Re-reading the docs and my configs I caught an issue -- similarly named params that I hadn't realized as being different.
If my main.cf I had smtpd_recipient_restrictions = reject_non_fqdn_recipient reject_unauth_pipelining reject_non_fqdn_recipient reject_unknown_recipient_domain permit_sasl_authenticated permit_mynetworks reject_unlisted_recipient If I add smtpd_recipient_restrictions = reject_non_fqdn_recipient reject_unauth_pipelining reject_non_fqdn_recipient reject_unknown_recipient_domain permit_sasl_authenticated permit_mynetworks + reject_unverified_recipient reject_unlisted_recipient now, the remote address verification IS occurring in the postscreen stage, and it looks like it's being correctly rejected now Mar 23 12:29:28 mail1 postfix/postscreen[31437]: CONNECT from [209.85.192.169]:32793 to [173.255.249.242]:25 Mar 23 12:29:34 mail1 postfix/postscreen[31437]: PASS OLD [209.85.192.169]:32793 Mar 23 12:29:34 mail1 postfix/psint/smtpd[31442]: connect from mail-pf0-f169.google.com[209.85.192.169] Mar 23 12:29:36 mail1 postfix/cleanup[31451]: 3qVflN0Htkz2wX3: message-id=<3qvfln0htkz2...@mail1.example.com> Mar 23 12:29:36 mail1 postfix/qmgr[31293]: 3qVflN0Htkz2wX3: from=<double-bounce3...@mail1.example.com>, size=246, nrcpt=1 (queue active) Mar 23 12:29:36 mail1 postfix/addressverify/smtp[31452]: 3qVflN0Htkz2wX3: to=<noex...@example.com>, relay=mail2.example.com[10.46.1.121]:25, delay=0.67, delays=0.01/0.01/0.55/0.1, dsn=5.1.1, status=undeliverable (host mail2.example.com[10.46.1.121] said: 550 5.1.1 <noex...@example.com>: Recipient address rejected: example.com (in reply to RCPT TO command)) Mar 23 12:29:36 mail1 postfix/qmgr[31293]: 3qVflN0Htkz2wX3: removed Mar 23 12:29:39 mail1 postfix/psint/smtpd[31442]: NOQUEUE: reject: RCPT from mail-pf0-f169.google.com[209.85.192.169]: 550 5.1.1 <noex...@example.com>: Recipient address rejected: undeliverable address: Recipient address unknown; from=<j...@gmail.com> to=<noex...@example.com> proto=ESMTP helo=<mail-pf0-f169.google.com> Mar 23 12:29:39 mail1 postfix/psint/smtpd[31442]: disconnect from mail-pf0-f169.google.com[209.85.192.169] ehlo=2 starttls=1 mail=1 rcpt=0/1 data=0/1 quit=1 commands=5/7 So I went back to re-read http://www.postfix.org/ADDRESS_VERIFICATION_README.html which doesn't list reject_unlisted_recipient at all. I finally found both reject_unverified_recipient reject_unlisted_recipient at http://www.postfix.org/postconf.5.html, but I just can't grasp the difference. Can someone clarify the difference between those 2, particularly in the context of remote address verification?