@ static void help(const char *program)
     "\n"
     "Options:\n"
     "  -h         Display available options.\n"
+    "  -s         Continue parsing after a semantic error\n"
+    "  -S         Continue parsing after a semantic or syntax error\n"
     "  -t target  Select target (default:%s)\n"
     "\n"
     "Kernels:\n";
@@ -183,7 +185,16 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     if (*slash == '/' || *slash == '\\')
       program = slash + 1;
 
-  for (int option; (option = getopt(argc, argv, "ht:")) != -1;) {
+  zone_options_t options;
+  memset(&options, 0, sizeof(options));
+  options.pretty_ttls = true;
+  options.origin.octets = root;
+  options.origin.length = 1;
+  options.accept.callback = &bench_accept;
+  options.default_ttl = 3600;
+  options.default_class = 1;
+
+  for (int option; (option = getopt(argc, argv, "ht:sS")) != -1;) {
     switch (option) {
       case 'h':
         help(program);
@@ -191,6 +202,13 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
       case 't':
         name = optarg;
         break;
+      case 's':
+        options.secondary = true;
+        break;
+      case 'S':
+        options.secondary = true;
+        options.skip_syntax_errors = true;
+        break;
       default:
         usage(program);
     }
@@ -213,14 +231,6 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
   zone_parser_t parser;
   memset(&parser, 0, sizeof(parser));
-  zone_options_t options;
-  memset(&options, 0, sizeof(options));
-  options.pretty_ttls = true;
-  options.origin.octets = root;
-  options.origin.length = 1;
-  options.accept.callback = &bench_accept;
-  options.default_ttl = 3600;
-  options.default_class = 1;
 
   zone_name_buffer_t owner;
   zone_rdata_buffer_t rdata;
diff --git a/src/generic/format.h b/src/generic/format.h
index 76542c2..8ad29c0 100644
--- a/src/generic/format.h
+++ b/src/generic/format.h
@@ -389,8 +389,10 @@ static inline int32_t parse(parser_t *parser)
 
         if ((code = parse_owner(parser, &rr, &fields[0], &token)) < 0)
           return code;
-        if ((code = take_contiguous(parser, &rr, &fields[0], &token)) < 0)
-          return code;
+        if ((code = take_contiguous(parser, &rr, &fields[0], &token)) < 0) {
+          if(code == ZONE_SYNTAX_ERROR && !parser->options.skip_syntax_errors)
+            return code;
+        }
       } else if (unlikely(!parser->owner->length)) {
         SYNTAX_ERROR(parser, "No last stated owner");
       }
diff --git a/src/generic/parser.h b/src/generic/parser.h
index 34a90e5..574e0cc 100644
--- a/src/generic/parser.h
+++ b/src/generic/parser.h
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ static never_inline int32_t raise_error(
 {
   va_list arguments;
   uint32_t category = ZONE_ERROR;
-  if (code == ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR && parser->options.secondary)
+  if ((code == ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR && parser->options.secondary)
+  ||  (code == ZONE_SYNTAX_ERROR   && parser->options.skip_syntax_errors))
     category = ZONE_WARNING;
   va_start(arguments, format);
   zone_vlog(parser, category, format, arguments);
diff --git a/tests/semantics.c b/tests/semantics.c
index 7fcfe9d..df85a35 100644
--- a/tests/semantics.c
+++ b/tests/semantics.c
@@ -100,13 +100,13 @@ void ds_digest_lengths(void **state)
     { 4, 47, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
     { 4, 49, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
     // 5: GOST R 34.10-2012
-    { 5, 48, ZONE_SUCCESS },
-    { 5, 47, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
-    { 5, 49, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
+    { 5, 32, ZONE_SUCCESS },
+    { 5, 31, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
+    { 5, 33, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
     // 6: SM3
-    { 6, 48, ZONE_SUCCESS },
-    { 6, 47, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
-    { 6, 49, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR }
+    { 6, 32, ZONE_SUCCESS },
+    { 6, 31, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR },
+    { 6, 33, ZONE_SEMANTIC_ERROR }
   };
 
   (void)state;