diff --git a/pkg/storage/storagebackend/factory/etcd3.go b/pkg/storage/storagebackend/factory/etcd3.go
index 9fea1785f53..876350db943 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/storagebackend/factory/etcd3.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/storagebackend/factory/etcd3.go
@@ -36,7 +36,11 @@ func newETCD3Storage(c storagebackend.Config) (storage.Interface, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-
+	// NOTE: Client relies on nil tlsConfig
+	// for non-secure connections, update the implicit variable
+	if len(c.CertFile) == 0 && len(c.KeyFile) == 0 && len(c.CAFile) == 0 {
+		tlsConfig = nil
+	}
 	cfg := clientv3.Config{
 		Endpoints: c.ServerList,
 		TLS:       tlsConfig,