diff --git a/swh/objstorage/api/server.py b/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/api/server.py
@@ -255,9 +255,6 @@
                 % (", ".join(missing_keys),)
             )
 
-    elif cls == "noop":
-        raise EnvironmentError("Noop implementations should not be used in production.")
-
     return cfg
 
 
diff --git a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
--- a/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
+++ b/swh/objstorage/tests/test_server.py
@@ -118,8 +118,7 @@
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "config", [pytest.param({"objstorage": {"cls": "noop",}}, id="noop",),],
 )
-def test_load_and_check_config_raise(tmpdir, config):
-    """pathslicing configuration fine loads ok"""
+def test_load_and_check_config_with_noop(tmpdir, config):
+    """noop objstorage configuration is allowed"""
     config_path = prepare_config_file(tmpdir, config)
-    with pytest.raises(EnvironmentError, match="not be used in production"):
-        load_and_check_config(config_path)
+    load_and_check_config(config_path)