diff --git a/bin/tests/system/dyndb/driver/driver.c b/bin/tests/system/dyndb/driver/driver.c
index f4497c9d65..7e8a249d3a 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/dyndb/driver/driver.c
+++ b/bin/tests/system/dyndb/driver/driver.c
@@ -95,17 +95,6 @@ dyndb_init(isc_mem_t *mctx, const char *name, const char *parameters,
 	REQUIRE(name != NULL);
 	REQUIRE(dctx != NULL);
 
-	/*
-	 * Depending on how dlopen() was called, we may not have
-	 * access to named's global namespace, in which case we need
-	 * to initialize libisc/libdns
-	 */
-	if (dctx->refvar != &isc_bind9) {
-		isc_log_setcontext(dctx->lctx);
-		dns_log_setcontext(dctx->lctx);
-		isc_hash_set_initializer(dctx->hashinit);
-	}
-
 	s = isc_mem_strdup(mctx, parameters);
 
 	result = isc_commandline_strtoargv(mctx, s, &argc, &argv, 0);
diff --git a/lib/dns/dyndb.c b/lib/dns/dyndb.c
index 682e0b2eb3..6e3c7c3b76 100644
--- a/lib/dns/dyndb.c
+++ b/lib/dns/dyndb.c
@@ -274,8 +274,12 @@ dns_dyndb_createctx(isc_mem_t *mctx, const void *hashinit, isc_log_t *lctx,
 	REQUIRE(dctxp != NULL && *dctxp == NULL);
 
 	dctx = isc_mem_get(mctx, sizeof(*dctx));
+	*dctx = (dns_dyndbctx_t){
+		.timermgr = tmgr,
+		.hashinit = hashinit,
+		.lctx = lctx,
+	};
 
-	memset(dctx, 0, sizeof(*dctx));
 	if (view != NULL) {
 		dns_view_attach(view, &dctx->view);
 	}
@@ -285,10 +289,6 @@ dns_dyndb_createctx(isc_mem_t *mctx, const void *hashinit, isc_log_t *lctx,
 	if (task != NULL) {
 		isc_task_attach(task, &dctx->task);
 	}
-	dctx->timermgr = tmgr;
-	dctx->hashinit = hashinit;
-	dctx->lctx = lctx;
-	dctx->refvar = &isc_bind9;
 
 	isc_mem_attach(mctx, &dctx->mctx);
 	dctx->magic = DNS_DYNDBCTX_MAGIC;
diff --git a/lib/dns/include/dns/dyndb.h b/lib/dns/include/dns/dyndb.h
index a219cb9158..3cb32c2180 100644
--- a/lib/dns/include/dns/dyndb.h
+++ b/lib/dns/include/dns/dyndb.h
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ struct dns_dyndbctx {
 	dns_zonemgr_t  *zmgr;
 	isc_task_t     *task;
 	isc_timermgr_t *timermgr;
-	const bool     *refvar;
+	const bool     *refvar; /* unused, but retained for API compatibility */
 };
 
 #define DNS_DYNDBCTX_MAGIC    ISC_MAGIC('D', 'd', 'b', 'c')
diff --git a/lib/isc/Makefile.am b/lib/isc/Makefile.am
index 74a43098f6..fc0ac5ff1e 100644
--- a/lib/isc/Makefile.am
+++ b/lib/isc/Makefile.am
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ libisc_la_HEADERS =			\
 	include/isc/barrier.h		\
 	include/isc/base32.h		\
 	include/isc/base64.h		\
-	include/isc/bind9.h		\
 	include/isc/buffer.h		\
 	include/isc/cmocka.h		\
 	include/isc/commandline.h	\
@@ -120,7 +119,6 @@ libisc_la_SOURCES =		\
 	backtrace.c		\
 	base32.c		\
 	base64.c		\
-	bind9.c			\
 	buffer.c		\
 	commandline.c		\
 	condition.c		\
diff --git a/lib/isc/bind9.c b/lib/isc/bind9.c
deleted file mode 100644
index b04e56e352..0000000000
--- a/lib/isc/bind9.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,20 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
- *
- * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
- * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
- * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
- *
- * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
- * information regarding copyright ownership.
- */
-
-/*! \file */
-
-#include <stdbool.h>
-
-#include <isc/bind9.h>
-
-bool isc_bind9 = true;
diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/bind9.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/bind9.h
deleted file mode 100644
index 38c568e759..0000000000
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/bind9.h
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,18 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
- *
- * SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
- *
- * This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
- * License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
- * file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
- *
- * See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
- * information regarding copyright ownership.
- */
-
-#pragma once
-
-#include <stdbool.h>
-
-extern bool isc_bind9;
diff --git a/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h b/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h
index 185ff1c40a..346642a0c1 100644
--- a/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h
+++ b/lib/isc/include/isc/types.h
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
-#include <isc/bind9.h>
 #include <isc/result.h>
 
 /*! \file isc/types.h
diff --git a/lib/isc/lib.c b/lib/isc/lib.c
index 7f6b12c4aa..343fedf108 100644
--- a/lib/isc/lib.c
+++ b/lib/isc/lib.c
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@
 
 /*! \file */
 
-#include <isc/bind9.h>
 #include <isc/mem.h>
 #include <isc/os.h>
 #include <isc/tls.h>
diff --git a/lib/isc/mem.c b/lib/isc/mem.c
index df75f6eab6..d9018f6dbe 100644
--- a/lib/isc/mem.c
+++ b/lib/isc/mem.c
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 
 #include <isc/align.h>
-#include <isc/bind9.h>
 #include <isc/hash.h>
 #include <isc/magic.h>
 #include <isc/mem.h>