diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 4bba2aef..1ade665a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 - [[#482]](https://github.com/nf-core/smrnaseq/pull/482) - Update documentation regarding MirgeneDB input files.
 - [[#486]](https://github.com/nf-core/smrnaseq/pull/486) - Replace `CSVTK_JOIN` to improve processing in large amount of files.
 - [[#494]](https://github.com/nf-core/smrnaseq/pull/494) - Update [help text](https://github.com/nf-core/smrnaseq/issues/491) for `--fasta` parameter
+- [[#493]](https://github.com/nf-core/smrnaseq/pull/493) - Fix [[#488]](https://github.com/nf-core/smrnaseq/issues/488) - Fix runtime error that can occur when params.genome is set.
 
 ## v2.4.0 - 2024-10-14 - Navy Iron Boxer
 
diff --git a/subworkflows/local/utils_nfcore_smrnaseq_pipeline/main.nf b/subworkflows/local/utils_nfcore_smrnaseq_pipeline/main.nf
index c1494948..9bdbd746 100644
--- a/subworkflows/local/utils_nfcore_smrnaseq_pipeline/main.nf
+++ b/subworkflows/local/utils_nfcore_smrnaseq_pipeline/main.nf
@@ -169,10 +169,6 @@ workflow PIPELINE_COMPLETION {
 def validateInputParameters() {
     genomeExistsError()
 
-    if (!params.mirgenedb && !params.mirtrace_species) {
-            error("Reference species for miRTrace is not defined via the `--mirtrace_species` parameter.")
-    }
-
     if (!params.mirgenedb) {
         // Validate mature miRNA fasta file
         if (!params.mature) {