diff --git a/src/utils/validateEnvVars.js b/src/utils/validateEnvVars.js
index bf25214f2c..3f5e62164d 100644
--- a/src/utils/validateEnvVars.js
+++ b/src/utils/validateEnvVars.js
@@ -50,15 +50,27 @@ const envVarsSchema = Joi.object({
   CLUSTER_SHUTDOWN_TIMEOUT_MS: Joi.number().integer().min(1).optional(),
   REDIS_URL: Joi.string().pattern(/^rediss?:\/\//).optional(),
 
-  // TLS certs are required in production
+  // Mirrors config/index.js: any value other than 'false' enables TLS.
+  TLS_ENABLED: Joi.string().valid('true', 'false').optional(),
+
+  // TLS certs are required in production unless TLS terminates at the platform
+  // edge (TLS_ENABLED=false), where startApplicationRuntime never loads them.
   TLS_KEY: Joi.string().when('NODE_ENV', {
     is: 'production',
-    then: Joi.required(),
+    then: Joi.when('TLS_ENABLED', {
+      is: 'false',
+      then: Joi.optional(),
+      otherwise: Joi.required(),
+    }),
     otherwise: Joi.optional(),
   }),
   TLS_CERT: Joi.string().when('NODE_ENV', {
     is: 'production',
-    then: Joi.required(),
+    then: Joi.when('TLS_ENABLED', {
+      is: 'false',
+      then: Joi.optional(),
+      otherwise: Joi.required(),
+    }),
     otherwise: Joi.optional(),
   }),
   OUTBOUND_CA_BUNDLE_FILE: Joi.string().optional(),
diff --git a/tests/unit/utils/validateEnvVars.test.js b/tests/unit/utils/validateEnvVars.test.js
index 6c10f405d0..6b2d831010 100644
--- a/tests/unit/utils/validateEnvVars.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/utils/validateEnvVars.test.js
@@ -174,12 +174,92 @@ describe('Unit | Utils | Validate Env Vars', () => {
         NODE_ENV: 'production',
         REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
       },
+      remove: ['TLS_KEY', 'TLS_CERT', 'TLS_ENABLED'],
+    });
+
+    expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow(/TLS_KEY/);
+  });
+
+  it('does not require production TLS credentials when TLS_ENABLED=false', () => {
+    const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
+      overrides: {
+        NODE_ENV: 'production',
+        TLS_ENABLED: 'false',
+        REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
+      },
+      remove: ['TLS_KEY', 'TLS_CERT'],
+    });
+
+    expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it('requires production TLS credentials when TLS_ENABLED=true', () => {
+    const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
+      overrides: {
+        NODE_ENV: 'production',
+        TLS_ENABLED: 'true',
+        REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
+      },
       remove: ['TLS_KEY', 'TLS_CERT'],
     });
 
     expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow(/TLS_KEY/);
   });
 
+  it('requires TLS_CERT in production when only TLS_KEY is supplied', () => {
+    const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
+      overrides: {
+        NODE_ENV: 'production',
+        REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
+        TLS_KEY: 'tls-key',
+      },
+      remove: ['TLS_CERT', 'TLS_ENABLED'],
+    });
+
+    expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow(/TLS_CERT/);
+  });
+
+  it('accepts TLS_ENABLED=false in production alongside unused TLS credentials', () => {
+    const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
+      overrides: {
+        NODE_ENV: 'production',
+        TLS_ENABLED: 'false',
+        REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
+        TLS_KEY: 'tls-key',
+        TLS_CERT: 'tls-cert',
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a TLS_ENABLED value other than true or false', () => {
+    const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
+      overrides: {
+        NODE_ENV: 'production',
+        TLS_ENABLED: 'disabled',
+        REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
+        TLS_KEY: 'tls-key',
+        TLS_CERT: 'tls-cert',
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(() => validateEnvVars()).toThrow(/TLS_ENABLED/);
+  });
+
+  it('leaves TLS credentials optional outside production when TLS_ENABLED=true', () => {
+    const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
+      overrides: {
+        NODE_ENV: 'development',
+        TLS_ENABLED: 'true',
+        REPLICATE_API_TOKEN: 'test-token',
+      },
+      remove: ['TLS_KEY', 'TLS_CERT'],
+    });
+
+    expect(() => validateEnvVars()).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
   it('accepts a non-negative TRUST_PROXY_HOPS override', () => {
     const validateEnvVars = loadValidator({
       overrides: {