diff --git a/packages/webui/src/reads.mjs b/packages/webui/src/reads.mjs
index 01224d15..0060886d 100644
--- a/packages/webui/src/reads.mjs
+++ b/packages/webui/src/reads.mjs
@@ -199,7 +199,6 @@ export function consoleReads({ root, system = null, configDir = null, rolesDir,
       let id = null, notifier;
       try {
         id = businessId({ business, dataRoot });
-        if (!dataRoot) throw new ReadError('not-configured', 'the Console has no system config, so it knows no notifier config');
         notifier = { binding: readNotifyConfig(dataRoot, id) };
       } catch (err) {
         notifier = { refused: err instanceof ReadError ? err.code : 'not-configured', message: err.message };