diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/BaseServer.java b/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/BaseServer.java
index 1874f6ed37..c7f22a3ee6 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/BaseServer.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/BaseServer.java
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ public abstract class BaseServer implements Closeable, ConnectionListener {
     protected int                             linger=-1;
     protected TimeService                     time_service;
     public static final byte[]                OK={1,2,3,4};   // ack (srv->client) on successful connection establishment
-    public static final byte[]                FAIL={4,3,2,1}; // ack (srv->client) on failed connection establishment
 
 
 
diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpConnection.java b/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpConnection.java
index b84545c91b..d403b07595 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpConnection.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpConnection.java
@@ -106,8 +106,6 @@ protected void connect(Address dest, boolean send_local_addr, boolean use_acks)
                 in.readFully(ack, 0, ack.length);
                 if(Arrays.equals(BaseServer.OK, ack))
                     ;
-                else if(Arrays.equals(BaseServer.FAIL, ack))
-                    throw new IllegalStateException("received FAIL from peer");
                 else
                     server.log().error("%s: received invalid ACK: %s", localAddress(), Arrays.toString(ack));
             }
diff --git a/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpServer.java b/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpServer.java
index 047a14792a..460972525b 100644
--- a/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpServer.java
+++ b/src/org/jgroups/blocks/cs/TcpServer.java
@@ -131,10 +131,7 @@ protected void handleAccept(final Socket client_sock) throws Exception {
                 }
                 else {
                     log.trace("%s: rejected connection from %s %s", local_addr, peer_addr, explanation(conn_exists, replace));
-                    if(use_acks)
-                        conn.send(FAIL, 0, FAIL.length);
-                    conn.flush();
-                    Util.close(conn); // keep our existing conn, reject accept() and close client_sock
+                    Util.close(conn); // keep our existing conn and close client_sock
                 }
             }
             catch(Exception ex) {