diff --git a/src/py/flwr/server/app.py b/src/py/flwr/server/app.py
index 03ceb878f33b..9a850c904266 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/server/app.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/server/app.py
@@ -50,7 +50,6 @@
     TRANSPORT_TYPE_GRPC_ADAPTER,
     TRANSPORT_TYPE_GRPC_RERE,
     TRANSPORT_TYPE_REST,
-    Status,
 )
 from flwr.common.exit_handlers import register_exit_handlers
 from flwr.common.logger import log
@@ -58,7 +57,6 @@
     private_key_to_bytes,
     public_key_to_bytes,
 )
-from flwr.common.typing import RunStatus
 from flwr.proto.fleet_pb2_grpc import (  # pylint: disable=E0611
     add_FleetServicer_to_server,
 )
@@ -345,7 +343,7 @@ def run_superlink() -> None:
         # Scheduler thread
         scheduler_th = threading.Thread(
             target=_flwr_serverapp_scheduler,
-            args=(state_factory, args.driver_api_address),
+            args=(state_factory, args.driver_api_address, args.ssl_ca_certfile),
         )
         scheduler_th.start()
         bckg_threads.append(scheduler_th)
@@ -367,7 +365,9 @@ def run_superlink() -> None:
 
 
 def _flwr_serverapp_scheduler(
-    state_factory: LinkStateFactory, driver_api_address: str
+    state_factory: LinkStateFactory,
+    driver_api_address: str,
+    ssl_ca_certfile: Optional[str],
 ) -> None:
     log(DEBUG, "Started flwr-serverapp scheduler thread.")
 
@@ -380,10 +380,6 @@ def _flwr_serverapp_scheduler(
 
         if pending_run_id:
 
-            # Set run as starting
-            state.update_run_status(
-                run_id=pending_run_id, new_status=RunStatus(Status.STARTING, "", "")
-            )
             log(
                 INFO,
                 "Launching `flwr-serverapp` subprocess with run-id %d. "
@@ -399,6 +395,12 @@ def _flwr_serverapp_scheduler(
                 "--run-id",
                 str(pending_run_id),
             ]
+            if ssl_ca_certfile:
+                command.append("--root-certificates")
+                command.append(ssl_ca_certfile)
+            else:
+                command.append("--insecure")
+
             subprocess.run(
                 command,
                 stdout=None,
diff --git a/src/py/flwr/server/serverapp/app.py b/src/py/flwr/server/serverapp/app.py
index 22f9473087fb..ef95e34ee9d0 100644
--- a/src/py/flwr/server/serverapp/app.py
+++ b/src/py/flwr/server/serverapp/app.py
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@
 """Flower ServerApp process."""
 
 import argparse
-from logging import DEBUG, INFO
+import sys
+from logging import DEBUG, INFO, WARN
+from os.path import isfile
+from pathlib import Path
 from typing import Optional
 
 from flwr.common.logger import log
@@ -41,8 +44,35 @@ def flwr_serverapp() -> None:
         help="Id of the Run this process should start. If not supplied, this "
         "function will request a pending run to the LinkState.",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--flwr-dir",
+        default=None,
+        help="""The path containing installed Flower Apps.
+    By default, this value is equal to:
+
+        - `$FLWR_HOME/` if `$FLWR_HOME` is defined
+        - `$XDG_DATA_HOME/.flwr/` if `$XDG_DATA_HOME` is defined
+        - `$HOME/.flwr/` in all other cases
+    """,
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--insecure",
+        action="store_true",
+        help="Run the server without HTTPS, regardless of whether certificate "
+        "paths are provided. By default, the server runs with HTTPS enabled. "
+        "Use this flag only if you understand the risks.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--root-certificates",
+        metavar="ROOT_CERT",
+        type=str,
+        help="Specifies the path to the PEM-encoded root certificate file for "
+        "establishing secure HTTPS connections.",
+    )
     args = parser.parse_args()
 
+    certificates = _try_obtain_certificates(args)
+
     log(
         DEBUG,
         "Staring isolated `ServerApp` connected to SuperLink DriverAPI at %s "
@@ -50,29 +80,62 @@ def flwr_serverapp() -> None:
         args.superlink,
         args.run_id,
     )
-    run_serverapp(superlink=args.superlink, run_id=args.run_id)
+    run_serverapp(
+        superlink=args.superlink,
+        run_id=args.run_id,
+        flwr_dir_=args.flwr_dir,
+        certificates=certificates,
+    )
+
+
+def _try_obtain_certificates(
+    args: argparse.Namespace,
+) -> Optional[bytes]:
+
+    if args.insecure:
+        if args.root_certificates is not None:
+            sys.exit(
+                "Conflicting options: The '--insecure' flag disables HTTPS, "
+                "but '--root-certificates' was also specified. Please remove "
+                "the '--root-certificates' option when running in insecure mode, "
+                "or omit '--insecure' to use HTTPS."
+            )
+        log(
+            WARN,
+            "Option `--insecure` was set. Starting insecure HTTP channel to %s.",
+            args.superlink,
+        )
+        root_certificates = None
+    else:
+        # Load the certificates if provided, or load the system certificates
+        if not isfile(args.root_certificates):
+            sys.exit("Path argument `--root-certificates` does not point to a file.")
+        root_certificates = Path(args.root_certificates).read_bytes()
+        log(
+            DEBUG,
+            "Starting secure HTTPS channel to %s "
+            "with the following certificates: %s.",
+            args.superlink,
+            args.root_certificates,
+        )
+    return root_certificates
 
 
 def run_serverapp(  # pylint: disable=R0914
     superlink: str,
     run_id: Optional[int] = None,
+    flwr_dir_: Optional[str] = None,
+    certificates: Optional[bytes] = None,
 ) -> None:
-    """Run Flower ServerApp process.
-
-    Parameters
-    ----------
-    superlink : str
-        Address of SuperLink
-    run_id : Optional[int] (default: None)
-        Unique identifier of a Run registered at the LinkState. If not supplied,
-        this function will request a pending run to the LinkState.
-    """
+    """Run Flower ServerApp process."""
     _ = GrpcDriver(
         run_id=run_id if run_id else 0,
         driver_service_address=superlink,
-        root_certificates=None,
+        root_certificates=certificates,
     )
 
+    log(INFO, "%s", flwr_dir_)
+
     # Then, GetServerInputs
 
     # Then, run ServerApp