diff --git a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/NettyMessagingService.java b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/NettyMessagingService.java
index f88bcdb..7c875ef 100644
--- a/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/NettyMessagingService.java
+++ b/utils/netty/src/main/java/org/onlab/netty/NettyMessagingService.java
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 import io.netty.channel.ChannelOption;
 import io.netty.channel.EventLoopGroup;
 import io.netty.channel.SimpleChannelInboundHandler;
-import io.netty.channel.epoll.EpollEventLoopGroup;
-import io.netty.channel.epoll.EpollSocketChannel;
 import io.netty.channel.nio.NioEventLoopGroup;
 import io.netty.channel.socket.SocketChannel;
 import io.netty.channel.socket.nio.NioServerSocketChannel;
@@ -57,13 +55,8 @@
 
     // TODO: make this configurable.
     private void initEventLoopGroup() {
-        try {
-            workerGroup = new EpollEventLoopGroup();
-            channelClass = EpollSocketChannel.class;
-        } catch (Throwable t) {
-            workerGroup = new NioEventLoopGroup();
-            channelClass = NioSocketChannel.class;
-        }
+        workerGroup = new NioEventLoopGroup();
+        channelClass = NioSocketChannel.class;
     }
 
     public NettyMessagingService() {