diff --git a/src/config.py b/src/config.py
index cd9dd21b..d54f880d 100644
--- a/src/config.py
+++ b/src/config.py
@@ -263,7 +263,6 @@ def kafka_opts(self) -> str:
         """
         opts = [
             f"-Djava.security.auth.login.config={self.zk_jaas_filepath}",
-            "-Djavax.net.debug=ssl:handshake:verbose:session:keymanager:trustmanager",
         ]
 
         return f"KAFKA_OPTS='{' '.join(opts)}'"
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_config.py b/tests/unit/test_config.py
index 6848ebba..22a2e4ae 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_config.py
@@ -231,7 +231,6 @@ def test_kafka_opts(harness):
     args = harness.charm.kafka_config.kafka_opts
     assert "-Djava.security.auth.login.config" in args
     assert "KAFKA_OPTS" in args
-    assert "-Djavax.net.debug=ssl" in args
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(