diff --git a/atst/app.py b/atst/app.py
index e344cb56..465d89a4 100644
--- a/atst/app.py
+++ b/atst/app.py
@@ -48,10 +48,7 @@ def make_app(config):
     app.config.update({"SESSION_REDIS": app.redis})
 
     make_flask_callbacks(app)
-    # TODO: deprecate the REQUIRE_CRLs setting in favor of the
-    # DISABLE_CRL_CHECK; both have the effect of never loading CRLs
-    if app.config.get("REQUIRE_CRLS"):
-        make_crl_validator(app)
+    make_crl_validator(app)
     register_filters(app)
     make_eda_client(app)
     make_csp_provider(app)
@@ -132,7 +129,6 @@ def map_config(config):
         "PERMANENT_SESSION_LIFETIME": config.getint(
             "default", "PERMANENT_SESSION_LIFETIME"
         ),
-        "REQUIRE_CRLS": config.getboolean("default", "REQUIRE_CRLS"),
         "RQ_REDIS_URL": config["default"]["REDIS_URI"],
         "RQ_QUEUES": [config["default"]["RQ_QUEUES"]],
         "DISABLE_CRL_CHECK": config.getboolean("default", "DISABLE_CRL_CHECK"),
diff --git a/config/base.ini b/config/base.ini
index 846f48cd..b8044bff 100644
--- a/config/base.ini
+++ b/config/base.ini
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ PGPORT = 5432
 PGUSER = postgres
 PORT=8000
 REDIS_URI = redis://localhost:6379
-REQUIRE_CRLS = true
 RQ_QUEUES = atat_%(ENVIRONMENT)s
 SECRET = change_me_into_something_secret
 SECRET_KEY = change_me_into_something_secret
diff --git a/deploy/kubernetes/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml b/deploy/kubernetes/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
index 0f3ec5e8..ec336df0 100644
--- a/deploy/kubernetes/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
+++ b/deploy/kubernetes/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ metadata:
   name: atst-worker-envvars
   namespace: atat
 data:
-  REQUIRE_CRLS: "False"
+  DISABLE_CRL_CHECK: "True"
diff --git a/deploy/kubernetes/test/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml b/deploy/kubernetes/test/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
index 73102195..2ab33655 100644
--- a/deploy/kubernetes/test/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
+++ b/deploy/kubernetes/test/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ metadata:
   name: atst-worker-envvars
   namespace: atat-test
 data:
-  REQUIRE_CRLS: "False"
+  DISABLE_CRL_CHECK: "True"
diff --git a/deploy/kubernetes/uat/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml b/deploy/kubernetes/uat/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
index 4dc7a986..767edcc4 100644
--- a/deploy/kubernetes/uat/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
+++ b/deploy/kubernetes/uat/atst-worker-envvars-configmap.yml
@@ -5,4 +5,4 @@ metadata:
   name: atst-worker-envvars
   namespace: atat-uat
 data:
-  REQUIRE_CRLS: "False"
+  DISABLE_CRL_CHECK: "True"