diff --git a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/Besu.java b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/Besu.java
index b5ce37b70f..8947e2ff56 100644
--- a/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/Besu.java
+++ b/besu/src/main/java/org/hyperledger/besu/Besu.java
@@ -62,15 +62,7 @@ public final class Besu {
   }
 
   private static Logger setupLogging() {
-    try {
-      // This call is to test if log4j classes are available
-      ((Log4J2LoggerFactory) Log4J2LoggerFactory.INSTANCE).newInstance("");
-      InternalLoggerFactory.setDefaultFactory(Log4J2LoggerFactory.INSTANCE);
-    } catch (Throwable t) {
-      System.out.printf(
-          "Could not set netty log4j logger factory: %s - %s%n",
-          t.getClass().getSimpleName(), t.getMessage());
-    }
+    InternalLoggerFactory.setDefaultFactory(Log4J2LoggerFactory.INSTANCE);
     try {
       System.setProperty(
           "vertx.logger-delegate-factory-class-name",