diff --git a/tinman/warden.py b/tinman/warden.py
index 2b41ee1d1beb67f2a046d8e5559d80de7c052da6..226e5496daf6bfd3cb06557d89cf384bea258928 100644
--- a/tinman/warden.py
+++ b/tinman/warden.py
@@ -47,15 +47,6 @@ def main(argv):
     
     witness_schedule = steemd.database_api.get_witness_schedule(x=None)
     witnesses = witness_schedule["current_shuffled_witnesses"]
-    initminer = config["STEEM_INIT_MINER_NAME"]
-    
-    if initminer not in witnesses:
-        print("[√] witnesses: %s not present" % initminer)
-        passfail.append(PREFLIGHT_GO)
-    else:
-        print("[X] witnesses: %s present" % initminer)
-        passfail.append(PREFLIGHT_NOGO)
-    
     scheduled_witnesses = witness_schedule["num_scheduled_witnesses"]
     
     if scheduled_witnesses == config["STEEM_MAX_WITNESSES"]: