diff --git a/client/grpc/grpc.go b/client/grpc/grpc.go
index e90386ac..1c7f3512 100644
--- a/client/grpc/grpc.go
+++ b/client/grpc/grpc.go
@@ -576,11 +576,6 @@ func (g *grpcClient) Publish(ctx context.Context, p client.Message, opts ...clie
 
 	topic := p.Topic()
 
-	// get proxy topic
-	if prx := os.Getenv("MICRO_PROXY"); len(prx) > 0 {
-		options.Exchange = prx
-	}
-
 	// get the exchange
 	if len(options.Exchange) > 0 {
 		topic = options.Exchange
diff --git a/client/rpc_client.go b/client/rpc_client.go
index 0eda7232..b701d1ca 100644
--- a/client/rpc_client.go
+++ b/client/rpc_client.go
@@ -610,11 +610,6 @@ func (r *rpcClient) Publish(ctx context.Context, msg Message, opts ...PublishOpt
 	// set the topic
 	topic := msg.Topic()
 
-	// get proxy
-	if prx := os.Getenv("MICRO_PROXY"); len(prx) > 0 {
-		options.Exchange = prx
-	}
-
 	// get the exchange
 	if len(options.Exchange) > 0 {
 		topic = options.Exchange