diff --git a/internal/clientsholder/clientsholder.go b/internal/clientsholder/clientsholder.go
index 066f28930..a78331339 100644
--- a/internal/clientsholder/clientsholder.go
+++ b/internal/clientsholder/clientsholder.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ package clientsholder
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"os"
 	"time"
 
 	clientconfigv1 "github.com/openshift/client-go/config/clientset/versioned/typed/config/v1"
@@ -147,13 +146,11 @@ func ClearTestClientsHolder() {
 
 // GetClientsHolder returns the singleton ClientsHolder object.
 func GetClientsHolder(filenames ...string) *ClientsHolder {
-	const exitUsage = 2
 	if clientsHolder.ready {
 		return &clientsHolder
 	}
 	if len(filenames) == 0 {
-		logrus.Errorf("Please provide a valid kubeconfig. Either set the KUBECONFIG environment variable or alternatively copy a kube config to $HOME/.kube/config")
-		os.Exit(exitUsage)
+		return nil
 	}
 	clientsHolder, err := newClientsHolder(filenames...)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 5a050c4d6..e0075e996 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -183,8 +183,16 @@ func main() {
 	fmt.Printf("Log file: %s\n", logFileName)
 	fmt.Printf("\n")
 
+	webServerMode := *serverModeFlag
+
 	_ = clientsholder.GetClientsHolder(getK8sClientsConfigFileNames()...)
 
+	client := clientsholder.GetClientsHolder(getK8sClientsConfigFileNames()...)
+	if !webServerMode && client == nil {
+		logrus.Fatalf("Please provide a valid kubeconfig. Either set the KUBECONFIG environment variable or alternatively copy a kube config to $HOME/.kube/config")
+	}
+
+	certsuite.SetWebServerMode(*serverModeFlag)
 	certsuite.LoadChecksDB(*labelsFlag)
 
 	if *listFlag {
diff --git a/pkg/certsuite/certsuite.go b/pkg/certsuite/certsuite.go
index ac933f6a1..ca2d8959a 100644
--- a/pkg/certsuite/certsuite.go
+++ b/pkg/certsuite/certsuite.go
@@ -24,6 +24,14 @@ import (
 	"github.com/test-network-function/cnf-certification-test/pkg/provider"
 )
 
+var (
+	webServerMode bool
+)
+
+func SetWebServerMode(serverMode bool) {
+	webServerMode = serverMode
+}
+
 func LoadChecksDB(labelsExpr string) {
 	accesscontrol.LoadChecks()
 	certification.LoadChecks()
@@ -35,7 +43,9 @@ func LoadChecksDB(labelsExpr string) {
 	platform.LoadChecks()
 	operator.LoadChecks()
 
-	if preflight.ShouldRun(labelsExpr) {
+	// Avoid loading preflight checks in webserver mode, since the app may start
+	// without any kubeconfig file provided.
+	if !webServerMode && preflight.ShouldRun(labelsExpr) {
 		preflight.LoadChecks()
 	}
 }