diff --git a/lib/isc/histo.c b/lib/isc/histo.c
index fa4ca5b06d..7aac5c36ca 100644
--- a/lib/isc/histo.c
+++ b/lib/isc/histo.c
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@
 #include <assert.h>
 #include <errno.h>
 #include <math.h>
-#include <stdatomic.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h
index 2c4a73be01..8a74a161aa 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <isc/atomic.h>
 #include <isc/result.h>
 
 /*! \file isc/types.h
@@ -20,7 +21,6 @@
  * OS-specific types, from the OS-specific include directories.
  */
 #include <limits.h>
-#include <stdatomic.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
 #include <stdint.h>
diff --git a/util/checklibs.sh b/util/checklibs.sh
index fdb9bee494..e0f8c79d64 100755
--- a/util/checklibs.sh
+++ b/util/checklibs.sh
@@ -42,4 +42,26 @@ list=$(git grep -l uintptr_t lib bin \
   echo "$list"
 }
 
+#
+# Check for the direct usage of stdatomic.h
+#
+list=$(git grep -l stdatomic.h lib bin ':(exclude)lib/isc/include/isc/atomic\.h' \
+  | grep -e '\.c$' -e '\.h$')
+[ -n "$list" ] && {
+  status=1
+  echo 'Use #include <isc/atomic.h> instead of #include <stdatomic.h>:'
+  echo "$list"
+}
+
+#
+# Check for the usage of explicit memory ordering
+#
+list=$(git grep -l memory_order_.* lib bin ':(exclude)lib/isc/include/isc/atomic\.h' \
+  | grep -e '\.c$' -e '\.h$')
+[ -n "$list" ] && {
+  status=1
+  echo 'Prefer the helpers in <isc/atomic.h> over specifying an explicit memory order:'
+  echo "$list"
+}
+
 exit $status