diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayFlags.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayFlags.java
index d0b8a4ca927b0..70450c777e1b3 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayFlags.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayFlags.java
@@ -84,6 +84,14 @@ public class RelayFlags implements HasRoles {
   @ConfigValue(section = RELAY_SECTION, name = "status-endpoint", example = "\"/status\"")
   private String serviceStatusEndpoint;
 
+  @Parameter(
+      names = {"--service-protocol-version"},
+      description =
+          "Enforce a specific protocol version in HttpClient when communicating with the endpoint"
+              + " service status")
+  @ConfigValue(section = RELAY_SECTION, name = "protocol-version", example = "\"HTTP/1.1\"")
+  private String serviceProtocolVersion;
+
   @Override
   public Set<Role> getRoles() {
     return Collections.singleton(NODE_ROLE);
diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptions.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptions.java
index 9325942aeb90e..28cbef2cd2c8d 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptions.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptions.java
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 import com.google.common.collect.Multimap;
 import java.net.URI;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
+import java.net.http.HttpClient.Version;
 import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
@@ -103,6 +104,21 @@ public URI getServiceStatusUri() {
     }
   }
 
+  public String getServiceProtocolVersion() {
+    String protocolVersion = config.get(RELAY_SECTION, "protocol-version").orElse("");
+    if (protocolVersion.isEmpty()) {
+      return protocolVersion;
+    } else {
+      // Support input in the form of "http/1.1" or "HTTP/1.1"
+      protocolVersion = protocolVersion.toUpperCase().replaceAll("/", "_").replaceAll("\\.", "_");
+    }
+    try {
+      return Version.valueOf(protocolVersion).toString();
+    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+      throw new ConfigException("Unable to determine the service protocol version", e);
+    }
+  }
+
   // Method being used in SessionSlot
   @SuppressWarnings("unused")
   private boolean isServiceUp(HttpClient client) {
@@ -160,6 +176,7 @@ public Map<Capabilities, Collection<SessionFactory>> getSessionFactories(
                     sessionTimeout,
                     getServiceUri(),
                     getServiceStatusUri(),
+                    getServiceProtocolVersion(),
                     immutable));
           }
           LOG.info(String.format("Mapping %s, %d times", immutable, maxSessions));
diff --git a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelaySessionFactory.java b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelaySessionFactory.java
index 4312b6b379dc4..5818335af3cdd 100644
--- a/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelaySessionFactory.java
+++ b/java/src/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelaySessionFactory.java
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ public class RelaySessionFactory implements SessionFactory {
   private final Duration sessionTimeout;
   private final URL serviceUrl;
   private final URL serviceStatusUrl;
+  private final String serviceProtocolVersion;
   private final Capabilities stereotype;
 
   public RelaySessionFactory(
@@ -84,12 +85,15 @@ public RelaySessionFactory(
       Duration sessionTimeout,
       URI serviceUri,
       URI serviceStatusUri,
+      String serviceProtocolVersion,
       Capabilities stereotype) {
     this.tracer = Require.nonNull("Tracer", tracer);
     this.clientFactory = Require.nonNull("HTTP client", clientFactory);
     this.sessionTimeout = Require.nonNull("Session timeout", sessionTimeout);
     this.serviceUrl = createUrlFromUri(Require.nonNull("Service URL", serviceUri));
     this.serviceStatusUrl = createUrlFromUri(serviceStatusUri);
+    this.serviceProtocolVersion =
+        Require.nonNull("Service protocol version", serviceProtocolVersion);
     this.stereotype = ImmutableCapabilities.copyOf(Require.nonNull("Stereotype", stereotype));
   }
 
@@ -209,7 +213,12 @@ public boolean isServiceUp() {
       // If no status endpoint was configured, we assume the server is up.
       return true;
     }
-    try (HttpClient client = clientFactory.createClient(serviceStatusUrl)) {
+
+    ClientConfig clientConfig = ClientConfig.defaultConfig().baseUrl(serviceStatusUrl);
+    if (!serviceProtocolVersion.isEmpty()) {
+      clientConfig = clientConfig.version(serviceProtocolVersion);
+    }
+    try (HttpClient client = clientFactory.createClient(clientConfig)) {
       HttpResponse response =
           client.execute(new HttpRequest(HttpMethod.GET, serviceStatusUrl.toString()));
       LOG.log(Debug.getDebugLogLevel(), () -> Contents.string(response));
diff --git a/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptionsTest.java b/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptionsTest.java
index fe6783745fcc0..c48f79f54d888 100644
--- a/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptionsTest.java
+++ b/java/test/org/openqa/selenium/grid/node/relay/RelayOptionsTest.java
@@ -95,6 +95,54 @@ void statusUrlIsParsedSuccessfully() {
         .isEqualTo("http://127.0.0.1:8888/statusEndpoint");
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void protocolVersionIsParsedSuccessfully() {
+    String[] rawConfig =
+        new String[] {
+          "[relay]",
+          "host = '127.0.0.1'",
+          "port = '8888'",
+          "status-endpoint = '/statusEndpoint'",
+          "protocol-version = 'HTTP/1.1'",
+          "configs = [\"5\", '{\"browserName\": \"firefox\"}']",
+        };
+    Config config = new TomlConfig(new StringReader(String.join("\n", rawConfig)));
+    RelayOptions relayOptions = new RelayOptions(config);
+    assertThat(relayOptions.getServiceProtocolVersion()).isEqualTo("HTTP_1_1");
+    rawConfig =
+        new String[] {
+          "[relay]",
+          "host = '127.0.0.1'",
+          "port = '8888'",
+          "status-endpoint = '/statusEndpoint'",
+          "protocol-version = 'HTTP_1_1'",
+          "configs = [\"5\", '{\"browserName\": \"firefox\"}']",
+        };
+    config = new TomlConfig(new StringReader(String.join("\n", rawConfig)));
+    relayOptions = new RelayOptions(config);
+    assertThat(relayOptions.getServiceProtocolVersion()).isEqualTo("HTTP_1_1");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void protocolVersionThrowsConfigException() {
+    String[] rawConfig =
+        new String[] {
+          "[relay]",
+          "host = '127.0.0.1'",
+          "port = '8888'",
+          "status-endpoint = '/statusEndpoint'",
+          "protocol-version = 'HTTP/0.9'",
+          "configs = [\"5\", '{\"browserName\": \"firefox\"}']",
+        };
+    Config config = new TomlConfig(new StringReader(String.join("\n", rawConfig)));
+    RelayOptions relayOptions = new RelayOptions(config);
+    assertThatExceptionOfType(ConfigException.class)
+        .isThrownBy(
+            () -> {
+              relayOptions.getServiceProtocolVersion();
+            });
+  }
+
   @Test
   void missingConfigsThrowsConfigException() {
     String[] rawConfig =