diff --git a/cmd/serve.go b/cmd/serve.go
index 0d001e06..89d98c0a 100644
--- a/cmd/serve.go
+++ b/cmd/serve.go
@@ -116,15 +116,15 @@ func serve() {
 		tlsCertFilepath := ""
 		tlsKeyFilepath := ""
 
-		var cert tls.Certificate
+		var cert *tls.Certificate
 		if tlsCertFilepath != "" && tlsKeyFilepath != "" {
-			cert, err = tls.LoadX509KeyPair(tlsCertFilepath, tlsKeyFilepath)
+			*cert, err = tls.LoadX509KeyPair(tlsCertFilepath, tlsKeyFilepath)
 			if err != nil {
 				logWithCommand.Fatal(err)
 			}
 		}
 
-		nitroRpcServer, err := initNitroRpcServer(nitroNode, pm, &cert, rpcPort)
+		nitroRpcServer, err := initNitroRpcServer(nitroNode, pm, cert, rpcPort)
 		if err != nil {
 			logWithCommand.Fatal(err)
 		}