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How to configure google app engine when your site is deployed on Heroku and uses CNAME for naked domain?

When we configure Heroku App to our domain we configure it using CNAME records. This means two entry in our DNS records, one for naked domain or xyz.com and other for www.xyz.com.

Now, if you want to receive mails over email ids configured with same domain with google apps, gmail then you need to configure MX records for xyz.com. Please see the previous post on this topic .

But there is a problem here, as CNAME record has higher priority, your domain wont return MX rule and always return CNAME rule and MX record validation would fail on the Google Domains page.

So, how to solve it:


  • Have A records entry if possible, with heroku this is  not possible.
  • Remove CNAME record from DNS entry for xyz.com and configure google domain, naked redirect to www.xyz.com.
  • Remove CNAME record from DNS entry for xyz.com and use Alias from Domian Control Panel.
  • Remove CNAME record from DNS entry for xyz.com and use Domain Forwarding service for xyz.com to www.xyz.com on the Domain Control Panel. This would be like a 301 redirect.

Hope this helps.

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