diff --git a/CHANGES b/CHANGES
index 4c28c97316..abff8d63e7 100644
--- a/CHANGES
+++ b/CHANGES
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+5963.	[bug]		Ensure struct named_server is properly initialized.
+			[GL #6531]
+
 5962.	[placeholder]
 
 5961.	[placeholder]
diff --git a/bin/named/server.c b/bin/named/server.c
index fd7426ac74..abd700da73 100644
--- a/bin/named/server.c
+++ b/bin/named/server.c
@@ -10236,13 +10236,14 @@ named_server_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, named_server_t **serverp) {
 	isc_result_t result;
 	named_server_t *server = isc_mem_get(mctx, sizeof(*server));
 
-	if (server == NULL) {
-		fatal(server, "allocating server object", ISC_R_NOMEMORY);
-	}
-
-	server->mctx = mctx;
-	server->task = NULL;
-	server->zonemgr = NULL;
+	*server = (named_server_t){
+		.mctx = mctx,
+		.statsfile = isc_mem_strdup(mctx, "named.stats"),
+		.bindkeysfile = isc_mem_strdup(mctx, named_g_defaultbindkeys),
+		.dumpfile = isc_mem_strdup(mctx, "named_dump.db"),
+		.secrootsfile = isc_mem_strdup(mctx, "named.secroots"),
+		.recfile = isc_mem_strdup(mctx, "named.recursing"),
+	};
 
 #ifdef USE_DNSRPS
 	CHECKFATAL(dns_dnsrps_server_create(), "initializing RPZ service "
@@ -10250,10 +10251,8 @@ named_server_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, named_server_t **serverp) {
 #endif /* ifdef USE_DNSRPS */
 
 	/* Initialize server data structures. */
-	server->interfacemgr = NULL;
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(server->kasplist);
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(server->viewlist);
-	server->in_roothints = NULL;
 
 	/* Must be first. */
 	CHECKFATAL(dst_lib_init(named_g_mctx, named_g_engine), "initializing "
@@ -10275,7 +10274,6 @@ named_server_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, named_server_t **serverp) {
 	isc_task_setname(server->task, "server", server);
 	isc_taskmgr_setexcltask(named_g_taskmgr, server->task);
 
-	server->sctx = NULL;
 	CHECKFATAL(ns_server_create(mctx, get_matching_view, &server->sctx),
 		   "creating server context");
 
@@ -10302,50 +10300,11 @@ named_server_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, named_server_t **serverp) {
 	server->sighup = isc_signal_new(
 		named_g_loopmgr, named_server_reloadwanted, server, SIGHUP);
 
-	server->interface_timer = NULL;
-	server->heartbeat_timer = NULL;
-	server->pps_timer = NULL;
-	server->tat_timer = NULL;
-
-	server->interface_interval = 0;
-	server->heartbeat_interval = 0;
-
 	CHECKFATAL(dns_zonemgr_create(named_g_mctx, named_g_loopmgr,
 				      named_g_taskmgr, named_g_netmgr,
 				      &server->zonemgr),
 		   "dns_zonemgr_create");
 
-	server->statsfile = isc_mem_strdup(server->mctx, "named.stats");
-	CHECKFATAL(server->statsfile == NULL ? ISC_R_NOMEMORY : ISC_R_SUCCESS,
-		   "isc_mem_strdup");
-
-	server->bindkeysfile = isc_mem_strdup(server->mctx,
-					      named_g_defaultbindkeys);
-	CHECKFATAL(server->bindkeysfile == NULL ? ISC_R_NOMEMORY
-						: ISC_R_SUCCESS,
-		   "isc_mem_strdup");
-
-	server->dumpfile = isc_mem_strdup(server->mctx, "named_dump.db");
-	CHECKFATAL(server->dumpfile == NULL ? ISC_R_NOMEMORY : ISC_R_SUCCESS,
-		   "isc_mem_strdup");
-
-	server->secrootsfile = isc_mem_strdup(server->mctx, "named.secroots");
-	CHECKFATAL(server->secrootsfile == NULL ? ISC_R_NOMEMORY
-						: ISC_R_SUCCESS,
-		   "isc_mem_strdup");
-
-	server->recfile = isc_mem_strdup(server->mctx, "named.recursing");
-	CHECKFATAL(server->recfile == NULL ? ISC_R_NOMEMORY : ISC_R_SUCCESS,
-		   "isc_mem_strdup");
-
-	server->hostname_set = false;
-	server->hostname = NULL;
-	server->version_set = false;
-	server->version = NULL;
-
-	server->zonestats = NULL;
-	server->resolverstats = NULL;
-	server->sockstats = NULL;
 	CHECKFATAL(isc_stats_create(server->mctx, &server->sockstats,
 				    isc_sockstatscounter_max),
 		   "isc_stats_create");
@@ -10359,33 +10318,17 @@ named_server_create(isc_mem_t *mctx, named_server_t **serverp) {
 				    dns_resstatscounter_max),
 		   "dns_stats_create (resolver)");
 
-	server->flushonshutdown = false;
-
-	server->controls = NULL;
 	CHECKFATAL(named_controls_create(server, &server->controls),
 		   "named_controls_create");
-	server->dispatchgen = 0;
+
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(server->dispatches);
 
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(server->statschannels);
 
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(server->cachelist);
 
-	server->sessionkey = NULL;
-	server->session_keyfile = NULL;
-	server->session_keyname = NULL;
-	server->session_keyalg = DST_ALG_UNKNOWN;
-	server->session_keybits = 0;
-
-	server->lockfile = NULL;
-
-	server->dtenv = NULL;
-
 	server->magic = NAMED_SERVER_MAGIC;
 
-	server->tlsctx_server_cache = NULL;
-	server->tlsctx_client_cache = NULL;
-
 	*serverp = server;
 }