diff --git a/backend/main.py b/backend/main.py
index 6d2217a..eaf969b 100644
--- a/backend/main.py
+++ b/backend/main.py
@@ -55,8 +55,26 @@ if not config_file.exists():
 with open(config_file) as f:
     config = json.load(f)
 
-cert_path = config.get("ssl_cert_path", "ssl/cert.pem")
-key_path = config.get("ssl_key_path", "ssl/key.pem")
+# Set SSL paths based on environment
+if environment in ["test", "dev"]:
+    cert_path = config.get("ssl_cert_path", "ssl/cert.pem")
+    key_path = config.get("ssl_key_path", "ssl/key.pem")
+elif environment == "prod":
+    cert_path = config.get("SSL_CERT_PATH")
+    key_path = config.get("SSL_KEY_PATH")
+    # Validate production SSL paths
+    if not cert_path or not key_path:
+        raise ValueError(
+            "SSL_CERT_PATH and SSL_KEY_PATH must be set in config_prod.json"
+            " for production."
+        )
+    if not Path(cert_path).exists() or not Path(key_path).exists():
+        raise FileNotFoundError(
+            f"Missing SSL files in production. Ensure the following files exist:\n"
+            f"SSL Certificate: {cert_path}\nSSL Key: {key_path}"
+        )
+else:
+    raise ValueError(f"Unknown environment: {environment}")
 
 # Generate SSL Key and Certificate if not exist (only for development)
 if environment == "dev":
@@ -146,20 +164,14 @@ if __name__ == "__main__":
     port = int(os.getenv("PORT", 8000))
     is_ci = os.getenv("CI", "false").lower() == "true"
 
-    # Development or Test environment
-    if environment in ["test", "dev"]:
-        cert_path = "ssl/cert.pem"
-        key_path = "ssl/key.pem"
-        host = "127.0.0.1"
-    else:
-        cert_path = os.getenv("VITE_SSL_CERT_PATH", "ssl/prod-cert.pem")
-        key_path = os.getenv("VITE_SSL_KEY_PATH", "ssl/prod-key.pem")
-        host = "0.0.0.0"
-
     def run_server():
+        print(f"[INFO] Starting server in {environment} environment...")
+        print(f"[INFO] SSL Certificate Path: {cert_path}")
+        print(f"[INFO] SSL Key Path: {key_path}")
+        print(f"[INFO] Running on port {port}")
         uvicorn.run(
             app,
-            host=host,
+            host="127.0.0.1" if environment in ["dev", "test"] else "0.0.0.0",
             port=port,
             log_level="debug",
             ssl_keyfile=key_path,