diff --git a/system/jlib/jsocket.cpp b/system/jlib/jsocket.cpp
index 962d328364b..665f7a42348 100644
--- a/system/jlib/jsocket.cpp
+++ b/system/jlib/jsocket.cpp
@@ -1538,20 +1538,8 @@ void CSocket::connect_wait(unsigned timems)
     bool exit = false;
     int err;
     unsigned refuseddelay = 1;
-    while (!exit) {
-#ifdef CENTRAL_NODE_RANDOM_DELAY
-        ForEachItemIn(cn,CentralNodeArray) {
-            const SocketEndpoint &ep=CentralNodeArray.item(cn);
-            if (ep.ipequals(targetip)) {
-                unsigned sleeptime = getRandom() % 1000;
-                StringBuffer s;
-                ep.getHostText(s);
-                DBGLOG("Connection to central node %s - sleeping %d milliseconds", s.str(), sleeptime);
-                Sleep(sleeptime);           
-                break;
-            }
-        }
-#endif
+    while (!exit)
+    {
         unsigned remaining;
         exit = tm.timedout(&remaining);
         bool blockselect = exit;                            // if last time round block
@@ -6189,15 +6177,6 @@ ISocketBufferReader *createSocketBufferReader(const char *trc)
 }
 
 
-extern jlib_decl void markNodeCentral(SocketEndpoint &ep)
-{
-#ifdef CENTRAL_NODE_RANDOM_DELAY
-    CriticalBlock block(CSocket::crit);
-    CentralNodeArray.append(ep);
-#endif
-}
-
-
 static CSocket *prepareSocket(unsigned idx,const SocketEndpoint &ep, ISocketConnectNotify &inotify)
 {
     Owned<CSocket> sock = new CSocket(ep,sm_tcp,NULL);
diff --git a/system/jlib/jsocket.hpp b/system/jlib/jsocket.hpp
index 6587e9410ff..a6c794af4b3 100644
--- a/system/jlib/jsocket.hpp
+++ b/system/jlib/jsocket.hpp
@@ -633,8 +633,6 @@ interface ISocketBufferReader: extends IInterface
 
 extern jlib_decl ISocketBufferReader *createSocketBufferReader(const char *trc=NULL);
 
-extern jlib_decl void markNodeCentral(SocketEndpoint &ep); // random delay for linux
-
 interface ISocketConnectNotify
 {
 public:
diff --git a/thorlcr/slave/thslavemain.cpp b/thorlcr/slave/thslavemain.cpp
index 2f0c496a8cf..17bea9fb450 100644
--- a/thorlcr/slave/thslavemain.cpp
+++ b/thorlcr/slave/thslavemain.cpp
@@ -434,7 +434,6 @@ int main( int argc, const char *argv[]  )
         SocketEndpoint masterEp(master);
         localHostToNIC(masterEp);
         setMasterPortBase(masterEp.port);
-        markNodeCentral(masterEp);
 
         if (RegisterSelf(masterEp))
         {