A welding system, comprising: a self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode; a feeder configured to advance the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode toward a weld puddle during a welding operation; a power supply configured to provide a welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode to generate an arc between the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode and a workpiece during the welding operation; and a controller operatively connected to at least the power supply for controlling the welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode, characterized in that the controller is configured to: control the power supply to provide a background welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode before a shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece is detected, monitor the welding output of the power supply to detect both of the shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece and clearance of the shorting event; upon detecting the clearance of the shorting event, automatically switch the welding output to a minimum magnitude fixed current welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode for a predetermined duration, and upon expiration of the predetermined duration, automatically switch the welding output from said minimum magnitude fixed current welding output back to the background welding output until another shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece is detected. a self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode; a feeder configured to advance the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode toward a weld puddle during a welding operation; a power supply configured to provide a welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode to generate an arc between the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode and a workpiece during the welding operation; and a controller operatively connected to at least the power supply for controlling the welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode, characterized in that the controller is configured to: control the power supply to provide a background welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode before a shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece is detected, monitor the welding output of the power supply to detect both of the shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece and clearance of the shorting event; upon detecting the clearance of the shorting event, automatically switch the welding output to a minimum magnitude fixed current welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode for a predetermined duration, and upon expiration of the predetermined duration, automatically switch the welding output from said minimum magnitude fixed current welding output back to the background welding output until another shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece is detected. control the power supply to provide a background welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode before a shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece is detected, monitor the welding output of the power supply to detect both of the shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece and clearance of the shorting event; upon detecting the clearance of the shorting event, automatically switch the welding output to a minimum magnitude fixed current welding output to the self-shielded flux-cored welding electrode for a predetermined duration, and upon expiration of the predetermined duration, automatically switch the welding output from said minimum magnitude fixed current welding output back to the background welding output until another shorting event between the electrode and the workpiece is detected.