diff --git a/gateway-service/src/main/java/org/zowe/apiml/gateway/security/service/JwtSecurity.java b/gateway-service/src/main/java/org/zowe/apiml/gateway/security/service/JwtSecurity.java
index d0a04bb548..581d249f27 100644
--- a/gateway-service/src/main/java/org/zowe/apiml/gateway/security/service/JwtSecurity.java
+++ b/gateway-service/src/main/java/org/zowe/apiml/gateway/security/service/JwtSecurity.java
@@ -272,7 +272,6 @@ private void validateInitializationWhenZosmfIsAvailable() {
                     apimlLog.log("org.zowe.apiml.gateway.jwtProducerConfigError", StringUtils.join(events, "\n"));
                 }
                 apimlLog.log("org.zowe.apiml.security.zosmfInstanceNotFound", zosmfServiceId);
-                System.exit(1); // TODO remove
             }
         }).start();
     }