diff --git a/openvpn/start.sh b/openvpn/start.sh
index de4b817..7458e67 100755
--- a/openvpn/start.sh
+++ b/openvpn/start.sh
@@ -90,12 +90,6 @@ if [[ $VPN_ENABLED == "yes" ]]; then
 		echo "[crit] VPN_DEVICE_TYPE not found in ${VPN_CONFIG}, exiting..." | ts '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%.S' && exit 1
 	fi
 	# get values from env vars as defined by user
-	export VPN_PROV=$(echo "${VPN_PROV}" | sed -e 's~^[ \t]*~~;s~[ \t]*$~~')
-	if [[ ! -z "${VPN_PROV}" ]]; then
-		echo "[info] VPN_PROV defined as '${VPN_PROV}'" | ts '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%.S'
-	else
-		echo "[crit] VPN_PROV not defined,(via -e VPN_PROV), exiting..." | ts '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%.S' && exit 1
-	fi
 	export LAN_NETWORK=$(echo "${LAN_NETWORK}" | sed -e 's~^[ \t]*~~;s~[ \t]*$~~')
 	if [[ ! -z "${LAN_NETWORK}" ]]; then
 		echo "[info] LAN_NETWORK defined as '${LAN_NETWORK}'" | ts '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%.S'