diff --git a/core/controller/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/loadBalancer/ShardingContainerPoolBalancer.scala b/core/controller/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/loadBalancer/ShardingContainerPoolBalancer.scala
index 5f7b9f05cd6..b33cfa4d753 100644
--- a/core/controller/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/loadBalancer/ShardingContainerPoolBalancer.scala
+++ b/core/controller/src/main/scala/org/apache/openwhisk/core/loadBalancer/ShardingContainerPoolBalancer.scala
@@ -24,8 +24,6 @@ import java.util.concurrent.ThreadLocalRandom
 import akka.actor.{Actor, ActorSystem, Cancellable, Props}
 import akka.cluster.ClusterEvent._
 import akka.cluster.{Cluster, Member, MemberStatus}
-import akka.management.scaladsl.AkkaManagement
-import akka.management.cluster.bootstrap.ClusterBootstrap
 import org.apache.openwhisk.common.InvokerState.{Healthy, Offline, Unhealthy, Unresponsive}
 import pureconfig._
 import pureconfig.generic.auto._
@@ -154,11 +152,7 @@ class ShardingContainerPoolBalancer(
     extends CommonLoadBalancer(config, feedFactory, controllerInstance) {
 
   /** Build a cluster of all loadbalancers */
-  private val cluster: Option[Cluster] = if (loadConfigOrThrow[ClusterConfig](ConfigKeys.cluster).useClusterBootstrap) {
-    AkkaManagement(actorSystem).start()
-    ClusterBootstrap(actorSystem).start()
-    Some(Cluster(actorSystem))
-  } else if (loadConfigOrThrow[Seq[String]]("akka.cluster.seed-nodes").nonEmpty) {
+  private val cluster: Option[Cluster] = if (loadConfigOrThrow[ClusterConfig](ConfigKeys.cluster).useClusterBootstrap || loadConfigOrThrow[Seq[String]]("akka.cluster.seed-nodes").nonEmpty) {
     Some(Cluster(actorSystem))
   } else {
     None