diff --git a/bin/tests/system/addzone/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/addzone/tests.sh
index 04135c7b0c..0f81eb761b 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/addzone/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/addzone/tests.sh
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ n=`expr $n + 1`
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
-if [ -n "$NZD" ]; then
+if $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "checking that existing NZF file was renamed after migration ($n)"
     [ -e ns2/3bf305731dd26307.nzf~ ] || ret=1
     n=`expr $n + 1`
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ n=`expr $n + 1`
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
-if [ -z "$NZD" ]; then
+if ! $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "verifying no comments in NZF file ($n)"
     ret=0
     hcount=`grep "^# New zone file for view: _default" ns2/3bf305731dd26307.nzf | wc -l`
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ n=`expr $n + 1`
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
-if [ -n "$NZD" ]; then
+if $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "checking zone is present in NZD ($n)"
     ret=0
     $NZD2NZF ns2/_default.nzd | grep previous.example > /dev/null || ret=1
@@ -169,14 +169,14 @@ check_nzd2nzf() (
 	! grep previous.example nzd2nzf.out.$n > /dev/null
 )
 
-if [ -n "$NZD" ]; then
+if $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "checking zone was deleted from NZD ($n)"
     retry_quiet 10 check_nzd2nzf || ret=1
     if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
     status=`expr $status + $ret`
 fi
 
-if [ -z "$NZD" ]; then
+if ! $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "checking NZF file now has comment ($n)"
     ret=0
     hcount=`grep "^# New zone file for view: _default" ns2/3bf305731dd26307.nzf | wc -l`
@@ -512,7 +512,7 @@ n=`expr $n + 1`
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
-if [ -z "$NZD" ]; then
+if ! $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "checking new NZF file has comment ($n)"
     ret=0
     hcount=`grep "^# New zone file for view: external" ns2/external.nzf | wc -l`
@@ -522,7 +522,7 @@ if [ -z "$NZD" ]; then
     status=`expr $status + $ret`
 fi
 
-if [ -n "$NZD" ]; then
+if $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "verifying added.example in external view created an external.nzd DB ($n)"
     ret=0
     [ -e ns2/external.nzd ] || ret=1
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
 echo_i "checking rndc showzone with newly added zone ($n)"
 _check_rndc_showzone_newly_added() (
-	if [ -z "$NZD" ]; then
+	if ! $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
 		expected='zone "added.example" in external { type primary; file "added.db"; };'
 	else
 		expected='zone "added.example" { type primary; file "added.db"; };'
@@ -655,7 +655,7 @@ n=`expr $n + 1`
 if [ $ret != 0 ]; then echo_i "failed"; fi
 status=`expr $status + $ret`
 
-if [ -n "$NZD" ]; then
+if $FEATURETEST --with-lmdb; then
     echo_i "checking NZD file was created in new-zones-directory ($n)"
     expect=ns2/new-zones/directory.nzd
 else
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in b/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in
index a41ac10b63..d6c76ea6f1 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in
+++ b/bin/tests/system/conf.sh.in
@@ -113,18 +113,3 @@ export PERL=$(command -v "@PERL@")
 
 export PYTHON=$(command -v "@PYTHON@" || true)
 export PYTEST=@PYTEST@
-
-#
-# Determine if we support various optional features.
-#
-export LIBXML2_LIBS="@LIBXML2_LIBS@"
-export HAVEXMLSTATS=${LIBXML2_LIBS:+1}
-export JSON_C_LIBS="@JSON_C_LIBS@"
-export HAVEJSONSTATS=${JSON_C_LIBS:+1}
-export MAXMINDDB_LIBS="@MAXMINDDB_LIBS@"
-export HAVEGEOIP2=${MAXMINDDB_LIBS:+1}
-export ZLIB_LIBS="@ZLIB_LIBS@"
-export HAVEZLIB=${ZLIB_LIBS:+1}
-export LMDB_LIBS="@LMDB_LIBS@"
-export NZD=${LMDB_LIBS:+1}
-export CRYPTO=@CRYPTO@
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/dnstap/prereq.sh b/bin/tests/system/dnstap/prereq.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f0748f3bf3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/dnstap/prereq.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/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
+
+$FEATURETEST --enable-dnstap || {
+	echo_i "This test requires dnstap support." >&2
+	exit 255
+}
+exit 0
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/doth/prereq.sh b/bin/tests/system/doth/prereq.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..36a8e3704b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/doth/prereq.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+# Copyright (C) Internet Systems Consortium, Inc. ("ISC")
+#
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+#
+# This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+# License, v. 2.0.  If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+# file, you can obtain one at https://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+#
+# See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
+# information regarding copyright ownership.
+
+. ../conf.sh
+
+$FEATURETEST --with-libnghttp2 || {
+	echo_i "This test requires libnghttp2 support." >&2
+	exit 255
+}
+exit 0
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/feature-test.c b/bin/tests/system/feature-test.c
index 3435c91e07..b1adaedade 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/feature-test.c
+++ b/bin/tests/system/feature-test.c
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ usage(void) {
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--gethostname\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--gssapi\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--have-geoip2\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\t--have-json-c\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--have-libxml2\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--ipv6only=no\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--tsan\n");
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ usage(void) {
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--with-libidn2\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--with-lmdb\n");
 	fprintf(stderr, "\t--with-libnghttp2\n");
+	fprintf(stderr, "\t--with-zlib\n");
 }
 
 int
@@ -112,6 +114,14 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 #endif /* ifdef HAVE_GEOIP2 */
 	}
 
+	if (strcmp(argv[1], "--have-json-c") == 0) {
+#ifdef HAVE_JSON_C
+		return (0);
+#else  /* ifdef HAVE_JSON_C */
+		return (1);
+#endif /* ifdef HAVE_JSON_C */
+	}
+
 	if (strcmp(argv[1], "--have-libxml2") == 0) {
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBXML2
 		return (0);
@@ -179,9 +189,17 @@ main(int argc, char **argv) {
 	if (strcmp(argv[1], "--with-libnghttp2") == 0) {
 #ifdef HAVE_LIBNGHTTP2
 		return (0);
-#else  /* ifdef HAVE_LMDB */
+#else  /* ifdef HAVE_LIBNGHTTP2 */
 		return (1);
-#endif /* ifdef HAVE_LMDB */
+#endif /* ifdef HAVE_LIBNGHTTP2 */
+	}
+
+	if (strcmp(argv[1], "--with-zlib") == 0) {
+#ifdef HAVE_ZLIB
+		return (0);
+#else  /* ifdef HAVE_ZLIB */
+		return (1);
+#endif /* ifdef HAVE_ZLIB */
 	}
 
 	fprintf(stderr, "unknown arg: %s\n", argv[1]);
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/keyfromlabel/prereq.sh b/bin/tests/system/keyfromlabel/prereq.sh
index 296452b402..2002c2a469 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/keyfromlabel/prereq.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/keyfromlabel/prereq.sh
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@
 
 . ../conf.sh
 
-if [ -n "${SOFTHSM2_MODULE}" ] && command -v softhsm2-util >/dev/null; then
+if [ -n "${SOFTHSM2_MODULE}" ] && command -v pkcs11-tool >/dev/null && command -v softhsm2-util >/dev/null; then
 	exit 0
 fi
 
-echo_i "skip: softhsm2-util not available"
+echo_i "skip: softhsm2-util or pkcs11-tool not available"
 exit 255
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/nzd2nzf/prereq.sh b/bin/tests/system/nzd2nzf/prereq.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7c9e25dd1c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/tests/system/nzd2nzf/prereq.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+#!/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
+
+$FEATURETEST --with-lmdb || {
+	echo_i "This test requires LMDB support." >&2
+	exit 255
+}
+exit 0
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/pytest_custom_markers.py b/bin/tests/system/pytest_custom_markers.py
index 55b02f6c58..9714c0fbf5 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/pytest_custom_markers.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/pytest_custom_markers.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 # information regarding copyright ownership.
 
 import os
+import subprocess
 
 import pytest
 
@@ -19,3 +20,23 @@ import pytest
 long_test = pytest.mark.skipif(
     not os.environ.get("CI_ENABLE_ALL_TESTS"), reason="CI_ENABLE_ALL_TESTS not set"
 )
+
+
+def feature_test(feature):
+    feature_test_bin = os.environ["FEATURETEST"]
+    try:
+        subprocess.run([feature_test_bin, feature], check=True)
+    except subprocess.CalledProcessError as exc:
+        if exc.returncode != 1:
+            raise
+        return False
+    return True
+
+
+have_libxml2 = pytest.mark.skipif(
+    feature_test("--have-libxml2"), reason="libxml2 support disabled in the build"
+)
+
+have_json_c = pytest.mark.skipif(
+    feature_test("--have-json-c"), reason="json-c support disabled in the build"
+)
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-json.py b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-json.py
index d94a32f7da..312c6830a6 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-json.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-json.py
@@ -13,15 +13,12 @@
 
 from datetime import datetime
 
-import os
-
 import pytest
 
 import generic
+import pytest_custom_markers
 
-pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(
-    not os.environ.get("HAVEJSONSTATS"), reason="json-c support disabled in the build"
-)
+pytestmark = pytest_custom_markers.have_json_c
 requests = pytest.importorskip("requests")
 
 
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-xml.py b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-xml.py
index 423754916a..5b187b0f49 100755
--- a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-xml.py
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests-xml.py
@@ -11,18 +11,15 @@
 # See the COPYRIGHT file distributed with this work for additional
 # information regarding copyright ownership.
 
-import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 from datetime import datetime
-
-import os
+import xml.etree.ElementTree as ET
 
 import pytest
 
 import generic
+import pytest_custom_markers
 
-pytestmark = pytest.mark.skipif(
-    not os.environ.get("HAVEXMLSTATS"), reason="libxml2 support disabled in the build"
-)
+pytestmark = pytest_custom_markers.have_libxml2
 requests = pytest.importorskip("requests")
 
 
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests.sh
index 7d102af3c6..7c871db27f 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/statschannel/tests.sh
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 DIGCMD="$DIG @10.53.0.2 -p ${PORT}"
 RNDCCMD="$RNDC -c ../common/rndc.conf -p ${CONTROLPORT} -s"
 
-if [ ! "$HAVEJSONSTATS" ]
+if ! $FEATURETEST --have-json-c
 then
     unset PERL_JSON
     echo_i "JSON was not configured; skipping" >&2
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ else
     echo_i "JSON tests require JSON library; skipping" >&2
 fi
 
-if [ ! "$HAVEXMLSTATS" ]
+if ! $FEATURETEST --have-libxml2
 then
     unset PERL_XML
     echo_i "XML was not configured; skipping" >&2
@@ -139,7 +139,7 @@ ret=0
 if [ -x "${CURL}" ] ; then
     for i in 1 2 3 4 5; do
         ret=0
-        if [ "$HAVEXMLSTATS" ];
+        if $FEATURETEST --have-libxml2;
         then
             URL="http://10.53.0.2:${EXTRAPORT1}/xml/v3/server"
             filter_str='s#<current-time>.*</current-time>##g'
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ n=$((n + 1))
 
 ret=0
 echo_i "checking if compressed output is really compressed ($n)"
-if [ "$HAVEZLIB" ];
+if $FEATURETEST --with-zlib;
 then
     REGSIZE=`cat regular.headers | \
         grep -i Content-Length | sed -e "s/.*: \([0-9]*\).*/\1/"`
diff --git a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/tests.sh b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/tests.sh
index aee907e2e0..121e8ad4c9 100644
--- a/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/tests.sh
+++ b/bin/tests/system/synthfromdnssec/tests.sh
@@ -751,7 +751,7 @@ do
 	echo_i "Skipping XML statistics checks"
    fi
 
-   if [ ${HAVEJSONSTATS} ] && [ -x "${CURL}" ] ; then
+   if $FEATURETEST --have-json-c && [ -x "${CURL}" ] ; then
 	echo_i "getting JSON statisistcs for (synth-from-dnssec ${description};) ($n)"
 	ret=0
 	json=json.out$n