The Ziegler catalyst, a combination of TiCl4 and Al(C2H5)2Cl, is a very poor catalyst for propylene polymerization. However, the addition of Mg(C4H9)2 to the Ziegler catalyst at a [Mg]:[Al] molar ratio < 0.5 leads to the formation of a potent catalyst system for homopolymerization of propylene. Polymers produced with the TiCl4–Al(C2H5)2Cl/Mg(C4H9)2 catalyst are mostly atactic and amorphous, their minor partially crystalline isotactic components constitute merely 5–10% of the combined polymer material. Principal advantages of the TiCl4–Al(C2H5)2Cl/Mg(C4H9)2 catalyst for the manufacture of atactic PP include high activity, low cost, and the ease of use: the catalyst is prepared in situ from three commercially available components. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47692.