diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index 1c8b0b25dc..6e1ab9297a 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 Package: plotly
 Title: Create Interactive Web Graphics via 'plotly.js'
-Version: 4.9.3.9000
+Version: 4.9.4
 Authors@R: c(person("Carson", "Sievert", role = c("aut", "cre"),
     email = "cpsievert1@gmail.com", comment = c(ORCID = "0000-0002-4958-2844")),
     person("Chris", "Parmer", role = "aut",
diff --git a/NEWS.md b/NEWS.md
index 45cbe9d2b5..0b73e3a21f 100644
--- a/NEWS.md
+++ b/NEWS.md
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# 4.9.3.9000
+# 4.9.4
 
 ## BUG FIXES
 
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ This is minor patch release with a few minor bug fixes and updates test expectat
 
 ## NEW FEATURES & IMPROVEMENTS
 
-* Several new features and improvements related to accessing plotly.js events in shiny (learn more about them in this RStudio [webinar](https://rstudio.com/resources/webinars/accessing-and-responding-to-plotly-events-in-shiny/)):
+* Several new features and improvements related to accessing plotly.js events in shiny (learn more about them in this RStudio [webinar](https://www.rstudio.com/resources/webinars/accessing-and-responding-to-plotly-events-in-shiny/)):
     * The `event` argument of the `event_data()` function now supports the following events: `plotly_selecting`, `plotly_brushed`, `plotly_brushing`, `plotly_restyle`, `plotly_legendclick`, `plotly_legenddoubleclick`, `plotly_clickannotation`, `plotly_afterplot`, `plotly_doubleclick`, `plotly_deselect`, `plotly_unhover`. For examples, see `plotly_example("shiny", "event_data")`, `plotly_example("shiny", "event_data_legends")`, and  `plotly_example("shiny", "event_data_annotation")`, 
     * New `event_register()` and `event_unregister()` functions for declaring which events to transmit over the wire (i.e., from the browser to the shiny server). Events that are likely to have large overhead are not registered by default, so you'll need to register these: `plotly_selecting`, `plotly_unhover`, `plotly_restyle`, `plotly_legendclick`, and `plotly_legenddoubleclick`.
     * A new `priority` argument. By setting `priority='event'`, the `event` is treated like a true event: any reactive expression using the `event` becomes invalidated (regardless of whether the input values has changed). For an example, see `plotly_example("shiny", "event_priority")`.
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-animate-highlight.R b/tests/testthat/test-animate-highlight.R
index 0f5227b055..125be60663 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-animate-highlight.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-animate-highlight.R
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ test_that("animation button can be customized", {
 
 test_that("sf works with crosstalk", {
   skip_if_not_installed("sf")
+  skip_if_not_installed("s2")
   
   nc <- sf::st_read(system.file("shape/nc.shp", package = "sf"), quiet = TRUE)
   # shared data will make the polygons "query-able"
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-ggplot-sf.R b/tests/testthat/test-ggplot-sf.R
index 5591320e7b..c7ee7c973c 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-ggplot-sf.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-ggplot-sf.R
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ context("geom_sf")
 
 test_that("geom_sf() basic polygons.", {
   skip_if_not_installed("sf")
+  skip_if_not_installed("s2")
   
   nc <- sf::st_read(system.file("shape/nc.shp", package = "sf"), quiet = TRUE)
   
@@ -37,6 +38,7 @@ test_that("geom_sf() geometry collection.", {
 
 test_that("geom_sf() polygons with fill/text.", {
   skip_if_not_installed("sf")
+  skip_if_not_installed("s2")
   
   nc <- sf::st_read(system.file("shape/nc.shp", package = "sf"), quiet = TRUE)
   p <- ggplot(nc) + geom_sf(aes(fill = AREA, text = NAME))
@@ -56,6 +58,7 @@ test_that("geom_sf() polygons with fill/text.", {
 
 test_that("geom_sf() with basic polygons and points.", {
   skip_if_not_installed("sf")
+  skip_if_not_installed("s2")
   
   nc <- sf::st_read(system.file("shape/nc.shp", package = "sf"), quiet = TRUE)
   p <- ggplot(nc) +
@@ -74,6 +77,7 @@ test_that("geom_sf() with basic polygons and points.", {
 
 test_that("sf aspect ratio is correct", {
   skip_if_not_installed("sf")
+  skip_if_not_installed("s2")
   
   nc <- sf::st_read(system.file("shape/nc.shp", package = "sf"), quiet = TRUE)
   p <- ggplot(nc) + geom_sf() 
@@ -86,6 +90,7 @@ test_that("sf aspect ratio is correct", {
 
 test_that("works with a blank theme", {
   skip_if_not_installed("sf")
+  skip_if_not_installed("s2")
   
   nc <- sf::st_read(system.file("shape/nc.shp", package = "sf"), quiet = TRUE)
   p <- ggplot(nc) + geom_sf() +