diff --git a/include/haproxy/defaults.h b/include/haproxy/defaults.h
index 72b35cc93..3f6cbfd99 100644
--- a/include/haproxy/defaults.h
+++ b/include/haproxy/defaults.h
@@ -22,14 +22,6 @@
 #ifndef _HAPROXY_DEFAULTS_H
 #define _HAPROXY_DEFAULTS_H
 
-/* MAX_PROCS defines the highest limit for the global "nbproc" value. It
- * defaults to the number of bits in a long integer but may be lowered to save
- * resources on embedded systems.
- */
-#ifndef MAX_PROCS
-#define MAX_PROCS 1
-#endif
-
 /* MAX_THREADS defines the highest limit for the global nbthread value. It
  * defaults to the number of bits in a long integer when threads are enabled
  * but may be lowered to save resources on embedded systems.
diff --git a/src/haproxy.c b/src/haproxy.c
index f520e1ac9..a507ec943 100644
--- a/src/haproxy.c
+++ b/src/haproxy.c
@@ -2854,16 +2854,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 	setvbuf(stdout, NULL, _IONBF, 0);
 
-	/* this can only safely be done here, though it's optimized away by
-	 * the compiler.
-	 */
-	if (MAX_PROCS < 1 || MAX_PROCS > LONGBITS) {
-		ha_alert("MAX_PROCS value must be between 1 and %d inclusive; "
-		         "HAProxy was built with value %d, please fix it and rebuild.\n",
-			 LONGBITS, MAX_PROCS);
-		exit(1);
-	}
-
 	/* take a copy of initial limits before we possibly change them */
 	getrlimit(RLIMIT_NOFILE, &limit);