diff --git a/multiarea_model/default_params.py b/multiarea_model/default_params.py
index ccf891e8fc256d922a98b8358bf7f628970a8c22..cf966213c4cb343287093ae683172d574041a153 100644
--- a/multiarea_model/default_params.py
+++ b/multiarea_model/default_params.py
@@ -42,8 +42,6 @@ sim_params = {
     'dt': 0.1,
     # simulated time (in ms)
     't_sim': 10.0,
-    # no. of recording processes holding global spike detectors
-    'num_rec_processes': 0,
     # no. of MPI processes:
     'num_processes': 1,
     # no. of threads per MPI process':
diff --git a/multiarea_model/simulation.py b/multiarea_model/simulation.py
index 1f85aa0525be48df18e2f8ff47e2543300ec611c..a2b62762fd866564a847f887232eec0fff262cb3 100644
--- a/multiarea_model/simulation.py
+++ b/multiarea_model/simulation.py
@@ -157,7 +157,6 @@ class Simulation:
                               'grng_seed': master_seed,
                               'rng_seeds': list(range(master_seed + 1,
                                                       master_seed + vp + 1))})
-        nest.SetNumRecProcesses(self.params['num_rec_processes'])
 
         nest.SetDefaults(self.network.params['neuron_params']['neuron_model'],
                          self.network.params['neuron_params']['single_neuron_dict'])
diff --git a/run_example.py b/run_example.py
index f9e7df92686b96dbb7f308c64dcc13593476e2ed..c01184426e0c32fdcaa7eac0846cd5f0193a7a17 100644
--- a/run_example.py
+++ b/run_example.py
@@ -35,7 +35,6 @@ network_params = {'N_scaling': 1.,
 
 sim_params = {'t_sim': 2000.,
               'num_processes': 720,
-              'num_rec_processes': 1,
               'local_num_threads': 1,
               'input_params': input_params,
               'recording_dict': {'record_vm': False}}