diff --git a/freqtrade/freqtradebot.py b/freqtrade/freqtradebot.py
index 7cea4d329..94bfc1b72 100644
--- a/freqtrade/freqtradebot.py
+++ b/freqtrade/freqtradebot.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class FreqtradeBot(LoggingMixin):
                 for minutes in [0, 15, 30, 45]:
                     t = str(time(time_slot, minutes, 2))
                     self._schedule.every().day.at(t).do(update)
-        self.last_process = datetime(1970, 1, 1, tzinfo=timezone.utc)
+        self.last_process: Optional[datetime] = None
 
         self.strategy.ft_bot_start()
         # Initialize protections AFTER bot start - otherwise parameters are not loaded.
diff --git a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py
index 0831b390f..e5b038d90 100644
--- a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py
+++ b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py
@@ -457,5 +457,5 @@ class SysInfo(BaseModel):
 
 
 class Health(BaseModel):
-    last_process: datetime
-    last_process_ts: int
+    last_process: Optional[datetime]
+    last_process_ts: Optional[int]
diff --git a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_v1.py b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_v1.py
index 73bdde86b..f6bab3624 100644
--- a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_v1.py
+++ b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_v1.py
@@ -346,4 +346,4 @@ def sysinfo():
 
 @router.get('/health', response_model=Health, tags=['info'])
 def health(rpc: RPC = Depends(get_rpc)):
-    return rpc._health()
+    return rpc.health()
diff --git a/freqtrade/rpc/rpc.py b/freqtrade/rpc/rpc.py
index d2e66cfff..ba05d3d7f 100644
--- a/freqtrade/rpc/rpc.py
+++ b/freqtrade/rpc/rpc.py
@@ -1198,12 +1198,19 @@ class RPC:
             "ram_pct": psutil.virtual_memory().percent
         }
 
-    def _health(self) -> Dict[str, Union[str, int]]:
+    def health(self) -> Dict[str, Optional[Union[str, int]]]:
         last_p = self._freqtrade.last_process
+        if last_p is None:
+            return {
+                "last_process": None,
+                "last_process_loc": None,
+                "last_process_ts": None,
+            }
+
         return {
-            'last_process': str(last_p),
-            'last_process_loc': last_p.astimezone(tzlocal()).strftime(DATETIME_PRINT_FORMAT),
-            'last_process_ts': int(last_p.timestamp()),
+            "last_process": str(last_p),
+            "last_process_loc": last_p.astimezone(tzlocal()).strftime(DATETIME_PRINT_FORMAT),
+            "last_process_ts": int(last_p.timestamp()),
         }
 
     def _update_market_direction(self, direction: MarketDirection) -> None:
diff --git a/freqtrade/rpc/telegram.py b/freqtrade/rpc/telegram.py
index 3fe146ab8..b961e6fd7 100644
--- a/freqtrade/rpc/telegram.py
+++ b/freqtrade/rpc/telegram.py
@@ -1540,7 +1540,7 @@ class Telegram(RPCHandler):
         Handler for /health
         Shows the last process timestamp
         """
-        health = self._rpc._health()
+        health = self._rpc.health()
         message = f"Last process: `{health['last_process_loc']}`"
         self._send_msg(message)
 
diff --git a/tests/rpc/test_rpc.py b/tests/rpc/test_rpc.py
index 31e19ce3f..d9b7c764a 100644
--- a/tests/rpc/test_rpc.py
+++ b/tests/rpc/test_rpc.py
@@ -1252,6 +1252,6 @@ def test_rpc_health(mocker, default_conf) -> None:
 
     freqtradebot = get_patched_freqtradebot(mocker, default_conf)
     rpc = RPC(freqtradebot)
-    result = rpc._health()
-    assert result['last_process'] == '1970-01-01 00:00:00+00:00'
-    assert result['last_process_ts'] == 0
+    result = rpc.health()
+    assert result['last_process'] is None
+    assert result['last_process_ts'] is None
diff --git a/tests/rpc/test_rpc_apiserver.py b/tests/rpc/test_rpc_apiserver.py
index 03e8ca837..8892995c7 100644
--- a/tests/rpc/test_rpc_apiserver.py
+++ b/tests/rpc/test_rpc_apiserver.py
@@ -1803,8 +1803,8 @@ def test_health(botclient):
 
     assert_response(rc)
     ret = rc.json()
-    assert ret['last_process_ts'] == 0
-    assert ret['last_process'] == '1970-01-01T00:00:00+00:00'
+    assert ret["last_process_ts"] is None
+    assert ret["last_process"] is None
 
 
 def test_api_ws_subscribe(botclient, mocker):