diff --git a/ale/__init__.py b/ale/__init__.py
index 08269ea76..8e156801e 100644
--- a/ale/__init__.py
+++ b/ale/__init__.py
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@
 try:
     spice_root = os.environ['ALESPICEROOT']
 except:
-    warnings.warn('ALESPICEROOT environment variable not set, Spice Drivers will not function correctly')
     spice_root = None
 
 # bring ale stuff into main ale module
diff --git a/tests/pytests/test_env.py b/tests/pytests/test_env.py
index 9263d46fc..67a07d160 100644
--- a/tests/pytests/test_env.py
+++ b/tests/pytests/test_env.py
@@ -6,9 +6,8 @@
 
 def test_env_not_set(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.delenv('ALESPICEROOT', raising=False)
-    with pytest.warns(UserWarning, match='ALESPICEROOT environment variable not set'):
-        reload(ale)
-        assert not ale.spice_root
+    reload(ale)
+    assert not ale.spice_root
 
 def test_env_set(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv('ALESPICEROOT', '/foo/bar')