diff --git a/bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/JQ.in b/bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/JQ.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..156174fd06
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/JQ.in
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+@JQ@
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 88d90d6f67..a60ba181f1 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -327,8 +327,9 @@ AC_SUBST([PYTEST])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PYTEST], [test -n "$PYTEST"])
 
 #
-# xsltproc is optional, it is used only by system test scripts.
+# Optional utilities, only used by system tests.
 #
+AC_PATH_PROG([JQ], [jq])
 AC_PATH_PROG([XSLTPROC], [xsltproc])
 
 #
@@ -1643,6 +1644,7 @@ AC_CONFIG_FILES([bin/tests/Makefile
 		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/TOP_BUILDDIR
 		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/TOP_SRCDIR
 		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/FSTRM_CAPTURE
+		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/JQ
 		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/SHELL
 		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/PYTHON
 		 bin/tests/system/isctest/vars/.ac_vars/PERL