diff --git a/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/named.conf.in
index ae20a688e4..9b2abaacce 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/named.conf.in
@@ -24,12 +24,19 @@ options {
 	notify no;
 };
 
+dnssec-policy unknown {
+	keys {
+		ksk key-directory lifetime unlimited algorithm @DEFAULT_ALGORITHM@;
+		zsk key-directory lifetime unlimited algorithm @DEFAULT_ALGORITHM@;
+	};
+};
+
 view "in" {
 	zone "example." {
 		type secondary;
 		primaries { 10.53.0.1; };
 		inline-signing yes;
-		auto-dnssec maintain;
+		dnssec-policy unknown;
 		file "example-in.bk";
 	};
 };
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/sign.sh b/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/sign.sh
deleted file mode 100644
index 7a8b097626..0000000000
--- a/bin/tests/system/unknown/ns3/sign.sh
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-#!/bin/sh -e
-
-# 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.
-
-. ../../conf.sh
-
-zone=example
-rm -f K${zone}.+*+*.key
-rm -f K${zone}.+*+*.private
-keyname=$($KEYGEN -q -a ${DEFAULT_ALGORITHM} -n zone $zone)
-keyname=$($KEYGEN -q -a ${DEFAULT_ALGORITHM} -n zone -f KSK $zone)
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/unknown/setup.sh b/bin/tests/system/unknown/setup.sh
index 0c043bf2a6..7ffda5583c 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/unknown/setup.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/unknown/setup.sh
@@ -16,5 +16,3 @@
 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
-
-(cd ns3; $SHELL -e sign.sh)