diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d9311cc4..7b81cb59 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
     See doc/zmq_socket_monitor.txt for more details and error codes.
   - zmq_stopwatch_intermediate which returns the time elapsed without stopping
     the stopwatch.
+  - zmq_proxy_steerable command 'STATISTICS' to retrieve stats about the amount
+    of messages and bytes sent and received by the proxy.
+    See doc/zmq_proxy_steerable.txt for more information.
 
 * The build-time configuration option to select the poller has been split, and
   new API_POLLER (CMake) and --with-api-poller (autoconf) options will now
diff --git a/src/proxy.cpp b/src/proxy.cpp
index e36e4650..bac93b65 100644
--- a/src/proxy.cpp
+++ b/src/proxy.cpp
@@ -425,20 +425,16 @@ int zmq::proxy (class socket_base_t *frontend_,
                     && memcmp (msg.data (), "TERMINATE", 9) == 0)
                     state = terminated;
                 else {
-#ifdef ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API
                     if (msg.size () == 10
                         && memcmp (msg.data (), "STATISTICS", 10) == 0) {
                         rc = reply_stats (control_, &frontend_stats,
                                           &backend_stats);
                         CHECK_RC_EXIT_ON_FAILURE ();
                     } else {
-#endif
                         //  This is an API error, we assert
                         puts ("E: invalid command sent to proxy");
                         zmq_assert (false);
-#ifdef ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API
                     }
-#endif
                 }
             }
             control_in = false;
@@ -604,7 +600,6 @@ int zmq::proxy (class socket_base_t *frontend_,
                      && memcmp (msg.data (), "TERMINATE", 9) == 0)
                 state = terminated;
             else {
-#ifdef ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API
                 if (msg.size () == 10
                     && memcmp (msg.data (), "STATISTICS", 10) == 0) {
                     rc =
@@ -612,13 +607,10 @@ int zmq::proxy (class socket_base_t *frontend_,
                     if (unlikely (rc < 0))
                         return close_and_return (&msg, -1);
                 } else {
-#endif
                     //  This is an API error, we assert
                     puts ("E: invalid command sent to proxy");
                     zmq_assert (false);
-#ifdef ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API
                 }
-#endif
             }
         }
         //  Process a request
diff --git a/tests/test_proxy.cpp b/tests/test_proxy.cpp
index 6fc5c48c..6498cdb0 100644
--- a/tests/test_proxy.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_proxy.cpp
@@ -472,11 +472,9 @@ int main (void)
     msleep (500); // Wait for all clients and workers to STOP
 
 
-#ifdef ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API
     if (is_verbose)
         printf ("retrieving stats from the proxy\n");
     check_proxy_stats (control_proxy);
-#endif
 
     if (is_verbose)
         printf ("shutting down all clients and server workers\n");
diff --git a/tests/test_proxy_hwm.cpp b/tests/test_proxy_hwm.cpp
index ad56aa16..38a1343c 100644
--- a/tests/test_proxy_hwm.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_proxy_hwm.cpp
@@ -300,9 +300,7 @@ static void proxy_stats_asker_thread_main (void *pvoid)
     // Start!
 
     while (!zmq_atomic_counter_value (cfg->subscriber_received_all)) {
-#ifdef ZMQ_BUILD_DRAFT_API
         check_proxy_stats (control_req);
-#endif
         usleep (1000); // 1ms -> in best case we will get 1000updates/second
     }