diff --git a/routlin/core.py b/routlin/core.py
index d812416..81ca128 100644
--- a/routlin/core.py
+++ b/routlin/core.py
@@ -743,8 +743,8 @@ def cmd_apply(data, dry_run=False):
 
     print("dnsmasq instances ===================================================")
     if not dnsmasq.blocklists_available(data):
-        print("  NOTE: No merged blocklist files found -- blocklist rules will be absent.")
-        print("        Run: sudo python3 dl_blocklists.py")
+        print("  NOTE: No blocklist hosts files found -- blocklist rules will be absent.")
+        print("        Run: sudo python3 dl_blocklists.py && sudo python3 core.py --merge-blocklists")
     dnsmasq.apply_dnsmasq_instances(data, start_if_needed=True)
     print()
 
diff --git a/routlin/health.py b/routlin/health.py
index 8597c44..282a46d 100644
--- a/routlin/health.py
+++ b/routlin/health.py
@@ -72,12 +72,8 @@ def _avahi_interfaces(data):
         if v.get("mdns_reflection") is True and not validation.is_wg(v)
     ]
 
-def _combo_hash(names):
-    key = ",".join(sorted(names))
-    return hashlib.sha256(key.encode()).hexdigest()[:8]
-
-def _merged_path(h):
-    return BLOCKLIST_DIR / f"merged-{h}.conf"
+def _vlan_hosts_file(vlan):
+    return shared.DNSMASQ_CONF_DIR / f"for-{vlan['name']}.hosts"
 
 def _gateway_ips(data):
     """Return set of all gateway IPs across all VLANs."""
@@ -519,30 +515,27 @@ def check_configurations(data):
             pass
 
     # --- Blocklist file freshness ---
-    blocklists = data.get("dns_blocking", {}).get("blocklists", [])
-    if blocklists:
-        combos = {}
-        for vlan in vlans:
-            names = vlan.get("use_blocklists", [])
-            if names:
-                combos[_combo_hash(names)] = names
-        now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp()
-        for h, names in combos.items():
-            path  = _merged_path(h)
-            label = ", ".join(names)
-            if not path.exists():
-                results.append(problem(
-                    f"blocklist_{h}", f"blocklist ({label})", "warning",
-                    f"Merged blocklist file for '{label}' does not exist.",
-                    "Run `sudo python3 dl_blocklists.py` to download blocklists."))
-            elif now - path.stat().st_mtime > BLOCKLIST_STALE_SECS:
-                age_h = int((now - path.stat().st_mtime) / 3600)
-                results.append(problem(
-                    f"blocklist_{h}", f"blocklist ({label})", "warning",
-                    f"Merged blocklist for '{label}' is {age_h}h old (threshold 36h).",
-                    "Run `sudo python3 dl_blocklists.py` to refresh."))
-            else:
-                results.append(ok(f"blocklist_{h}", f"blocklist ({label})"))
+    now = datetime.now(timezone.utc).timestamp()
+    for vlan in vlans:
+        names = vlan.get("use_blocklists", [])
+        if not names:
+            continue
+        vlan_name = vlan["name"]
+        path      = _vlan_hosts_file(vlan)
+        label     = ", ".join(sorted(names))
+        if not path.exists():
+            results.append(problem(
+                f"blocklist_{vlan_name}", f"blocklist ({vlan_name})", "warning",
+                f"Blocklist hosts file for '{vlan_name}' does not exist.",
+                "Run `sudo python3 dl_blocklists.py && sudo python3 core.py --merge-blocklists`."))
+        elif now - path.stat().st_mtime > BLOCKLIST_STALE_SECS:
+            age_h = int((now - path.stat().st_mtime) / 3600)
+            results.append(problem(
+                f"blocklist_{vlan_name}", f"blocklist ({vlan_name})", "warning",
+                f"Blocklist hosts file for '{vlan_name}' is {age_h}h old (threshold 36h).",
+                "Run `sudo python3 dl_blocklists.py && sudo python3 core.py --merge-blocklists`."))
+        else:
+            results.append(ok(f"blocklist_{vlan_name}", f"blocklist ({vlan_name})"))
 
     # --- Disk space ---
     try: