Index: core/src/main/scala/kafka/producer/Producer.scala
===================================================================
--- core/src/main/scala/kafka/producer/Producer.scala	(revision 1294923)
+++ core/src/main/scala/kafka/producer/Producer.scala	(working copy)
@@ -33,8 +33,6 @@
                                                           /* use the other constructor*/
 extends Logging {
   private val hasShutdown = new AtomicBoolean(false)
-  if(!Utils.propertyExists(config.zkConnect) && !Utils.propertyExists(config.brokerList))
-    throw new InvalidConfigException("At least one of zk.connect or broker.list must be specified")
   if (Utils.propertyExists(config.zkConnect) && Utils.propertyExists(config.brokerList))
     warn("Both zk.connect and broker.list provided (zk.connect takes precedence).")
   private val random = new java.util.Random
Index: core/src/main/scala/kafka/producer/ProducerConfig.scala
===================================================================
--- core/src/main/scala/kafka/producer/ProducerConfig.scala	(revision 1294923)
+++ core/src/main/scala/kafka/producer/ProducerConfig.scala	(working copy)
@@ -29,11 +29,11 @@
    *  to pass in static broker and per-broker partition information. Format-    *
    *  brokerid1:host1:port1, brokerid2:host2:port2*/
   val brokerList = Utils.getString(props, "broker.list", null)
-  if(brokerList != null && Utils.getString(props, "partitioner.class", null) != null)
+  if(Utils.propertyExists(brokerList) && Utils.getString(props, "partitioner.class", null) != null)
     throw new InvalidConfigException("partitioner.class cannot be used when broker.list is set")
 
   /** If both broker.list and zk.connect options are specified, throw an exception */
-  if(brokerList != null && zkConnect != null)
+  if(Utils.propertyExists(brokerList) && Utils.propertyExists(zkConnect))
     throw new InvalidConfigException("only one of broker.list and zk.connect can be specified")
 
   /** the partitioner class for partitioning events amongst sub-topics */