diff --git a/common/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/util/StartupProperties.java b/common/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/util/StartupProperties.java
index 102b88c..33054fe 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/util/StartupProperties.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/util/StartupProperties.java
@@ -63,15 +63,10 @@
                 INSTANCE.compareAndSet(null, new StartupProperties());
                 storePath = new Path((INSTANCE.get().getProperty(CONFIGSTORE_PROPERTY)));
                 fileSystem = HadoopClientFactory.get().createFalconFileSystem(storePath.toUri());
-                String isSafeMode = (doesSafemodeFileExist()) ? "true" : "false";
-                LOG.info("Initializing Falcon StartupProperties with safemode set to {}.", isSafeMode);
-                INSTANCE.get().setProperty(SAFEMODE_PROPERTY, isSafeMode);
             }
             return INSTANCE.get();
         } catch (FalconException e) {
             throw new RuntimeException("Unable to read application startup properties", e);
-        } catch (IOException e) {
-            throw new RuntimeException("Unable to verify Falcon safemode", e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/prism/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/FalconServer.java b/prism/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/FalconServer.java
index 3d9879a..8856c32 100644
--- a/prism/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/FalconServer.java
+++ b/prism/src/main/java/org/apache/falcon/FalconServer.java
@@ -99,9 +99,11 @@
             boolean isSafeMode = Boolean.parseBoolean(cmd.getOptionValue(SAFE_MODE));
             if (isSafeMode) {
                 StartupProperties.createSafemodeFile();
+                LOG.info("Falcon is starting in safemode.");
             } else {
                 StartupProperties.deleteSafemodeFile();
             }
+            StartupProperties.get().setProperty(StartupProperties.SAFEMODE_PROPERTY, Boolean.toString(isSafeMode));
         }
 
         final String enableTLSFlag = StartupProperties.get().getProperty("falcon.enableTLS");