diff --git a/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c b/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c
index f4daf25d910..48fc53a1540 100644
--- a/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c
+++ b/ompi/mpi/c/init_thread.c
@@ -48,11 +48,6 @@ int MPI_Init_thread(int *argc, char ***argv, int required,
                     int *provided)
 {
     int err;
-    char *env;
-
-    if (NULL != (env = getenv("OMPI_MPI_THREAD_LEVEL")))  {
-        required = atoi(env);
-    }
 
     ompi_hook_base_mpi_init_thread_top(argc, argv, required, provided);