diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_boot.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_boot.erl
index 6cbac558f..b3dfcda33 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_boot.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_boot.erl
@@ -18,9 +18,9 @@
 
 -export([is_enabled/1]).
 
--define(BOOT_MODULES, [router, broker, listeners]).
+-define(BOOT_MODULES, [broker, listeners]).
 
--spec is_enabled(all | router | broker | listeners) -> boolean().
+-spec is_enabled(all | broker | listeners) -> boolean().
 is_enabled(Mod) ->
     (BootMods = boot_modules()) =:= all orelse lists:member(Mod, BootMods).
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_sup.erl b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_sup.erl
index 8c79e7482..1893dba86 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/src/emqx_sup.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/src/emqx_sup.erl
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ init([]) ->
     Children =
         [KernelSup] ++
             [SessionSup || emqx_persistent_session:is_store_enabled()] ++
-            [RouterSup || emqx_boot:is_enabled(router)] ++
+            [RouterSup || emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)] ++
             [BrokerSup || emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)] ++
             [CMSup || emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)] ++
             [SysSup, Limiter],
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_access_control_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_access_control_SUITE.erl
index 5d4344de6..8f7a1fa6c 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_access_control_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_access_control_SUITE.erl
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
 all() -> emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
 
 init_per_suite(Config) ->
-    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules([router, broker]),
+    emqx_common_test_helpers:boot_modules([broker]),
     emqx_common_test_helpers:start_apps([]),
     Config.
 
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_boot_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_boot_SUITE.erl
index 06f08afb8..006888d9c 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_boot_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_boot_SUITE.erl
@@ -26,19 +26,12 @@ all() -> emqx_common_test_helpers:all(?MODULE).
 t_is_enabled(_) ->
     try
         ok = application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, all),
-        ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(router)),
         ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)),
         ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(listeners)),
-        ok = application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [router]),
-        ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(router)),
-        ?assertNot(emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)),
-        ?assertNot(emqx_boot:is_enabled(listeners)),
-        ok = application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [router, broker]),
-        ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(router)),
+        ok = application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker]),
         ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)),
         ?assertNot(emqx_boot:is_enabled(listeners)),
-        ok = application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [router, broker, listeners]),
-        ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(router)),
+        ok = application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker, listeners]),
         ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(broker)),
         ?assert(emqx_boot:is_enabled(listeners))
     after
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl
index 1128112ff..9729d8ddc 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_SUITE.erl
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ init_per_group(GroupName, Config) ->
     AppSpecs = [
         {emqx, #{
             config => mk_config(GroupName),
-            override_env => [{boot_modules, [router]}]
+            override_env => [{boot_modules, [broker]}]
         }}
     ],
     Apps = emqx_cth_suite:start(AppSpecs, #{work_dir => WorkDir}),
diff --git a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
index 889c8293c..8fe052af8 100644
--- a/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx/test/emqx_router_helper_SUITE.erl
@@ -51,12 +51,12 @@ end_per_group(_GroupName, Config) ->
 mk_config(routing_schema_v1) ->
     #{
         config => "broker.routing.storage_schema = v1",
-        override_env => [{boot_modules, [router]}]
+        override_env => [{boot_modules, [broker]}]
     };
 mk_config(routing_schema_v2) ->
     #{
         config => "broker.routing.storage_schema = v2",
-        override_env => [{boot_modules, [router]}]
+        override_env => [{boot_modules, [broker]}]
     }.
 
 init_per_testcase(_TestCase, Config) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl
index 8dc6cd7c4..60c54ebda 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub/test/emqx_bridge_gcp_pubsub_consumer_SUITE.erl
@@ -577,7 +577,7 @@ cluster(Config) ->
             {schema_mod, emqx_enterprise_schema},
             {env_handler, fun
                 (emqx) ->
-                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker, router]),
+                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker]),
                     ok;
                 (emqx_conf) ->
                     ok;
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_kafka/test/emqx_bridge_kafka_impl_consumer_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_kafka/test/emqx_bridge_kafka_impl_consumer_SUITE.erl
index 1691fa6a4..60a571b2d 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_kafka/test/emqx_bridge_kafka_impl_consumer_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_kafka/test/emqx_bridge_kafka_impl_consumer_SUITE.erl
@@ -1101,7 +1101,7 @@ cluster(Config) ->
             {load_apps, [emqx_machine]},
             {env_handler, fun
                 (emqx) ->
-                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker, router]),
+                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker]),
                     ExtraEnvHandlerHook(),
                     ok;
                 (emqx_conf) ->
diff --git a/apps/emqx_bridge_pulsar/test/emqx_bridge_pulsar_impl_producer_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_bridge_pulsar/test/emqx_bridge_pulsar_impl_producer_SUITE.erl
index fb358906f..44d28c31a 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_bridge_pulsar/test/emqx_bridge_pulsar_impl_producer_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_bridge_pulsar/test/emqx_bridge_pulsar_impl_producer_SUITE.erl
@@ -536,7 +536,7 @@ cluster(Config) ->
             {schema_mod, emqx_enterprise_schema},
             {env_handler, fun
                 (emqx) ->
-                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker, router]),
+                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker]),
                     ok;
                 (emqx_conf) ->
                     ok;
diff --git a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_data_backup_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_data_backup_SUITE.erl
index 04982a087..7cb2c9cf1 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_data_backup_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_management/test/emqx_mgmt_data_backup_SUITE.erl
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ create_test_tab(Attributes) ->
 
 apps_to_start() ->
     [
-        {emqx, #{override_env => [{boot_modules, [broker, router]}]}},
+        {emqx, #{override_env => [{boot_modules, [broker]}]}},
         {emqx_conf, #{config => #{dashboard => #{listeners => #{http => #{bind => <<"0">>}}}}}},
         emqx_psk,
         emqx_management,
diff --git a/apps/emqx_schema_registry/test/emqx_schema_registry_SUITE.erl b/apps/emqx_schema_registry/test/emqx_schema_registry_SUITE.erl
index e2a696428..7aea09457 100644
--- a/apps/emqx_schema_registry/test/emqx_schema_registry_SUITE.erl
+++ b/apps/emqx_schema_registry/test/emqx_schema_registry_SUITE.erl
@@ -368,7 +368,7 @@ cluster(Config) ->
             {load_apps, [emqx_machine]},
             {env_handler, fun
                 (emqx) ->
-                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker, router]),
+                    application:set_env(emqx, boot_modules, [broker]),
                     ok;
                 (emqx_conf) ->
                     ok;