diff --git a/models/record.go b/models/record.go
index dbd06e781..6dce203ec 100644
--- a/models/record.go
+++ b/models/record.go
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ func (rc *RecordConfig) ToRR() dns.RR {
 		rr.(*dns.SOA).Expire = rc.SoaExpire
 		rr.(*dns.SOA).Minttl = rc.SoaMinttl
 	case dns.TypeSPF:
-		rr.(*dns.SPF).Txt = rc.TxtStrings
+		rr.(*dns.SPF).Txt = []string{rc.target}
 	case dns.TypeSRV:
 		rr.(*dns.SRV).Priority = rc.SrvPriority
 		rr.(*dns.SRV).Weight = rc.SrvWeight
@@ -443,7 +443,7 @@ func (rc *RecordConfig) ToRR() dns.RR {
 		rr.(*dns.TLSA).Selector = rc.TlsaSelector
 		rr.(*dns.TLSA).Certificate = rc.GetTargetField()
 	case dns.TypeTXT:
-		rr.(*dns.TXT).Txt = rc.TxtStrings
+		rr.(*dns.TXT).Txt = []string{rc.target}
 	default:
 		panic(fmt.Sprintf("ToRR: Unimplemented rtype %v", rc.Type))
 		// We panic so that we quickly find any switch statements
diff --git a/models/t_txt.go b/models/t_txt.go
index 6e59658a3..e1e1bf828 100644
--- a/models/t_txt.go
+++ b/models/t_txt.go
@@ -49,13 +49,13 @@ func (rc *RecordConfig) SetTargetTXT(s string) error {
 // SetTargetTXTs sets the TXT fields when there are many strings.
 // The individual strings are stored in .TxtStrings, and joined to make .Target.
 func (rc *RecordConfig) SetTargetTXTs(s []string) error {
-	if rc.Type == "" {
-		rc.Type = "TXT"
-	} else if !rc.HasFormatIdenticalToTXT() {
-		panic("assertion failed: SetTargetTXTs called when .Type is not TXT or compatible type")
-	}
+	// if rc.Type == "" {
+	// 	rc.Type = "TXT"
+	// } else if !rc.HasFormatIdenticalToTXT() {
+	// 	panic("assertion failed: SetTargetTXTs called when .Type is not TXT or compatible type")
+	// }
 
-	rc.SetTarget(strings.Join(s))
+	rc.SetTargetTXT(strings.Join(s, ""))
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ func (rc *RecordConfig) GetTargetTXTJoined() string {
 //	"foo bar"    << 1 string
 //	"foo" "bar"  << 2 strings
 //	foo          << error. No quotes! Did you intend to use SetTargetTXT?
+//
 // Deprecated: GetTargetTXTJoined is deprecated. ...or should be.
 func (rc *RecordConfig) SetTargetTXTfromRFC1035Quoted(s string) error {
 	if s != "" && s[0] != '"' {
diff --git a/models/target.go b/models/target.go
index 58e1b34ab..774baff8b 100644
--- a/models/target.go
+++ b/models/target.go
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ Not the best design, but we're stuck with it until we re-do RecordConfig, possib
 var debugWarnTxtField = false
 
 // GetTargetField returns the target. There may be other fields (for example
-// an MX record also has a .MxPreference field.
+// an MX record also has a .MxPreference field; they are not included.
 func (rc *RecordConfig) GetTargetField() string {
 	return rc.target
 }
diff --git a/pkg/normalize/flatten.go b/pkg/normalize/flatten.go
index eef90aacb..fdb7abec2 100644
--- a/pkg/normalize/flatten.go
+++ b/pkg/normalize/flatten.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func flattenSPFs(cfg *models.DNSConfig) []error {
 		// flatten all spf records that have the "flatten" metadata
 		for _, txt := range txtRecords {
 			var rec *spflib.SPFRecord
-			txtTarget := strings.Join(txt.TxtStrings, "")
+			txtTarget := txt.GetTargetField()
 			if txt.Metadata["flatten"] != "" || txt.Metadata["split"] != "" {
 				if cache == nil {
 					cache, err = spflib.NewCache("spfcache.json")
diff --git a/pkg/rejectif/txt.go b/pkg/rejectif/txt.go
index 8a0883b8c..184d3e2ce 100644
--- a/pkg/rejectif/txt.go
+++ b/pkg/rejectif/txt.go
@@ -11,30 +11,24 @@ import (
 
 // TxtHasBackticks audits TXT records for strings that contain backticks.
 func TxtHasBackticks(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if strings.Contains(txt, "`") {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains backtick")
-		}
+	if strings.Contains(rc.GetTargetField(), "`") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains backtick")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // TxtHasSingleQuotes audits TXT records for strings that contain single-quotes.
 func TxtHasSingleQuotes(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if strings.Contains(txt, "'") {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains single-quotes")
-		}
+	if strings.Contains(rc.GetTargetField(), "'") {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains single-quotes")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // TxtHasDoubleQuotes audits TXT records for strings that contain doublequotes.
 func TxtHasDoubleQuotes(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if strings.Contains(txt, `"`) {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains doublequotes")
-		}
+	if strings.Contains(rc.GetTargetField(), `"`) {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains doublequotes")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -42,27 +36,23 @@ func TxtHasDoubleQuotes(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
 // TxtIsExactlyLen255 audits TXT records for strings exactly 255 octets long.
 // This is rare; you probably want to use TxtNoStringsLen256orLonger() instead.
 func TxtIsExactlyLen255(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if len(txt) == 255 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring length is 255")
-		}
+	if len(rc.GetTargetField()) == 255 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring length is 255")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // TxtHasSegmentLen256orLonger audits TXT records for strings that are >255 octets.
 func TxtHasSegmentLen256orLonger(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if len(txt) > 255 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("%q txtstring length > 255", rc.GetLabel())
-		}
+	if len(rc.GetTargetField()) > 255 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("%q txtstring length > 255", rc.GetLabel())
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // TxtHasMultipleSegments audits TXT records for multiple strings
 func TxtHasMultipleSegments(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	if len(rc.TxtStrings) > 1 {
+	if len(rc.GetTargetField()) > 255 {
 		return fmt.Errorf("multiple strings in one txt")
 	}
 	return nil
@@ -70,35 +60,25 @@ func TxtHasMultipleSegments(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
 
 // TxtHasTrailingSpace audits TXT records for strings that end with space.
 func TxtHasTrailingSpace(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if txt != "" && txt[ultimate(txt)] == ' ' {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring ends with space")
-		}
+	txt := rc.GetTargetField()
+	if txt != "" && txt[ultimate(txt)] == ' ' {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring ends with space")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // TxtIsEmpty audits TXT records for empty strings.
 func TxtIsEmpty(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	// There must be strings.
-	if len(rc.TxtStrings) == 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("txt with no strings")
-	}
-	// Each string must be non-empty.
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if len(txt) == 0 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring is empty")
-		}
+	if len(rc.GetTargetField()) == 0 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring is empty")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // TxtHasUnpairedDoubleQuotes audits TXT records for strings that contain unpaired doublequotes.
 func TxtHasUnpairedDoubleQuotes(rc *models.RecordConfig) error {
-	for _, txt := range rc.TxtStrings {
-		if strings.Count(txt, `"`)%2 == 1 {
-			return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains unpaired doublequotes")
-		}
+	if strings.Count(rc.GetTargetField(), `"`)%2 == 1 {
+		return fmt.Errorf("txtstring contains unpaired doublequotes")
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/pkg/txtutil/txtutil.go b/pkg/txtutil/txtutil.go
index a6caf5e05..d958f3335 100644
--- a/pkg/txtutil/txtutil.go
+++ b/pkg/txtutil/txtutil.go
@@ -1,5 +1,23 @@
 package txtutil
 
+import "github.com/StackExchange/dnscontrol/v4/models"
+
+// SplitSingleLongTxt finds TXT records with a single long string and splits it
+// into 255-octet chunks. This is used by providers that, when a user specifies
+// one long TXT string, split it into smaller strings behind the scenes.
+// This should be called from GetZoneRecordsCorrections().
+// Deprecated: SplitSingleLongTxt() is deprecated. No longer needed.
+func SplitSingleLongTxt(records []*models.RecordConfig) {
+	// for _, rc := range records {
+	// 	if rc.HasFormatIdenticalToTXT() {
+	// 		s := rc.TxtStrings[0]
+	// 		if len(rc.TxtStrings) == 1 && len(s) > 255 {
+	// 			rc.SetTargetTXTs(splitChunks(s, 255))
+	// 		}
+	// 	}
+	// }
+}
+
 // ToChunks returns the string as chunks of 255-octet strings (the last string being the remainder).
 func ToChunks(s string) []string {
 	return splitChunks(s, 255)
diff --git a/providers/axfrddns/axfrddnsProvider.go b/providers/axfrddns/axfrddnsProvider.go
index d455fc205..2d91ad649 100644
--- a/providers/axfrddns/axfrddnsProvider.go
+++ b/providers/axfrddns/axfrddnsProvider.go
@@ -328,8 +328,7 @@ func (c *axfrddnsProvider) GetZoneRecords(domain string, meta map[string]string)
 		last := foundRecords[len(foundRecords)-1]
 		if last.Type == "TXT" &&
 			last.Name == dnssecDummyLabel &&
-			len(last.TxtStrings) == 1 &&
-			last.TxtStrings[0] == dnssecDummyTxt {
+			last.GetTargetField() == dnssecDummyTxt {
 			c.hasDnssecRecords = true
 			foundRecords = foundRecords[0:(len(foundRecords) - 1)]
 		}
diff --git a/providers/azuredns/azureDnsProvider.go b/providers/azuredns/azureDnsProvider.go
index 484f1c572..46ec77ab4 100644
--- a/providers/azuredns/azureDnsProvider.go
+++ b/providers/azuredns/azureDnsProvider.go
@@ -653,11 +653,9 @@ func (a *azurednsProvider) recordToNative(recordKey models.RecordKey, recordConf
 				recordSet.Properties.TxtRecords = []*adns.TxtRecord{}
 			}
 			// Empty TXT record needs to have no value set in it's properties
-			if !(len(rec.TxtStrings) == 1 && rec.TxtStrings[0] == "") {
-				var txts []*string
-				for _, txt := range rec.TxtStrings {
-					txts = append(txts, to.StringPtr(txt))
-				}
+			tt := rec.GetTargetField()
+			if tt != "" {
+				txts := []*string{to.StringPtr(tt)}
 				recordSet.Properties.TxtRecords = append(recordSet.Properties.TxtRecords, &adns.TxtRecord{Value: txts})
 			}
 		case "MX":
@@ -729,11 +727,9 @@ func (a *azurednsProvider) recordToNativeDiff2(recordKey models.RecordKey, recor
 				recordSet.Properties.TxtRecords = []*adns.TxtRecord{}
 			}
 			// Empty TXT record needs to have no value set in it's properties
-			if !(len(rec.TxtStrings) == 1 && rec.TxtStrings[0] == "") {
-				var txts []*string
-				for _, txt := range rec.TxtStrings {
-					txts = append(txts, to.StringPtr(txt))
-				}
+			tt := rec.GetTargetField()
+			if tt != "" {
+				txts := []*string{to.StringPtr(tt)}
 				recordSet.Properties.TxtRecords = append(recordSet.Properties.TxtRecords, &adns.TxtRecord{Value: txts})
 			}
 		case "MX":
diff --git a/providers/cscglobal/dns.go b/providers/cscglobal/dns.go
index e00f1b3d1..14c4de9b5 100644
--- a/providers/cscglobal/dns.go
+++ b/providers/cscglobal/dns.go
@@ -135,14 +135,7 @@ func (client *providerClient) GetZoneRecordsCorrections(dc *models.DomainConfig,
 }
 
 func makePurge(domainname string, cor diff.Correlation) zoneResourceRecordEdit {
-	var existingTarget string
-
-	switch cor.Existing.Type {
-	case "TXT":
-		existingTarget = strings.Join(cor.Existing.TxtStrings, "")
-	default:
-		existingTarget = cor.Existing.GetTargetField()
-	}
+	existingTarget := cor.Existing.GetTargetField()
 
 	zer := zoneResourceRecordEdit{
 		Action:       "PURGE",
@@ -163,19 +156,11 @@ func makePurge(domainname string, cor diff.Correlation) zoneResourceRecordEdit {
 func makeAdd(domainname string, cre diff.Correlation) zoneResourceRecordEdit {
 	rec := cre.Desired
 
-	var recTarget string
-	switch rec.Type {
-	case "TXT":
-		recTarget = strings.Join(rec.TxtStrings, "")
-	default:
-		recTarget = rec.GetTargetField()
-	}
-
 	zer := zoneResourceRecordEdit{
 		Action:     "ADD",
 		RecordType: rec.Type,
 		NewKey:     rec.Name,
-		NewValue:   recTarget,
+		NewValue:   rec.GetTargetField(),
 		NewTTL:     rec.TTL,
 	}
 
@@ -192,7 +177,7 @@ func makeAdd(domainname string, cre diff.Correlation) zoneResourceRecordEdit {
 		zer.NewWeight = rec.SrvWeight
 		zer.NewPort = rec.SrvPort
 	case "TXT":
-		zer.NewValue = strings.Join(rec.TxtStrings, "")
+		zer.NewValue = rec.GetTargetField()
 	default: // "A", "CNAME", "NS"
 		// Nothing to do.
 	}
@@ -205,15 +190,8 @@ func makeEdit(domainname string, m diff.Correlation) zoneResourceRecordEdit {
 	// TODO: Assert that old.Type == rec.Type
 	// TODO: Assert that old.Name == rec.Name
 
-	var oldTarget, recTarget string
-	switch old.Type {
-	case "TXT":
-		oldTarget = strings.Join(old.TxtStrings, "")
-		recTarget = strings.Join(rec.TxtStrings, "")
-	default:
-		oldTarget = old.GetTargetField()
-		recTarget = rec.GetTargetField()
-	}
+	oldTarget := old.GetTargetField()
+	recTarget := rec.GetTargetField()
 
 	zer := zoneResourceRecordEdit{
 		Action:       "EDIT",
diff --git a/providers/domainnameshop/dns.go b/providers/domainnameshop/dns.go
index 27acee61b..773e3409e 100644
--- a/providers/domainnameshop/dns.go
+++ b/providers/domainnameshop/dns.go
@@ -28,13 +28,6 @@ func (api *domainNameShopProvider) GetZoneRecords(domain string, meta map[string
 // GetZoneRecordsCorrections returns a list of corrections that will turn existing records into dc.Records.
 func (api *domainNameShopProvider) GetZoneRecordsCorrections(dc *models.DomainConfig, existingRecords models.Records) ([]*models.Correction, error) {
 
-	// Merge TXT strings to one string
-	for _, rc := range dc.Records {
-		if rc.HasFormatIdenticalToTXT() {
-			rc.SetTargetTXT(strings.Join(rc.TxtStrings, ""))
-		}
-	}
-
 	// Domainnameshop doesn't allow arbitrary TTLs they must be a multiple of 60.
 	for _, record := range dc.Records {
 		record.TTL = fixTTL(record.TTL)
diff --git a/providers/hetzner/types.go b/providers/hetzner/types.go
index 80ad3c8e7..8b749f8d0 100644
--- a/providers/hetzner/types.go
+++ b/providers/hetzner/types.go
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ func fromRecordConfig(in *models.RecordConfig, zone *zone) record {
 		ZoneID: zone.ID,
 	}
 
-	if r.Type == "TXT" && len(in.TxtStrings) == 1 {
+	if r.Type == "TXT" {
 		// HACK: HETZNER rejects values that fit into 255 bytes w/o quotes,
 		//  but do not fit w/ added quotes (via GetTargetCombined()).
 		// Sending the raw, non-quoted value works for the comprehensive
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func fromRecordConfig(in *models.RecordConfig, zone *zone) record {
 		// The HETZNER validation does not provide helpful error messages.
 		// {"error":{"message":"422 Unprocessable Entity: missing: ; ","code":422}}
 		// Last checked: 2023-04-01
-		valueNotQuoted := in.TxtStrings[0]
+		valueNotQuoted := in.GetTargetField()
 		if len(valueNotQuoted) == 254 || len(valueNotQuoted) == 255 {
 			r.Value = valueNotQuoted
 		}
diff --git a/providers/hexonet/records.go b/providers/hexonet/records.go
index 9102f3990..302c39c18 100644
--- a/providers/hexonet/records.go
+++ b/providers/hexonet/records.go
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ func (n *HXClient) createRecordString(rc *models.RecordConfig, domain string) (s
 	case "CAA":
 		record.Answer = fmt.Sprintf(`%v %s "%s"`, rc.CaaFlag, rc.CaaTag, record.Answer)
 	case "TXT":
-		record.Answer = encodeTxt(rc.TxtStrings)
+		record.Answer = encodeTxt([]string{rc.GetTargetField()})
 	case "SRV":
 		if rc.GetTargetField() == "." {
 			return "", fmt.Errorf("SRV records with empty targets are not supported (as of 2020-02-27, the API returns 'Invalid attribute value syntax')")
diff --git a/providers/vultr/vultrProvider.go b/providers/vultr/vultrProvider.go
index c493e41c9..4ea485818 100644
--- a/providers/vultr/vultrProvider.go
+++ b/providers/vultr/vultrProvider.go
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ func toVultrRecord(dc *models.DomainConfig, rc *models.RecordConfig, vultrID str
 		// Vultr doesn't permit TXT strings to include double-quotes
 		// therefore, we don't have to escape interior double-quotes.
 		// Vultr's API requires the string to begin and end with double-quotes.
-		r.Data = `"` + strings.Join(rc.TxtStrings, "") + `"`
+		r.Data = `"` + rc.GetTargetField() + `"`
 	default:
 	}