diff --git a/gc/base/Configuration.cpp b/gc/base/Configuration.cpp
index dfd0ed7427d..7376a0efa9b 100644
--- a/gc/base/Configuration.cpp
+++ b/gc/base/Configuration.cpp
@@ -447,8 +447,7 @@ MM_Configuration::initializeGCThreadCount(MM_EnvironmentBase* env)
 {
 	MM_GCExtensionsBase* extensions = env->getExtensions();
 
-	/* to be checked against gcThreadCountSpecified, once downstream projects properly set it */
-	if (!extensions->gcThreadCountForced) {
+	if (!extensions->gcThreadCountSpecified) {
 		extensions->gcThreadCount = defaultGCThreadCount(env);
 	}
 }
diff --git a/gc/base/ParallelDispatcher.cpp b/gc/base/ParallelDispatcher.cpp
index 535b0bd0172..04ddd924873 100644
--- a/gc/base/ParallelDispatcher.cpp
+++ b/gc/base/ParallelDispatcher.cpp
@@ -701,7 +701,6 @@ MM_ParallelDispatcher::contractThreadPool(MM_EnvironmentBase *env, uintptr_t new
 
 		Assert_MM_true(_threadShutdownCount == expectedThreadShutdownThread);
 
-		_extensions->gcThreadCount = newThreadCount;
 		_activeThreadCount = newThreadCount;
 		_threadCount = newThreadCount;
 		_threadCountMaximum = newThreadCount;
@@ -748,7 +747,6 @@ MM_ParallelDispatcher::expandThreadPool(MM_EnvironmentBase *env)
 				newThreadCount = _threadShutdownCount + 1;
 			}
 
-			_extensions->gcThreadCount = newThreadCount;
 			_threadCount = newThreadCount;
 			_threadCountMaximum = newThreadCount;
 		}