diff --git a/bin/named/statschannel.c b/bin/named/statschannel.c
index 4d277d9ed8..d7f864acec 100644
--- a/bin/named/statschannel.c
+++ b/bin/named/statschannel.c
@@ -3587,6 +3587,10 @@ named_statschannels_configure(named_server_t *server, const cfg_obj_t *config,
 
 	ISC_LIST_INIT(new_listeners);
 
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBXML2
+	xmlInitThreads();
+#endif /* HAVE_LIBXML2 */
+
 	/*
 	 * Get the list of named.conf 'statistics-channels' statements.
 	 */
@@ -3719,6 +3723,10 @@ named_statschannels_shutdown(named_server_t *server) {
 		ISC_LIST_UNLINK(server->statschannels, listener, link);
 		shutdown_listener(listener);
 	}
+
+#ifdef HAVE_LIBXML2
+	xmlCleanupThreads();
+#endif /* HAVE_LIBXML2 */
 }
 
 isc_result_t