diff --git a/source/de/anomic/server/serverSystem.java b/source/de/anomic/server/serverSystem.java
index b69fa5f84..ba08e88dd 100644
--- a/source/de/anomic/server/serverSystem.java
+++ b/source/de/anomic/server/serverSystem.java
@@ -303,9 +303,8 @@ public final class serverSystem {
 					if (p.exitValue() != 0) {
 						cmd = app + " "  + url + " &";
 						p = Runtime.getRuntime().exec(cmd);
-						p.waitFor();
+						// no error checking, because it blocks until firefox is closed
 					}
-					if (p.exitValue() != 0) throw new RuntimeException("EXEC ERROR: " + errorResponse(p));
 				} else if (systemOS == systemWindows) {
 					// see forum at http://forum.java.sun.com/thread.jsp?forum=57&thread=233364&message=838441
 					if (System.getProperty("os.name").contains("2000")) cmd = "rundll32 url.dll,FileProtocolHandler " + url;