diff --git a/bigchaindb/tendermint/commands.py b/bigchaindb/tendermint/commands.py
index 6148d438..c1e6c5ac 100644
--- a/bigchaindb/tendermint/commands.py
+++ b/bigchaindb/tendermint/commands.py
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 import logging
-import subprocess
-from os import getenv
 
 import setproctitle
 
@@ -44,13 +42,6 @@ def start():
     # start message
     logger.info(BANNER.format(bigchaindb.config['server']['bind']))
 
-    if int(getenv('BIGCHAINDB_START_TENDERMINT', 1)):
-        subprocess.Popen([
-            'tendermint',
-            'node',
-            '--consensus.create_empty_blocks=false',
-        ])
-
     # start websocket server
     p_websocket_server = Process(name='ws',
                                  target=websocket_server.start,