diff --git a/generate.go b/generate.go
index e4481a4b..3a559793 100644
--- a/generate.go
+++ b/generate.go
@@ -133,10 +133,20 @@ BuildRR:
 
 // Convert a $GENERATE modifier 0,0,d to something Printf can deal with.
 func modToPrintf(s string) (string, int, error) {
-	xs := strings.SplitN(s, ",", 3)
-	if len(xs) != 3 {
+	xs := strings.Split(s, ",")
+
+	// Modifier is { offset [ ,width [ ,base ] ] } - provide default
+	// values for optional width and type, if necessary.
+	switch len(xs) {
+	case 1:
+		xs = append(xs, "0", "d")
+	case 2:
+		xs = append(xs, "d")
+	case 3:
+	default:
 		return "", 0, errors.New("bad modifier in $GENERATE")
 	}
+
 	// xs[0] is offset, xs[1] is width, xs[2] is base
 	if xs[2] != "o" && xs[2] != "d" && xs[2] != "x" && xs[2] != "X" {
 		return "", 0, errors.New("bad base in $GENERATE")
diff --git a/generate_test.go b/generate_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1df6abd6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/generate_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+package dns
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestGenerateModToPrintf(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		mod        string
+		wantFmt    string
+		wantOffset int
+		wantErr    bool
+	}{
+		{"0,0,d", "%0d", 0, false},
+		{"0,0", "%0d", 0, false},
+		{"0", "%0d", 0, false},
+		{"3,2,d", "%02d", 3, false},
+		{"3,2", "%02d", 3, false},
+		{"3", "%0d", 3, false},
+		{"0,0,o", "%0o", 0, false},
+		{"0,0,x", "%0x", 0, false},
+		{"0,0,X", "%0X", 0, false},
+		{"0,0,z", "", 0, true},
+		{"0,0,0,d", "", 0, true},
+	}
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		gotFmt, gotOffset, err := modToPrintf(test.mod)
+		switch {
+		case err != nil && !test.wantErr:
+			t.Errorf("modToPrintf(%q) - expected nil-error, but got %v", test.mod, err)
+		case err == nil && test.wantErr:
+			t.Errorf("modToPrintf(%q) - expected error, but got nil-error", test.mod)
+		case gotFmt != test.wantFmt:
+			t.Errorf("modToPrintf(%q) - expected format %q, but got %q", test.mod, test.wantFmt, gotFmt)
+		case gotOffset != test.wantOffset:
+			t.Errorf("modToPrintf(%q) - expected offset %d, but got %d", test.mod, test.wantOffset, gotOffset)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/scan_test.go b/scan_test.go
index e43ad447..88baa602 100644
--- a/scan_test.go
+++ b/scan_test.go
@@ -2,11 +2,44 @@ package dns
 
 import (
 	"io/ioutil"
+	"net"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+func TestParseZoneGenerate(t *testing.T) {
+	zone := "$ORIGIN example.org.\n$GENERATE 10-12 foo${2,3,d} IN A 127.0.0.$"
+
+	wantRRs := []RR{
+		&A{Hdr: RR_Header{Name: "foo012.example.org."}, A: net.ParseIP("127.0.0.10")},
+		&A{Hdr: RR_Header{Name: "foo013.example.org."}, A: net.ParseIP("127.0.0.11")},
+		&A{Hdr: RR_Header{Name: "foo014.example.org."}, A: net.ParseIP("127.0.0.12")},
+	}
+	wantIdx := 0
+
+	tok := ParseZone(strings.NewReader(zone), "", "")
+	for x := range tok {
+		if wantIdx >= len(wantRRs) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected %d RRs, but got more", len(wantRRs))
+		}
+		if x.Error != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected no error, but got %s", x.Error)
+		}
+		if got, want := x.RR.Header().Name, wantRRs[wantIdx].Header().Name; got != want {
+			t.Fatalf("expected name %s, but got %s", want, got)
+		}
+		a, ok := x.RR.(*A)
+		if !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("expected *A RR, but got %T", x.RR)
+		}
+		if got, want := a.A, wantRRs[wantIdx].(*A).A; !got.Equal(want) {
+			t.Fatalf("expected A with IP %v, but got %v", got, want)
+		}
+		wantIdx++
+	}
+}
+
 func TestParseZoneInclude(t *testing.T) {
 
 	tmpfile, err := ioutil.TempFile("", "dns")