diff --git a/bin/tests/system/catz/ns1/named.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/catz/ns1/named.conf.in
index 2c04668280..9d508440bd 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/catz/ns1/named.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/catz/ns1/named.conf.in
@@ -38,6 +38,15 @@ options {
 
 view "default" {
 
+	zone "catalog0.example" {
+		type primary;
+		file "catalog0.example.db";
+		allow-transfer { any; };
+		allow-update { any; };
+		also-notify { 10.53.0.2; };
+		notify explicit;
+	};
+
 	zone "catalog1.example" {
 		type primary;
 		file "catalog1.example.db";
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named1.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named1.conf.in
index 2b8d05217a..6860153a31 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named1.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named1.conf.in
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ options {
 view "default" {
 
 	catalog-zones {
+		zone "catalog0.example"
+			/* unset default-primaries, see GL#5494 */
+			in-memory yes;
 		zone "catalog1.example"
 			default-masters { 10.53.0.1; }
 			min-update-interval 1s
@@ -108,6 +111,12 @@ view "default" {
 	    forwarders { };
 	};
 
+	zone "catalog0.example" {
+		type secondary;
+		file "catalog0.example.db";
+		primaries { 10.53.0.1; };
+	};
+
 	zone "catalog1.example" {
 		type secondary;
 		file "catalog1.example.db";
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named2.conf.in b/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named2.conf.in
index 2255c6625e..385adf4deb 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named2.conf.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/catz/ns2/named2.conf.in
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ view "default" {
 	    forwarders { };
 	};
 
+	zone "catalog0.example" {
+		type secondary;
+		file "catalog0.example.db";
+		primaries { 10.53.0.1; };
+	};
+
 	zone "catalog1.example" {
 		type secondary;
 		file "catalog1.example.db";
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/catz/setup.sh b/bin/tests/system/catz/setup.sh
index c7e24fa1de..21474678f1 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/catz/setup.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/catz/setup.sh
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ copy_setports ns2/named1.conf.in ns2/named.conf
 copy_setports ns3/named.conf.in ns3/named.conf
 copy_setports ns4/named.conf.in ns4/named.conf
 
+cp -f ns1/catalog.example.db.in ns1/catalog0.example.db
 cp -f ns1/catalog.example.db.in ns1/catalog1.example.db
 cp -f ns3/catalog.example.db.in ns3/catalog2.example.db
 cp -f ns1/catalog.example.db.in ns1/catalog3.example.db