diff --git a/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/core/application.py b/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/core/application.py
index aecc95bd499..b70c2cef302 100644
--- a/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/core/application.py
+++ b/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/core/application.py
@@ -84,8 +84,8 @@ def create_app(settings: ApplicationSettings) -> FastAPI:  # noqa: C901
     setup_s3(app)
     setup_client_session(app)
 
-    setup_rabbitmq(app)
     if not settings.STORAGE_WORKER_MODE:
+        setup_rabbitmq(app)
         setup_rpc_api_routes(app)
         setup_celery_client(app)
     setup_rest_api_long_running_tasks_for_uploads(app)
diff --git a/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/modules/rabbitmq.py b/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/modules/rabbitmq.py
index defb02a4293..27b2f291630 100644
--- a/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/modules/rabbitmq.py
+++ b/services/storage/src/simcore_service_storage/modules/rabbitmq.py
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 from fastapi import FastAPI
 from servicelib.logging_utils import log_context
 from servicelib.rabbitmq import (
-    RabbitMQClient,
     RabbitMQRPCClient,
     wait_till_rabbitmq_responsive,
 )
@@ -22,16 +21,12 @@ async def on_startup() -> None:
             logging.INFO,
             msg="Storage startup Rabbitmq",
         ):
-            app.state.rabbitmq_client = None
             rabbit_settings: RabbitSettings | None = app.state.settings.STORAGE_RABBITMQ
             if not rabbit_settings:
                 raise ConfigurationError(
                     msg="RabbitMQ client is de-activated in the settings"
                 )
             await wait_till_rabbitmq_responsive(rabbit_settings.dsn)
-            app.state.rabbitmq_client = RabbitMQClient(
-                client_name="storage", settings=rabbit_settings
-            )
             app.state.rabbitmq_rpc_server = await RabbitMQRPCClient.create(
                 client_name="storage_rpc_server", settings=rabbit_settings
             )
@@ -42,8 +37,6 @@ async def on_shutdown() -> None:
             logging.INFO,
             msg="Storage shutdown Rabbitmq",
         ):
-            if app.state.rabbitmq_client:
-                await app.state.rabbitmq_client.close()
             if app.state.rabbitmq_rpc_server:
                 await app.state.rabbitmq_rpc_server.close()
 
@@ -51,14 +44,6 @@ async def on_shutdown() -> None:
     app.add_event_handler("shutdown", on_shutdown)
 
 
-def get_rabbitmq_client(app: FastAPI) -> RabbitMQClient:
-    if not app.state.rabbitmq_client:
-        raise ConfigurationError(
-            msg="RabbitMQ client is not available. Please check the configuration."
-        )
-    return cast(RabbitMQClient, app.state.rabbitmq_client)
-
-
 def get_rabbitmq_rpc_server(app: FastAPI) -> RabbitMQRPCClient:
     assert app.state.rabbitmq_rpc_server  # nosec
     return cast(RabbitMQRPCClient, app.state.rabbitmq_rpc_server)