diff --git a/bin/tests/system/README.md b/bin/tests/system/README.md
index 3ebc33dbef..dc5f782779 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/README.md
+++ b/bin/tests/system/README.md
@@ -46,16 +46,11 @@ nameserver and is listed in the hints file of the others.
 
 To run system tests, make sure you have the following dependencies installed:
 
-- python3
-- pytest
+- python3 (3.10 and newer)
 - perl
-- dnspython
-- pytest-xdist (for parallel execution)
-- python-jinja2
 
-Individual system tests might also require additional dependencies. If those
-are missing, the affected tests will be skipped and should produce a message
-specifying what additional prerequisites they expect.
+List of required python packages and their versions can be found in
+requirements.txt (can be installed with `pip3 install -r requirements.txt`).
 
 ### Network Setup
 
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/conftest.py b/bin/tests/system/conftest.py
index 8e7c04009d..d26cbd3acc 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/conftest.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/conftest.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import shutil
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
 import time
+import sys
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -29,6 +30,8 @@ from isctest.vars.dirs import SYSTEM_TEST_DIR_GIT_PATH
 # Silence warnings caused by passing a pytest fixture to another fixture.
 # pylint: disable=redefined-outer-name
 
+if sys.version_info[1] < 10:
+    raise RuntimeError("Python 3.10 or newer is required to run system tests.")
 
 isctest.log.init_conftest_logger()
 isctest.log.avoid_duplicated_logs()
@@ -355,12 +358,6 @@ def system_test_dir(request, system_test_name, expected_artifacts):
         assert all(res.outcome == "passed" for res in test_results.values())
         return "passed"
 
-    def unlink(path):
-        try:
-            path.unlink()  # missing_ok=True isn't available on Python 3.6
-        except FileNotFoundError:
-            pass
-
     def check_artifacts(source_dir, run_dir):
         def check_artifacts_recursive(dcmp):
             def artifact_expected(path, expected):
@@ -412,7 +409,7 @@ def system_test_dir(request, system_test_name, expected_artifacts):
     # Create a convenience symlink with a stable and predictable name
     module_name = SYMLINK_REPLACEMENT_RE.sub(r"\1", str(request.node.path))
     symlink_dst = system_test_root / module_name
-    unlink(symlink_dst)
+    symlink_dst.unlink(missing_ok=True)
     symlink_dst.symlink_to(os.path.relpath(testdir, start=system_test_root))
 
     isctest.log.init_module_logger(system_test_name, testdir)
@@ -461,7 +458,7 @@ def system_test_dir(request, system_test_name, expected_artifacts):
         isctest.log.deinit_module_logger()
         if not keep:
             shutil.rmtree(testdir)
-            unlink(symlink_dst)
+            symlink_dst.unlink(missing_ok=True)
 
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index d162ef9feb..df1fb81cf9 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PERL], [test -n "$PERL"])
 #
 # Python is optional, it is used only by some of the system test scripts.
 #
-AM_PATH_PYTHON([3.6], [], [:])
+AM_PATH_PYTHON([3.10], [], [:])
 AM_CONDITIONAL([HAVE_PYTHON], [test "$PYTHON" != ":"])
 
 AC_PATH_PROGS([PYTEST], [pytest-3 py.test-3 pytest py.test pytest-pypy], [])