diff --git a/iterator/iterator.c b/iterator/iterator.c
index 06653442fae0..df5f645cc28c 100644
--- a/iterator/iterator.c
+++ b/iterator/iterator.c
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ iter_new(struct module_qstate* qstate, int id)
 	iq->query_restart_count = 0;
 	iq->referral_count = 0;
 	iq->sent_count = 0;
-	iq->target_count = NULL;
 	iq->wait_priming_stub = 0;
 	iq->refetch_glue = 0;
 	iq->dnssec_expected = 0;
@@ -454,26 +453,6 @@ handle_cname_response(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 	return 1;
 }
 
-/** create target count structure for this query */
-static void
-target_count_create(struct iter_qstate* iq)
-{
-	if(!iq->target_count) {
-		iq->target_count = (int*)calloc(2, sizeof(int));
-		/* if calloc fails we simply do not track this number */
-		if(iq->target_count)
-			iq->target_count[0] = 1;
-	}
-}
-
-static void
-target_count_increase(struct iter_qstate* iq, int num)
-{
-	target_count_create(iq);
-	if(iq->target_count)
-		iq->target_count[1] += num;
-}
-
 /**
  * Generate a subrequest.
  * Generate a local request event. Local events are tied to this module, and
@@ -545,10 +524,6 @@ generate_sub_request(uint8_t* qname, size_t qnamelen, uint16_t qtype,
 		subiq = (struct iter_qstate*)subq->minfo[id];
 		memset(subiq, 0, sizeof(*subiq));
 		subiq->num_target_queries = 0;
-		target_count_create(iq);
-		subiq->target_count = iq->target_count;
-		if(iq->target_count)
-			iq->target_count[0] ++; /* extra reference */
 		subiq->num_current_queries = 0;
 		subiq->depth = iq->depth+1;
 		outbound_list_init(&subiq->outlist);
@@ -1375,12 +1350,6 @@ query_for_targets(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 
 	if(iq->depth == ie->max_dependency_depth)
 		return 0;
-	if(iq->depth > 0 && iq->target_count &&
-		iq->target_count[1] > MAX_TARGET_COUNT) {
-		verbose(VERB_QUERY, "request has exceeded the maximum "
-			"number of glue fetches %d", iq->target_count[1]);
-		return 0;
-	}
 
 	iter_mark_cycle_targets(qstate, iq->dp);
 	missing = (int)delegpt_count_missing_targets(iq->dp);
@@ -1563,7 +1532,6 @@ processLastResort(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 			return error_response(qstate, id, LDNS_RCODE_SERVFAIL);
 		}
 		iq->num_target_queries += qs;
-		target_count_increase(iq, qs);
 		if(qs != 0) {
 			qstate->ext_state[id] = module_wait_subquery;
 			return 0; /* and wait for them */
@@ -1573,12 +1541,6 @@ processLastResort(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 		verbose(VERB_QUERY, "maxdepth and need more nameservers, fail");
 		return error_response_cache(qstate, id, LDNS_RCODE_SERVFAIL);
 	}
-	if(iq->depth > 0 && iq->target_count &&
-		iq->target_count[1] > MAX_TARGET_COUNT) {
-		verbose(VERB_QUERY, "request has exceeded the maximum "
-			"number of glue fetches %d", iq->target_count[1]);
-		return error_response_cache(qstate, id, LDNS_RCODE_SERVFAIL);
-	}
 	/* mark cycle targets for parent-side lookups */
 	iter_mark_pside_cycle_targets(qstate, iq->dp);
 	/* see if we can issue queries to get nameserver addresses */
@@ -1608,7 +1570,6 @@ processLastResort(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 		if(query_count != 0) { /* suspend to await results */
 			verbose(VERB_ALGO, "try parent-side glue lookup");
 			iq->num_target_queries += query_count;
-			target_count_increase(iq, query_count);
 			qstate->ext_state[id] = module_wait_subquery;
 			return 0;
 		}
@@ -1764,7 +1725,6 @@ processQueryTargets(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 			return error_response(qstate, id, LDNS_RCODE_SERVFAIL);
 		}
 		iq->num_target_queries += extra;
-		target_count_increase(iq, extra);
 		if(iq->num_target_queries > 0) {
 			/* wait to get all targets, we want to try em */
 			verbose(VERB_ALGO, "wait for all targets for fallback");
@@ -1805,7 +1765,6 @@ processQueryTargets(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 		/* errors ignored, these targets are not strictly necessary for
 		 * this result, we do not have to reply with SERVFAIL */
 		iq->num_target_queries += extra;
-		target_count_increase(iq, extra);
 	}
 
 	/* Add the current set of unused targets to our queue. */
@@ -1851,7 +1810,6 @@ processQueryTargets(struct module_qstate* qstate, struct iter_qstate* iq,
 					return 1;
 				}
 				iq->num_target_queries += qs;
-				target_count_increase(iq, qs);
 			}
 			/* Since a target query might have been made, we 
 			 * need to check again. */
@@ -2963,8 +2921,6 @@ iter_clear(struct module_qstate* qstate, int id)
 	iq = (struct iter_qstate*)qstate->minfo[id];
 	if(iq) {
 		outbound_list_clear(&iq->outlist);
-		if(iq->target_count && --iq->target_count[0] == 0)
-			free(iq->target_count);
 		iq->num_current_queries = 0;
 	}
 	qstate->minfo[id] = NULL;
diff --git a/iterator/iterator.h b/iterator/iterator.h
index 1364b86d722b..0b91760d4a49 100644
--- a/iterator/iterator.h
+++ b/iterator/iterator.h
@@ -52,8 +52,6 @@ struct iter_donotq;
 struct iter_prep_list;
 struct iter_priv;
 
-/** max number of targets spawned for a query and its subqueries */
-#define MAX_TARGET_COUNT	32
 /** max number of query restarts. Determines max number of CNAME chain. */
 #define MAX_RESTART_COUNT       8
 /** max number of referrals. Makes sure resolver does not run away */
@@ -253,10 +251,6 @@ struct iter_qstate {
 
 	/** number of queries fired off */
 	int sent_count;
-	
-	/** number of target queries spawned in [1], for this query and its
-	 * subqueries, the malloced-array is shared, [0] refcount. */
-	int* target_count;
 
 	/**
 	 * The query must store NS records from referrals as parentside RRs