diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-mdm/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/mdm/broker/MdmQueueConsumerLoader.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-mdm/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/mdm/broker/MdmQueueConsumerLoader.java
index a347cf4a694..32859e7d123 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-mdm/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/mdm/broker/MdmQueueConsumerLoader.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-mdm/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/mdm/broker/MdmQueueConsumerLoader.java
@@ -46,6 +46,10 @@ public class MdmQueueConsumerLoader {
 		myMdmSettings = theMdmSettings;
 		myMdmMessageHandler = theMdmMessageHandler;
 
+		if (myMdmSettings.isPassiveModeEnabled()) {
+			return;
+		}
+
 		startListeningToMdmChannel();
 	}