diff --git a/python/ray/serve/api.py b/python/ray/serve/api.py
index ef45331fe..52ede1749 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/api.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/api.py
@@ -62,7 +62,6 @@ def accept_batch(f):
 
 def init(cluster_name=None,
          blocking=False,
-         start_server=True,
          http_host=DEFAULT_HTTP_HOST,
          http_port=DEFAULT_HTTP_PORT,
          ray_init_kwargs={
@@ -84,8 +83,6 @@ def init(cluster_name=None,
             specified in all subsequent serve.init() calls.
         blocking (bool): If true, the function will wait for the HTTP server to
             be healthy, and other components to be ready before returns.
-        start_server (bool): If true, `serve.init` starts http server.
-            (Default: True)
         http_host (str): Host for HTTP server. Default to "0.0.0.0".
         http_port (int): Port for HTTP server. Default to 8000.
         ray_init_kwargs (dict): Argument passed to ray.init, if there is no ray
@@ -126,10 +123,9 @@ def init(cluster_name=None,
     master_actor = ServeMaster.options(
         name=master_actor_name,
         max_restarts=-1,
-    ).remote(cluster_name, start_server, http_node_id, http_host, http_port,
-             metric_exporter)
+    ).remote(cluster_name, http_node_id, http_host, http_port, metric_exporter)
 
-    if start_server and blocking:
+    if blocking:
         block_until_http_ready("http://{}:{}/-/routes".format(
             http_host, http_port))
 
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/master.py b/python/ray/serve/master.py
index 887e778b0..07605da1e 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/master.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/master.py
@@ -50,9 +50,8 @@ class ServeMaster:
           requires all implementations here to be idempotent.
     """
 
-    async def __init__(self, cluster_name, start_http_proxy, http_node_id,
-                       http_proxy_host, http_proxy_port,
-                       metric_exporter_class):
+    async def __init__(self, cluster_name, http_node_id, http_proxy_host,
+                       http_proxy_port, metric_exporter_class):
         # Unique name of the serve cluster managed by this actor. Used to
         # namespace child actors and checkpoints.
         self.cluster_name = cluster_name
@@ -93,9 +92,8 @@ class ServeMaster:
         # components. If recovering, fetches their actor handles.
         self._get_or_start_metric_exporter(metric_exporter_class)
         self._get_or_start_router()
-        if start_http_proxy:
-            self._get_or_start_http_proxy(http_node_id, http_proxy_host,
-                                          http_proxy_port)
+        self._get_or_start_http_proxy(http_node_id, http_proxy_host,
+                                      http_proxy_port)
 
         # NOTE(edoakes): unfortunately, we can't completely recover from a
         # checkpoint in the constructor because we block while waiting for