diff --git a/bin/named/statschannel.c b/bin/named/statschannel.c
index b29b26f16a..ef1b77f4da 100644
--- a/bin/named/statschannel.c
+++ b/bin/named/statschannel.c
@@ -3463,6 +3463,11 @@ render_json_traffic(const isc_httpd_t *httpd, const isc_httpdurl_t *urlinfo,
 
 #endif /* HAVE_JSON_C */
 
+#if HAVE_LIBXML2
+/*
+ * This is only needed if we have libxml2 and was confusingly returned if
+ * neither of libxml2 or json-c is configured.
+ */
 static isc_result_t
 render_xsl(const isc_httpd_t *httpd, const isc_httpdurl_t *urlinfo, void *args,
 	   unsigned int *retcode, const char **retmsg, const char **mimetype,
@@ -3518,6 +3523,7 @@ send:
 end:
 	return (ISC_R_SUCCESS);
 }
+#endif
 
 static void
 shutdown_listener(named_statschannel_t *listener) {
@@ -3530,6 +3536,7 @@ shutdown_listener(named_statschannel_t *listener) {
 	isc_httpdmgr_shutdown(&listener->httpdmgr);
 }
 
+#if defined(HAVE_LIBXML2) || defined(HAVE_JSON_C)
 static bool
 client_ok(const isc_sockaddr_t *fromaddr, void *arg) {
 	named_statschannel_t *listener = arg;
@@ -3560,7 +3567,9 @@ client_ok(const isc_sockaddr_t *fromaddr, void *arg) {
 
 	return (false);
 }
+#endif
 
+#if defined(HAVE_LIBXML2) || defined(HAVE_JSON_C)
 static void
 destroy_listener(void *arg) {
 	named_statschannel_t *listener = (named_statschannel_t *)arg;
@@ -3574,12 +3583,24 @@ destroy_listener(void *arg) {
 	isc_mutex_destroy(&listener->lock);
 	isc_mem_putanddetach(&listener->mctx, listener, sizeof(*listener));
 }
+#endif
 
 static isc_result_t
 add_listener(named_server_t *server, named_statschannel_t **listenerp,
 	     const cfg_obj_t *listen_params, const cfg_obj_t *config,
 	     isc_sockaddr_t *addr, cfg_aclconfctx_t *aclconfctx,
 	     const char *socktext) {
+#if !defined(HAVE_LIBXML2) && !defined(HAVE_JSON_C)
+	UNUSED(server);
+	UNUSED(listenerp);
+	UNUSED(listen_params);
+	UNUSED(config);
+	UNUSED(addr);
+	UNUSED(aclconfctx);
+	UNUSED(socktext);
+
+	return (ISC_R_NOTIMPLEMENTED);
+#else
 	isc_result_t result;
 	named_statschannel_t *listener = NULL;
 	const cfg_obj_t *allow = NULL;
@@ -3644,6 +3665,8 @@ add_listener(named_server_t *server, named_statschannel_t **listenerp,
 	isc_httpdmgr_addurl(listener->httpdmgr,
 			    "/xml/v" STATS_XML_VERSION_MAJOR "/traffic", false,
 			    render_xml_traffic, server);
+	isc_httpdmgr_addurl(listener->httpdmgr, "/bind9.xsl", true, render_xsl,
+			    server);
 #endif /* ifdef HAVE_LIBXML2 */
 #ifdef HAVE_JSON_C
 	isc_httpdmgr_addurl(listener->httpdmgr, "/json", false, render_json_all,
@@ -3673,8 +3696,6 @@ add_listener(named_server_t *server, named_statschannel_t **listenerp,
 			    "/json/v" STATS_JSON_VERSION_MAJOR "/traffic",
 			    false, render_json_traffic, server);
 #endif /* ifdef HAVE_JSON_C */
-	isc_httpdmgr_addurl(listener->httpdmgr, "/bind9.xsl", true, render_xsl,
-			    server);
 
 	*listenerp = listener;
 	isc_log_write(NAMED_LOGCATEGORY_GENERAL, NAMED_LOGMODULE_SERVER,
@@ -3691,6 +3712,7 @@ cleanup:
 	isc_mem_putanddetach(&listener->mctx, listener, sizeof(*listener));
 
 	return (result);
+#endif
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/named.conf.in
index 8fd14f9855..2048d73bf9 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/named.conf.in
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ options {
 	notify yes;
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.1 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type primary;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..12a1e27003
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns1/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.1 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named.conf.in
index 877e26a16f..f23bac8d67 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named.conf.in
@@ -26,9 +26,7 @@ options {
 
 trust-anchors { };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.2 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 key rndc_key {
 	secret "1234abcd8765";
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named2.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named2.conf.in
index 39772f9822..4b8e5030f1 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named2.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/named2.conf.in
@@ -24,9 +24,7 @@ options {
 	notify yes;
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.2 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 key rndc_key {
 	secret "1234abcd8765";
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6dd1516962
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns2/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.2 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/named.conf.in
index 1726d1d381..cacc0ec8e7 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/named.conf.in
@@ -29,9 +29,7 @@ options {
 
 trust-anchors { };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.3 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 key rndc_key {
 	secret "1234abcd8765";
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a755c39439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/ns3/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.3 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statistics/setup.sh b/bin/tests/system/statistics/setup.sh
index 7ffda5583c..37f52f5e32 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statistics/setup.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statistics/setup.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,13 @@
 
 . ../conf.sh
 
-copy_setports ns1/named.conf.in ns1/named.conf
-copy_setports ns2/named.conf.in ns2/named.conf
-copy_setports ns3/named.conf.in ns3/named.conf
+for d in ns1 ns2 ns3; do
+  conf=named.conf
+  copy_setports "${d}/${conf}.in" "${d}/${conf}"
+  conf=statistics-channels.conf
+  if $FEATURETEST --have-libxml2 || $FEATURETEST --have-json-c; then
+    copy_setports "${d}/${conf}.in" "${d}/${conf}"
+  else
+    echo "" >"${d}/${conf}"
+  fi
+done
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/prereq.sh b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/prereq.sh
index a0ad7a9bc7..df30423dc6 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/prereq.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/prereq.sh
@@ -23,4 +23,9 @@ if ! ${PERL} -MFile::Fetch -e ''; then
   exit 1
 fi
 
+if ! $FEATURETEST --have-libxml2 && ! $FEATURETEST --have-json-c; then
+  echo_i "skip: one or both of --with-libxml2 and --with-json-c required"
+  exit 255
+fi
+
 exit 0
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/named.conf.in
index 9a86e24acc..6a5086e4b2 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/named.conf.in
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ controls {
 	inet 10.53.0.1 port @CONTROLPORT@ allow { any; } keys { rndc_key; };
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.1 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type primary;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..12a1e27003
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns1/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.1 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/named.conf.in
index f4b5059c44..efcf7e5d78 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/named.conf.in
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ controls {
 	inet 10.53.0.2 port @CONTROLPORT@ allow { any; } keys { rndc_key; };
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.2 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type hint;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6dd1516962
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns2/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.2 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/named.conf.in
index 874143a543..7665d8a6e6 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/named.conf.in
@@ -35,9 +35,7 @@ controls {
 	inet 10.53.0.3 port @CONTROLPORT@ allow { any; } keys { rndc_key; };
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.3 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type hint;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a755c39439
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns3/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.3 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/named.conf.in
index c9d921092e..85cbc38d98 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/named.conf.in
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ controls {
 	inet 10.53.0.4 port @CONTROLPORT@ allow { any; } keys { rndc_key; };
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.4 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type hint;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5a89f8d489
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns4/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.4 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/named.conf.in
index 42495488c2..0875b7701e 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/named.conf.in
@@ -37,9 +37,7 @@ controls {
 	inet 10.53.0.5 port @CONTROLPORT@ allow { any; } keys { rndc_key; };
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.5 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type hint;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..12a9398c60
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns5/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.5 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/named.conf.in
index c10e0f70e2..1f631865ac 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/named.conf.in
@@ -36,9 +36,7 @@ controls {
 	inet 10.53.0.6 port @CONTROLPORT@ allow { any; } keys { rndc_key; };
 };
 
-statistics-channels {
-	inet 10.53.0.6 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
-};
+include "statistics-channels.conf";
 
 zone "." {
 	type hint;
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/statistics-channels.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/statistics-channels.conf.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..138a84bde3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/ns6/statistics-channels.conf.in
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+ *
+ * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+ *
+ * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+ * License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+ * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+ *
+ * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+ * information regarding copyright ownership.
+ */
+
+statistics-channels {
+        inet 10.53.0.6 port @EXTRAPORT1@ allow { any; };
+};
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/setup.sh b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/setup.sh
index 5d0ddee2d3..85feba601d 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/setup.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/setup.sh
@@ -16,12 +16,16 @@
 
 set -e
 
-copy_setports ns1/named.conf.in ns1/named.conf
-copy_setports ns2/named.conf.in ns2/named.conf
-copy_setports ns3/named.conf.in ns3/named.conf
-copy_setports ns4/named.conf.in ns4/named.conf
-copy_setports ns5/named.conf.in ns5/named.conf
-copy_setports ns6/named.conf.in ns6/named.conf
+for d in ns1 ns2 ns3 ns4 ns5 ns6; do
+  conf=named.conf
+  copy_setports "${d}/${conf}.in" "${d}/${conf}"
+  conf=statistics-channels.conf
+  if $FEATURETEST --have-libxml2 || $FEATURETEST --have-json-c; then
+    copy_setports "${d}/${conf}.in" "${d}/${conf}"
+  else
+    echo "" >"${d}/${conf}"
+  fi
+done
 
 (
   cd ns1
diff --git a/lib/isccfg/namedconf.c b/lib/isccfg/namedconf.c
index 09275a830a..9adaec5eef 100644
--- a/lib/isccfg/namedconf.c
+++ b/lib/isccfg/namedconf.c
@@ -1259,8 +1259,13 @@ static cfg_clausedef_t namedconf_clauses[] = {
 	{ "options", &cfg_type_options, 0 },
 	{ "parental-agents", &cfg_type_remoteservers, CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_MULTI },
 	{ "primaries", &cfg_type_remoteservers, CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_MULTI },
+#if defined(HAVE_LIBXML2) || defined(HAVE_JSON_C)
 	{ "statistics-channels", &cfg_type_statschannels,
 	  CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_MULTI },
+#else
+	{ "statistics-channels", &cfg_type_statschannels,
+	  CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_MULTI | CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_NOTCONFIGURED },
+#endif
 	{ "tls", &cfg_type_tlsconf, CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_MULTI },
 	{ "view", &cfg_type_view, CFG_CLAUSEFLAG_MULTI },
 	{ NULL, NULL, 0 }