diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
index 7ca87fe7..344729d1 100644
--- a/config/config.go
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -61,7 +61,6 @@ type ServerConfig struct {
 	DisplayKeys           string `yaml:"displaykeys"`
 	AzureTenant           string `yaml:"azuretenant"`
 	RCE                   string `yaml:"rce"`
-	Debug                 bool   `yaml:"debug"`
 	Telemetry             string `yaml:"telemetry"`
 	ManageIPTables        string `yaml:"manageiptables"`
 	PortForwardServices   string `yaml:"portforwardservices"`
diff --git a/dev.yaml b/dev.yaml
index 7970ad6e..c2af170e 100644
--- a/dev.yaml
+++ b/dev.yaml
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@ server:
   displaykeys: ""
   azuretenant: ""
   rce: "off"
-  debug: ""
   telemetry: ""
   manageiptables: "off"
   portforwardservices: ""
diff --git a/mq/handlers.go b/mq/handlers.go
index 27d57fd0..5ef6e023 100644
--- a/mq/handlers.go
+++ b/mq/handlers.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/gravitl/netmaker/netclient/ncutils"
 )
 
-// DefaultHandler default message queue handler - only called when GetDebug == true
+// DefaultHandler default message queue handler  -- NOT USED
 func DefaultHandler(client mqtt.Client, msg mqtt.Message) {
 	logger.Log(0, "MQTT Message: Topic: ", string(msg.Topic()), " Message: ", string(msg.Payload()))
 }
diff --git a/mq/mq.go b/mq/mq.go
index 9cbdb2ec..07f4b1ba 100644
--- a/mq/mq.go
+++ b/mq/mq.go
@@ -31,12 +31,6 @@ func SetupMQTT(publish bool) mqtt.Client {
 	opts.SetWriteTimeout(time.Minute)
 	opts.SetOnConnectHandler(func(client mqtt.Client) {
 		if !publish {
-			if servercfg.GetDebug() {
-				if token := client.Subscribe("#", 2, mqtt.MessageHandler(DefaultHandler)); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
-					client.Disconnect(240)
-					logger.Log(0, "default subscription failed")
-				}
-			}
 			if token := client.Subscribe("ping/#", 2, mqtt.MessageHandler(Ping)); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
 				client.Disconnect(240)
 				logger.Log(0, "ping subscription failed")
diff --git a/netclient/command/commands.go b/netclient/command/commands.go
index bda80cce..37fad591 100644
--- a/netclient/command/commands.go
+++ b/netclient/command/commands.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ func Join(cfg *config.ClientConfig, privateKey string) error {
 	var err error
 	//join network
 	err = functions.JoinNetwork(cfg, privateKey)
-	if err != nil && !cfg.DebugOn {
+	if err != nil {
 		if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "ALREADY_INSTALLED") {
 			logger.Log(1, "error installing: ", err.Error())
 			err = functions.LeaveNetwork(cfg.Network, true)
diff --git a/netclient/config/config.go b/netclient/config/config.go
index 4bba82e9..13a1fc1a 100644
--- a/netclient/config/config.go
+++ b/netclient/config/config.go
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ type ClientConfig struct {
 	Network         string         `yaml:"network"`
 	Daemon          string         `yaml:"daemon"`
 	OperatingSystem string         `yaml:"operatingsystem"`
-	DebugOn         bool           `yaml:"debugon"`
 }
 
 // ServerConfig - struct for dealing with the server information for a netclient
diff --git a/netclient/functions/daemon.go b/netclient/functions/daemon.go
index d4792027..eeabc635 100644
--- a/netclient/functions/daemon.go
+++ b/netclient/functions/daemon.go
@@ -114,13 +114,6 @@ func UpdateKeys(nodeCfg *config.ClientConfig, client mqtt.Client) error {
 // sets MQ client subscriptions for a specific node config
 // should be called for each node belonging to a given server
 func setSubscriptions(client mqtt.Client, nodeCfg *config.ClientConfig) {
-	if nodeCfg.DebugOn {
-		if token := client.Subscribe("#", 0, nil); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
-			logger.Log(0, token.Error().Error())
-			return
-		}
-		logger.Log(0, "subscribed to all topics for debugging purposes")
-	}
 	if token := client.Subscribe(fmt.Sprintf("update/%s/%s", nodeCfg.Node.Network, nodeCfg.Node.ID), 0, mqtt.MessageHandler(NodeUpdate)); token.Wait() && token.Error() != nil {
 		logger.Log(0, token.Error().Error())
 		return
diff --git a/servercfg/serverconf.go b/servercfg/serverconf.go
index ca8ea73b..f9bdfe48 100644
--- a/servercfg/serverconf.go
+++ b/servercfg/serverconf.go
@@ -78,7 +78,6 @@ func GetServerConfig() config.ServerConfig {
 	} else {
 		cfg.RCE = "off"
 	}
-	cfg.Debug = GetDebug()
 	cfg.Telemetry = Telemetry()
 	cfg.ManageIPTables = ManageIPTables()
 	services := strings.Join(GetPortForwardServiceList(), ",")
@@ -546,8 +545,3 @@ func GetAzureTenant() string {
 func GetRce() bool {
 	return os.Getenv("RCE") == "on" || config.Config.Server.RCE == "on"
 }
-
-// GetDebug -- checks if debugging is enabled, off by default
-func GetDebug() bool {
-	return os.Getenv("DEBUG") == "on" || config.Config.Server.Debug == true
-}