diff --git a/eth/backend.go b/eth/backend.go
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/eth/backend.go
+++ b/eth/backend.go
@@ -449,14 +449,10 @@ func (s *Ethereum) Start() error {
 		ClientString:    s.net.Name,
 		ProtocolVersion: ProtocolVersion,
 	})
-
-	if s.net.MaxPeers > 0 {
-		err := s.net.Start()
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
+	err := s.net.Start()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
-
 	// periodically flush databases
 	go s.syncDatabases()
 
diff --git a/p2p/server.go b/p2p/server.go
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/p2p/server.go
+++ b/p2p/server.go
@@ -275,9 +275,6 @@ func (srv *Server) Start() (err error) {
 	if srv.PrivateKey == nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("Server.PrivateKey must be set to a non-nil key")
 	}
-	if srv.MaxPeers <= 0 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Server.MaxPeers must be > 0")
-	}
 	if srv.newTransport == nil {
 		srv.newTransport = newRLPX
 	}
eth, p2p: start the p2p server even if maxpeers == 0