diff --git a/src/status_im/group_chats/core.cljs b/src/status_im/group_chats/core.cljs
index fdbb2c65f4..8559256b13 100644
--- a/src/status_im/group_chats/core.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/group_chats/core.cljs
@@ -128,15 +128,8 @@
          ;; We check that it has explicitly joined, regardless of the local
          ;; version of the group chat, for backward compatibility
          destinations (map (fn [member]
-                             (if (and
-                                  config/group-chats-publish-to-topic?
-                                  (group-chats.db/joined-event? member chat)
-                                  (not= creator member)
-                                  (not= current-public-key member))
-                               {:public-key member
-                                :chat chat-id}
-                               {:public-key member
-                                :chat       (transport.topic/public-key->discovery-topic member)}))
+                             {:public-key member
+                              :chat chat-id})
                            members)]
      (fx/merge
       cofx
@@ -463,10 +456,8 @@
              (not (group-chats.db/joined? my-public-key new-chat)))
       (apply fx/merge
              cofx
-             (conj
-              (map #(contact-code/stop-listening %)
-                   (:members new-chat))
-              (transport.chat/unsubscribe-from-chat chat-id)))
+             (map #(contact-code/stop-listening %)
+                  (:members new-chat)))
       (apply fx/merge
              cofx
              (concat
@@ -474,8 +465,7 @@
                    (:members new-chat))
               (map #(contact-code/stop-listening %)
                    (clojure.set/difference (:members previous-chat)
-                                           (:members new-chat)))
-              [(transport.public-chat/join-group-chat chat-id)])))))
+                                           (:members new-chat))))))))
 
 (fx/defn handle-membership-update
   "Upsert chat and receive message if valid"
@@ -508,8 +498,7 @@
                                             :contacts                 (:contacts new-group)})
                   (add-system-messages chat-id previous-chat new-group)
 
-                  (when config/group-chats-publish-to-topic?
-                    (set-up-topic chat-id previous-chat))
+                  (set-up-topic chat-id previous-chat)
                   #(when (and message
                               ;; don't allow anything but group messages
                               (instance? protocol/Message message)
diff --git a/src/status_im/transport/message/public_chat.cljs b/src/status_im/transport/message/public_chat.cljs
index 4bc119c51a..8c21a38fe6 100644
--- a/src/status_im/transport/message/public_chat.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/transport/message/public_chat.cljs
@@ -10,23 +10,6 @@
 (defn- has-already-joined? [{:keys [db]} chat-id]
   (get-in db [:transport/chats chat-id]))
 
-(fx/defn join-group-chat
-  "Function producing all protocol level effects necessary for a group chat identified by chat-id"
-  [{:keys [db] :as cofx} chat-id]
-  (when-not (has-already-joined? cofx chat-id)
-    (let [public-key (get-in db [:account/account :public-key])
-          topic (transport.utils/get-topic chat-id)]
-      (fx/merge cofx
-                {:shh/add-discovery-filters {:web3 (:web3 db)
-                                             :private-key-id public-key
-                                             :topics [{:topic topic
-                                                       :chat-id chat-id}]}}
-                (protocol/init-chat {:chat-id chat-id
-                                     :topic   topic})
-                #(hash-map :data-store/tx  [(transport-store/save-transport-tx
-                                             {:chat-id chat-id
-                                              :chat    (get-in % [:db :transport/chats chat-id])})])))))
-
 (fx/defn join-public-chat
   "Function producing all protocol level effects necessary for joining public chat identified by chat-id"
   [{:keys [db] :as cofx} chat-id]
diff --git a/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs b/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs
index a73dac91bf..92d4bc8b5c 100644
--- a/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs
+++ b/src/status_im/utils/config.cljs
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 
 (def bootnodes-settings-enabled? (enabled? (get-config :BOOTNODES_SETTINGS_ENABLED "1")))
 (def rpc-networks-only? (enabled? (get-config :RPC_NETWORKS_ONLY "1")))
-(def group-chats-publish-to-topic? (enabled? (get-config :GROUP_CHATS_PUBLISH_TO_TOPIC "0")))
 (def show-contact-recovery-pop-up? (enabled? (get-config :SHOW_CONTACT_RECOVERY_POPUP)))
 (def mailserver-confirmations-enabled? (enabled? (get-config :MAILSERVER_CONFIRMATIONS_ENABLED)))
 (def mainnet-warning-enabled? (enabled? (get-config :MAINNET_WARNING_ENABLED 0)))
diff --git a/test/cljs/status_im/test/group_chats/core.cljs b/test/cljs/status_im/test/group_chats/core.cljs
index b30ddb1823..8b59586c07 100644
--- a/test/cljs/status_im/test/group_chats/core.cljs
+++ b/test/cljs/status_im/test/group_chats/core.cljs
@@ -169,36 +169,6 @@
                     "group-chat-name-changed"]
                    (map (comp :text :content) (sort-by :clock-value (vals (:messages actual-chat))))))))))))
 
-(deftest set-up-topic
-  (with-redefs [config/group-chats-publish-to-topic? true]
-    (let [cofx {:now 0 :db {:account/account {:public-key admin}}}]
-      (testing "a brand new chat"
-        (let [actual (group-chats/handle-membership-update cofx initial-message "payload" admin)]
-          (testing "it sets up a topic"
-            (is (:shh/add-discovery-filters actual)))))
-      (testing "an existing chat"
-        (let [cofx  (assoc cofx
-                           :db
-                           (:db (group-chats/handle-membership-update cofx initial-message "payload" admin)))
-              new-message {:chat-id chat-id
-                           :membership-updates [{:from member-1
-                                                 :events [{:type "chat-created"
-                                                           :clock-value 1
-                                                           :name "group-name"}
-                                                          {:type "admins-added"
-                                                           :clock-value 10
-                                                           :members [member-2]}
-                                                          {:type "admin-removed"
-                                                           :clock-value 11
-                                                           :member member-1}]}
-                                                {:from member-1
-                                                 :events [{:type "member-removed"
-                                                           :clock-value 12
-                                                           :member member-1}]}]}
-              actual (group-chats/handle-membership-update cofx new-message "payload" admin)]
-          (testing "it removes the topic"
-            (is (:shh/remove-filters actual))))))))
-
 (deftest build-group-test
   (testing "only adds"
     (let [events [{:type    "chat-created"