diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.cpp
index ed6c1b4d283..c7765631cd9 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.cpp
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ ConcurrentGCThread::ConcurrentGCThread() :
     _should_terminate(false),
     _has_terminated(false) {}
 
-void ConcurrentGCThread::create_and_start(ThreadPriority prio) {
+void ConcurrentGCThread::create_and_start() {
   if (os::create_thread(this, os::gc_thread)) {
-    os::set_priority(this, prio);
     os::start_thread(this);
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.hpp
index 0c764546045..5322d676493 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/concurrentGCThread.hpp
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ private:
   Atomic<bool> _has_terminated;
 
 protected:
-  void create_and_start(ThreadPriority prio = NearMaxPriority);
+  void create_and_start();
 
   virtual void run_service() = 0;
   virtual void stop_service() = 0;
diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/workerThread.cpp b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/workerThread.cpp
index 2f6f003608f..2738c98e5c3 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/workerThread.cpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/gc/shared/workerThread.cpp
@@ -210,8 +210,6 @@ WorkerThread::WorkerThread(const char* name_prefix, uint name_suffix, WorkerTask
 }
 
 void WorkerThread::run() {
-  os::set_priority(this, NearMaxPriority);
-
   while (true) {
     _dispatcher->worker_run_task();
   }