diff --git a/synapse/app/generic_worker.py b/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
index 9ac567607f..14e06b41a6 100644
--- a/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
+++ b/synapse/app/generic_worker.py
@@ -962,22 +962,6 @@ def start(config_options):
         # For other worker types we force this to off.
         config.worker.send_federation = False
 
-    if config.worker_app == "synapse.app.background_worker":
-        if config.worker.run_background_tasks:
-            sys.stderr.write(
-                "\nThe run_background_tasks must be disabled in the main synapse process"
-                "\nbefore they can be run in a separate worker."
-                "\nPlease add ``run_background_tasks: false`` to the main config"
-                "\n"
-            )
-            sys.exit(1)
-
-            # Force the background tasks to start since they will be disabled in the main config
-            config.worker.run_background_tasks = True
-        else:
-            # For other worker types we force this to off.
-            config.worker.run_background_tasks = False
-
     synapse.events.USE_FROZEN_DICTS = config.use_frozen_dicts
 
     hs = GenericWorkerServer(