diff --git a/cluster/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala b/cluster/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
index c703bdd6b12..34320067be1 100644
--- a/cluster/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
+++ b/cluster/src/main/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/ClusterDaemon.scala
@@ -365,8 +365,6 @@ private[cluster] class ClusterCoreDaemon(publisher: ActorRef, joinConfigCompatCh
   val statsEnabled = PublishStatsInterval.isFinite
   var gossipStats = GossipStats()
 
-  val acceptedProtocols = context.system.settings.config.getStringList("pekko.remote.accept-protocol-names")
-
   var seedNodes = SeedNodes
   var seedNodeProcess: Option[ActorRef] = None
   var seedNodeProcessCounter = 0 // for unique names
@@ -703,10 +701,10 @@ private[cluster] class ClusterCoreDaemon(publisher: ActorRef, joinConfigCompatCh
    * which will reply with a `Welcome` message.
    */
   def join(address: Address): Unit = {
-    if (!acceptedProtocols.contains(address.protocol))
+    if (address.protocol != selfAddress.protocol)
       logWarning(
-        "Trying to join member with wrong protocol, but was ignored, expected any of [{}] but was [{}]",
-        acceptedProtocols,
+        "Trying to join member with wrong protocol, but was ignored, expected [{}] but was [{}]",
+        selfAddress.protocol,
         address.protocol)
     else if (address.system != selfAddress.system)
       logWarning(
@@ -752,10 +750,10 @@ private[cluster] class ClusterCoreDaemon(publisher: ActorRef, joinConfigCompatCh
   def joining(joiningNode: UniqueAddress, roles: Set[String], appVersion: Version): Unit = {
     if (!preparingForShutdown) {
       val selfStatus = latestGossip.member(selfUniqueAddress).status
-      if (!acceptedProtocols.contains(joiningNode.address.protocol))
+      if (joiningNode.address.protocol != selfAddress.protocol)
         logWarning(
-          "Member with wrong protocol tried to join, but was ignored, expected any of {} but was [{}]",
-          acceptedProtocols,
+          "Member with wrong protocol tried to join, but was ignored, expected [{}] but was [{}]",
+          selfAddress.protocol,
           joiningNode.address.protocol)
       else if (joiningNode.address.system != selfAddress.system)
         logWarning(
diff --git a/cluster/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/MixedProtocolClusterSpec.scala b/cluster/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/MixedProtocolClusterSpec.scala
deleted file mode 100644
index 45382f4b353..00000000000
--- a/cluster/src/test/scala/org/apache/pekko/cluster/MixedProtocolClusterSpec.scala
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,92 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Licensed to the Apache Software Foundation (ASF) under one or more
- * contributor license agreements. See the NOTICE file distributed with
- * this work for additional information regarding copyright ownership.
- * The ASF licenses this file to You under the Apache License, Version 2.0
- * (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with
- * the License. You may obtain a copy of the License at
- *
- *    http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
- * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
- * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
- * limitations under the License.
- */
-
-package org.apache.pekko.cluster
-
-import com.typesafe.config.{ Config, ConfigFactory }
-
-import org.apache.pekko.testkit.{ LongRunningTest, PekkoSpec }
-
-object MixedProtocolClusterSpec {
-
-  val baseConfig: Config =
-    ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-     pekko.actor.provider = "cluster"
-     pekko.coordinated-shutdown.terminate-actor-system = on
-
-     pekko.remote.classic.netty.tcp.port = 0
-     pekko.remote.artery.canonical.port = 0
-     pekko.remote.artery.advanced.aeron.idle-cpu-level = 3
-     pekko.remote.accept-protocol-names = ["pekko", "akka"]
-
-     pekko.cluster.jmx.multi-mbeans-in-same-jvm = on
-     pekko.cluster.configuration-compatibility-check.enforce-on-join = off
-     """)
-
-  val configWithPekko: Config =
-    ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-      pekko.remote.protocol-name = "pekko"
-    """).withFallback(baseConfig)
-
-  val configWithAkka: Config =
-    ConfigFactory.parseString("""
-      pekko.remote.protocol-name = "akka"
-    """).withFallback(baseConfig)
-}
-
-class MixedProtocolClusterSpec extends PekkoSpec with ClusterTestKit {
-
-  import MixedProtocolClusterSpec._
-
-  "A node using the akka protocol" must {
-
-    "be allowed to join a cluster with a node using the pekko protocol" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
-
-      val clusterTestUtil = new ClusterTestUtil(system.name)
-      // start the first node with the "pekko" protocol
-      clusterTestUtil.newActorSystem(configWithPekko)
-
-      // have a node using the "akka" protocol join
-      val joiningNode = clusterTestUtil.newActorSystem(configWithAkka)
-      clusterTestUtil.formCluster()
-
-      try {
-        awaitCond(clusterTestUtil.isMemberUp(joiningNode), message = "awaiting joining node to be 'Up'")
-      } finally {
-        clusterTestUtil.shutdownAll()
-      }
-    }
-
-    "allow a node using the pekko protocol to join the cluster" taggedAs LongRunningTest in {
-
-      val clusterTestUtil = new ClusterTestUtil(system.name)
-
-      // create the first node with the "akka" protocol
-      clusterTestUtil.newActorSystem(configWithAkka)
-
-      // have a node using the "pekko" protocol join
-      val joiningNode = clusterTestUtil.newActorSystem(configWithPekko)
-      clusterTestUtil.formCluster()
-
-      try {
-        awaitCond(clusterTestUtil.isMemberUp(joiningNode), message = "awaiting joining node to be 'Up'")
-      } finally {
-        clusterTestUtil.shutdownAll()
-      }
-    }
-  }
-}