diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/ns2/named.conf b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/ns2/named.conf
index b2bb5f9afb..1798f5fdce 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/ns2/named.conf
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/ns2/named.conf
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ options {
 	listen-on-v6 { none; };
 	recursion no;
 	notify yes;
+	version none;  // make statistics independent of the version number
 };
 
 statistics-channels { inet 10.53.0.2 port 8853 allow { localhost; }; };