diff --git a/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java b/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java
index cdab7289c7b..1c7cc26b2de 100644
--- a/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java
+++ b/jetty-proxy/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/proxy/ProxyServlet.java
@@ -672,9 +672,7 @@ public class ProxyServlet extends HttpServlet
 
         protected void init(ServletConfig config) throws ServletException
         {
-            String proxyTo = config.getInitParameter("proxyTo");
-            _proxyTo = proxyTo == null ? _proxyTo : proxyTo;
-
+            _proxyTo = config.getInitParameter("proxyTo");
             if (_proxyTo == null)
                 throw new UnavailableException("Init parameter 'proxyTo' is required.");