diff --git a/FjordSettings.json b/FjordSettings.json
index ec1e81b..99e54d9 100644
--- a/FjordSettings.json
+++ b/FjordSettings.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "name": "Fjord App",
   "server": {
     "NAME": "Fjord-Server",
-    "JWT_KEY": "jqq247gjrhvariorrbgehtcwz5k0x0slmmxndnde",
+    "JWT_KEY": "",
     "API_TOPICS": "stocks weather",
     "SEC_PER_PULSE": "30"
   },
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
       "KAFKA_PASSWORD": "123",
       "MEMBERS_COUNT": "1",
       "CONCURRENT_PARTITIONS": "1",
-      "STARTING_DELAY_SEC": "60"
+      "STARTING_DELAY_SEC": "0"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/lib/settings.js b/lib/settings.js
index ce8ab34..d5dcf6d 100644
--- a/lib/settings.js
+++ b/lib/settings.js
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ function getSettings() {
   try {
     if (!s.server || typeof s.server !== 'object') throw new Error('Fjord settings -- missing server param')
     if (!s.server.NAME) s.server.NAME = 'Server'
-    if (!s.server.JWT_KEY || typeof s.server.JWT_KEY !== 'string' || s.server.JWT_KEY.length < 20) throw new Error('Fjord settings -- missing or incorrect server JWT_KEY (must be string of at least 20 chars)')
+    if (!s.server.hasOwnProperty('JWT_KEY') || typeof s.server.JWT_KEY !== 'string') throw new Error('Fjord settings -- missing or incorrect server JWT_KEY (must be string)')
     if (!s.server.SEC_PER_PULSE) s.server.SEC_PER_PULSE = '30'
     console.log('2. Server params successfully loaded for ' + s.server.NAME);
-    console.log('    2.1 Server API topics:' + s.server.API_TOPICS)
-    
+    console.log('    2.1 Server API topics: ' + s.server.API_TOPICS)
+    console.log('    2.2 Server JWT_KEY: ' + (s.server.JWT_KEY.length > 0 ? s.server.JWT_KEY : '(none)'))
     if (!s.consumerGroups || !Array.isArray(s.consumerGroups)) throw new Error('Fjord settings -- missing or incorrect consumerGroups param (must be an array)')
     if (!s.consumerGroups.length) throw new Error('Fjord settings -- consumerGroups must contain at least one consumer group')
     s.consumerGroups.forEach((c, idx) => {