diff --git a/bin/tests/system/Makefile.am b/bin/tests/system/Makefile.am
index f550411215..b107d59348 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/Makefile.am
+++ b/bin/tests/system/Makefile.am
@@ -85,10 +85,6 @@ tkey_keydelete_LDADD =		\
 
 TESTS =
 
-if HAVE_PERLMOD_TIME_HIRES
-TESTS += serve-stale
-endif HAVE_PERLMOD_TIME_HIRES
-
 if HAVE_PERLMOD_NET_DNS
 TESTS +=		\
 	rpzrecurse
@@ -177,6 +173,7 @@ TESTS +=			\
 	rrsetorder		\
 	rsabigexponent		\
 	runtime			\
+	serve-stale		\
 	sfcache			\
 	shutdown		\
 	smartsign		\
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/serve-stale/prereq.sh b/bin/tests/system/serve-stale/prereq.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..01ac7e3944
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/serve-stale/prereq.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# 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.
+
+. ../conf.sh
+
+if ! ${PERL} -MTime::HiRes -e ''
+then
+	echo_i "perl Time::HiRes module is required"
+	exit 1
+fi
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 9c6186417d..84b5da232f 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -241,10 +241,6 @@ AX_PERL_MODULE([Net::DNS])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PERLMOD_NET_DNS],
 	       [test "$HAVE_PERLMOD_NET__DNS" = "yes"])
 
-AX_PERL_MODULE([Time::HiRes])
-AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PERLMOD_TIME_HIRES],
-	       [test "$HAVE_PERLMOD_TIME__HIRES" = "yes"])
-
 #
 # Python is optional, it is used only by some of the system test scripts.
 #