diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index a302bc64..a21ac5da 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
 All notable changes to the Zlux Server Framework package will be documented in this file.
 This repo is part of the app-server Zowe Component, and the change logs here may appear on Zowe.org in that section.
 
+## 3.6.0
+- Enhancement: When not using a SAF keyring, the app-server can now use PKCS12 keystores so that the PEM option for Zowe certificates no longer needs to be specified. [(#596)](https://github.com/zowe/zlux-server-framework/pull/596)
+
 ## 3.5.0
 - Enhancement: Improved SSH connection performance restoring use of Node.js built-in diffie-hellman logic. [(#669)](https://github.com/zowe/zlux-server-framework/pull/669) 
 - Enhancement: The app-server can now use separate certificates for inbound server TLS and outbound client TLS connections. When `zowe.certificate.keystore.clientCertificateAlias` (keyring) or both `zowe.certificate.pem.clientCertificate` and `zowe.certificate.pem.clientKey` (PEM) are defined, those are used for all outbound client connections while the main certificate is used only for serving HTTPS. When not defined, behavior is unchanged. [(#674)](https://github.com/zowe/zlux-server-framework/pull/674)
diff --git a/lib/util.js b/lib/util.js
index f1402937..923938bc 100644
--- a/lib/util.js
+++ b/lib/util.js
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ if (!global.COM_RS_COMMON_LOGGER) {
 
 const path = require('path');
 const fs = require('fs');
+const os = require('os');
 const util = require('node:util');
 const Promise = require('bluebird');
 const ipaddr = require('ipaddr.js');
@@ -276,49 +277,20 @@ module.exports.readFilesToArray = function(fileList, type, pass) {
     try {
       let extension = filePath.split('.').pop();
       let content = fs.readFileSync(filePath);
-      if(extension == 'p12' || extension == 'pfx'){
-        let p12Der = forge.util.decode64(content.toString('base64'));
-        let p12Asn1 = forge.asn1.fromDer(p12Der);
-        let p12;
-        try {
-          p12 = forge.pkcs12.pkcs12FromAsn1(p12Asn1, pass || "password");
-        } catch (e1) {
-          loggers.bootstrapLogger.warn("ZWED0173W", e1.message);
-          p12 = forge.pkcs12.pkcs12FromAsn1(p12Asn1, "");
-        }
-        const certData = p12.getBags({bagType: forge.pki.oids.certBag})[forge.pki.oids.certBag];
-        const keyData = p12.getBags({bagType: forge.pki.oids.pkcs8ShroudedKeyBag})[forge.pki.oids.pkcs8ShroudedKeyBag];
-        if(certData != undefined && type != 1 && type != 3){ //CRLs not currently supported by node forge
-          for(let i = 0; i < certData.length; i++){
-            let certObj = certData[i];
-            contentArray.push(Buffer.from(forge.pki.certificateToPem(certObj.cert), 'utf8'));
-          }
-        }
-        if(keyData != undefined && type == 1){
-          for(let i = 0; i < keyData.length; i++){
-            const rsaPrivateKey = forge.pki.privateKeyToAsn1(keyData[i].key);
-            const privateKeyInfo = forge.pki.wrapRsaPrivateKey(rsaPrivateKey);
-            let privateKeyPem = forge.pki.privateKeyInfoToPem(privateKeyInfo);
-            var buf = Buffer.from(privateKeyPem, 'utf8');
-            contentArray.push(buf);
-          }
-        }
-      } else {
-        if(!content.toString().includes('-----BEGIN')){
-          let der = forge.util.decode64(content.toString('base64'));
-          let derAsn1 = forge.asn1.fromDer(der);
-          if(type == 1){
-            let privateKeyInfo = forge.pki.wrapRsaPrivateKey(derAsn1);
-            let privateKeyPem = forge.pki.privateKeyInfoToPem(privateKeyInfo);
-            contentArray.push(Buffer.from(privateKeyPem, 'utf8'));
-          } else {
-            let asn1Cert = forge.pki.certificateFromAsn1(derAsn1);
-            let pem = forge.pki.certificateToPem(asn1Cert);
-            contentArray.push(Buffer.from(pem, 'utf8'));
-          }
+      if(!content.toString().includes('-----BEGIN')){
+        let der = forge.util.decode64(content.toString('base64'));
+        let derAsn1 = forge.asn1.fromDer(der);
+        if(type == 1){
+          let privateKeyInfo = forge.pki.wrapRsaPrivateKey(derAsn1);
+          let privateKeyPem = forge.pki.privateKeyInfoToPem(privateKeyInfo);
+          contentArray.push(Buffer.from(privateKeyPem, 'utf8'));
         } else {
-          contentArray.push(content);
+          let asn1Cert = forge.pki.certificateFromAsn1(derAsn1);
+          let pem = forge.pki.certificateToPem(asn1Cert);
+          contentArray.push(Buffer.from(pem, 'utf8'));
         }
+      } else {
+        contentArray.push(content);
       }
     } catch (e) {
       loggers.bootstrapLogger.warn("ZWED0052W", filePath, e.message); //loggers.bootstrapLogger.warn('Error when reading file='+filePath+'. Error='+e.message);
@@ -593,6 +565,27 @@ function getComponentConfig(zoweConfig) {
   return zoweConfig.components['app-server'];
 }
 module.exports.getComponentConfig = getComponentConfig;
+
+// O_BINARY (0x8000) is a z/OS USS-specific open() flag that suppresses
+// EBCDIC-to-ASCII auto-conversion at the kernel level for this file descriptor,
+// regardless of _BPXK_AUTOCVT setting or the file's CCSID tag.  Without this,
+// untagged .p12 files on z/OS are silently corrupted before Node.js reads them.
+function readFileAsBinaryString(filePath) {
+  if (os.platform() !== 'os390') {
+    return fs.readFileSync(filePath, 'binary');
+  }
+  const O_BINARY = 0x8000;
+  const fd = fs.openSync(filePath, fs.constants.O_RDONLY | O_BINARY);
+  try {
+    const size = fs.fstatSync(fd).size;
+    const buffer = Buffer.alloc(size);
+    fs.readSync(fd, buffer, 0, size, 0);
+    return buffer.toString('binary');
+  } finally {
+    fs.closeSync(fd);
+  }
+}
+module.exports.readFileAsBinaryString = readFileAsBinaryString;
 /*
   This program and the accompanying materials are
   made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v2.0 which accompanies
diff --git a/lib/webserver.js b/lib/webserver.js
index fbc5b80d..a79d404f 100644
--- a/lib/webserver.js
+++ b/lib/webserver.js
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ const contentLogger = util.loggers.contentLogger;
 const childLogger = util.loggers.childLogger;
 const networkLogger = util.loggers.network;
 
+const forge = require('node-forge');
+
 const os = require('os');
 let keyring_js;
 try {
@@ -130,8 +132,76 @@ function splitCryptoLocationsByType(locations) {
   return locationsByType;
 }
 
+function loadPkcs12(location, pass) {
+  const p12Content = util.readFileAsBinaryString(location);
+  const p12Asn1 = forge.asn1.fromDer(p12Content);
+  const p12 = forge.pkcs12.pkcs12FromAsn1(p12Asn1, false, pass);
+  return p12;
+}
+
+function getP12Content(p12, type, alias) {
+  //An array is expected, but just one object should be in it if we're looking for key/cert instead of CA.
+  let value = [];
+
+  for (let i = 0; i < p12.safeContents.length; i++) {
+    let safeContents = p12.safeContents[i];
+    bootstrapLogger.debug(`iterating through pkcs12 safe contents ${i}`);
+    for (let j = 0; j < safeContents.safeBags.length; j++) {
+      bootstrapLogger.debug(`iterating through pkcs12 bag ${j}`);
+      let bag = safeContents.safeBags[j];
+       if (type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_CERT && bag.type === forge.pki.oids.certBag) {
+         if (bag.attributes.friendlyName == alias) {
+           value.push(forge.pki.certificateToPem(bag.cert));
+           bootstrapLogger.debug(`Found pkcs12 certificate`);
+           return value;
+         }
+       } else if (type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY && bag.type === forge.pki.oids.keyBag) {
+          if (bag.attributes.friendlyName == alias) {
+            value.push(forge.pki.privateKeyToPem(bag.key));
+            bootstrapLogger.debug(`Found pkcs12 key`);
+            return value;
+          }
+       } else if (type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY && bag.type === forge.pki.oids.pkcs8ShroudedKeyBag) {
+          if (bag.attributes.friendlyName == alias) {
+            value.push(forge.pki.privateKeyToPem(bag.key));
+            bootstrapLogger.debug(`Found pkcs12 key`);
+            return value;
+          }
+       } else if (type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_CA && bag.type === forge.pki.oids.certBag && bag.cert?.extensions) {
+         let isCa = false;
+         for (let k = 0; k < bag.cert.extensions.length; k++) {
+           let extension = bag.cert.extensions[k];
+             bootstrapLogger.debug(`Potential CA extension ${k} = `,extension);
+           //2.5.29.19
+           if (extension.id == forge.pki.oids.basicConstraints) {
+             isCa = extension.cA;
+             break;
+           }
+            /*
+            // 2.5.29.15 has 'keyCertSign: true' on a CA, i guess?
+            if (extension.id == forge.pki.oids.keyUsage) {
+            isCa = extension.keyCertSign;
+            }
+            */
+         }
+         if (isCa) {
+           value.push(forge.pki.certificateToPem(bag.cert));
+           bootstrapLogger.debug(`Found CA with name `+bag.attributes.friendlyName);
+         }
+       } else if (type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_CRL && bag.type === forge.pki.oids.crlBag) {
+         bootstrapLogger.warn(`Certificate Revocation List requested and found, but unhandled`);
+         return [];
+       } else {
+         bootstrapLogger.debug(`Ignoring PKCS12 object type=${bag.type}`);
+       }
+     }
+   }
+
+  return value;
+}
+
 //  safkeyring://
-function loadPem(locations, type, keyrings, pass) {
+function loadPem(locations, type, keyringCache, p12Cache, pass, alias) {
   const locationsByType = splitCryptoLocationsByType(locations);
   let content = [];
   const types = Object.keys(locationsByType);
@@ -152,13 +222,13 @@ function loadPem(locations, type, keyrings, pass) {
       const {userId, keyringName, label} = parseSafKeyringAddress(safRingAddress);
       if (userId && keyringName && label) {
         const cachedKey = 'safkeyring://'+safRingAddress;
-        let keyringData = keyrings[cachedKey];
+        let keyringData = keyringCache[cachedKey];
         const attribute = getAttributeNameForCryptoType('safkeyring', type);
         try {
           if (!keyringData) {
             bootstrapLogger.debug(`Cache not found for ${cachedKey}`);
             keyringData = keyring_js.getPemEncodedData(userId, keyringName, label);
-            keyrings[cachedKey] = keyringData;
+            keyringCache[cachedKey] = keyringData;
           }
           if (keyringData) {
             if (keyringData[attribute]) {
@@ -185,51 +255,58 @@ function loadPem(locations, type, keyrings, pass) {
     //Cannot load SAF keyring due to missing keyring_js library');
     bootstrapLogger.warn('ZWED0150E');
   }
+
   const files = locationsByType['file'];
-  if (files) {
-    //workaround for a bug outside zlux: seems that some yaml files may come in with strings with trailing ',', just strip it.
-    content = util.readFilesToArray(files.map(file => file.charAt(file.length-1)==',' ? file.substring(0, file.length-1) : file), 
-                                    type, pass).concat(content);
+  if (files && (files.length > 0)) {
+    const pemFiles = files.filter(name => !name.endsWith('.p12') && !name.endsWith('.pfx')); 
+    const p12Files = files.filter(name => name.endsWith('.p12') || name.endsWith('.pfx')); 
+    for (let i = 0; i < p12Files.length; i++) {
+      let p12 = p12Cache[p12Files[i]];
+      if (!p12) {
+        p12 = loadPkcs12(p12Files[i], pass);
+        p12Cache[p12Files[i]] = p12;
+      }
+  
+      content = getP12Content(p12, type, alias);
+  
+      // It does not make sense to load multiple cert/keys, does it?
+      if ((content.length >= 1) && ((type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_CERT) || (type == CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY))) { break; }
+    }
+    if (pemFiles && pemFiles.length > 0) {
+      bootstrapLogger.warn(`PEM is insecure storage for TLS key material, consider using PKCS12 or SAF keyrings instead.`);
+      //workaround for a bug outside zlux: seems that some yaml files may come in with strings with trailing ',', just strip it.
+      content = util.readFilesToArray(pemFiles.map(file => file.charAt(file.length-1)==',' ? file.substring(0, file.length-1) : file), 
+                                      type, pass).concat(content);
+    }
   }
-  return {content, keyrings};
+  return {content, keyringCache, p12Cache};
 }
 
-function readTlsOptionsFromConfig(nodeConfig, httpsOptions, pass) {
+function readTlsOptionsFromConfig(nodeConfig, httpsOptions, keystorePass, truststorePass, alias, clientAlias) {
   //in case keys and certs can be read from the same keyring, store them here for later retrieval
-  let keyrings = {};
-  if (nodeConfig.https.pfx) {
-    try {
-      httpsOptions.pfx = fs.readFileSync(nodeConfig.https.pfx);
-      bootstrapLogger.info('ZWED0071I', nodeConfig.https.pfx); //bootstrapLogger.info('Using PFX: '+ nodeConfig.https.pfx);
-    } catch (e) {
-      bootstrapLogger.warn('ZWED0070W', e.message); //bootstrapLogger.warn('Error when reading PFX. Server cannot continue. Error='
-          //+ e.message);
-      process.exit(constants.EXIT_PFX_READ);
-      throw e;
-    }
-  } else {
-    if (nodeConfig.https.certificates) {
-      httpsOptions.cert = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.certificates, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CERT, keyrings, pass).content;
-      bootstrapLogger.info('ZWED0072I', nodeConfig.https.certificates); //bootstrapLogger.info('Using Certificate: ' + nodeConfig.https.certificates);
-    }
-    if (nodeConfig.https.keys) {
-      httpsOptions.key = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.keys, CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY, keyrings, pass).content;
-    }
+  let keyringCache = {};
+  let p12Cache = {};
+  if (nodeConfig.https.certificates) {
+    httpsOptions.cert = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.certificates, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CERT, keyringCache, p12Cache,  keystorePass, alias).content;
+    bootstrapLogger.info('ZWED0072I', nodeConfig.https.certificates); //bootstrapLogger.info('Using Certificate: ' + nodeConfig.https.certificates);
+  }
+  if (nodeConfig.https.keys) {
+    httpsOptions.key = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.keys, CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY, keyringCache, p12Cache, keystorePass, alias).content;
   }
   // Load optional client-specific certificates. When present, these will be used for
   // outbound client TLS connections instead of the server certificates above.
   if (nodeConfig.https.clientCertificates) {
-    httpsOptions.clientCert = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.clientCertificates, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CERT, keyrings, pass).content;
+    httpsOptions.clientCert = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.clientCertificates, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CERT, keyringCache, p12Cache, keystorePass, clientAlias).content;
     bootstrapLogger.info('ZWED0304I', nodeConfig.https.clientCertificates);
   }
   if (nodeConfig.https.clientKeys) {
-    httpsOptions.clientKey = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.clientKeys, CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY, keyrings, pass).content;
+    httpsOptions.clientKey = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.clientKeys, CRYPTO_CONTENT_KEY, keyringCache, p12Cache, keystorePass, clientAlias).content;
   }
   if (nodeConfig.https.certificateAuthorities) {
-    httpsOptions.ca = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.certificateAuthorities, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CA, keyrings, pass).content;
+    httpsOptions.ca = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.certificateAuthorities, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CA, keyringCache, p12Cache, truststorePass).content;
   }
   if (nodeConfig.https.certificateRevocationLists) {
-    httpsOptions.crl = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.certificateRevocationLists, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CRL, keyrings, pass).content;
+    httpsOptions.crl = loadPem(nodeConfig.https.certificateRevocationLists, CRYPTO_CONTENT_CRL, keyringCache, p12Cache, keystorePass).content;
   }
 }
   
@@ -420,10 +497,14 @@ WebServer.prototype = {
         this.httpsOptions.enableTrace = true;
       }
       bootstrapLogger.debug('TLS trace:', this.httpsOptions.enableTrace ? 'enabled' : 'disabled');
-          
 
       if (util.isServerHttps(zoweConfig) || !(util.isClientAttls(zoweConfig))) {
-        readTlsOptionsFromConfig(nodeConfig, this.httpsOptions, zoweConfig.zowe?.certificate?.keystore?.password);
+        readTlsOptionsFromConfig(nodeConfig, this.httpsOptions, 
+          zoweConfig.zowe?.certificate?.keystore?.password, 
+          zoweConfig.zowe?.certificate?.truststore?.password, 
+          zoweConfig.zowe?.certificate?.keystore?.alias,
+          zoweConfig.zowe?.certificate?.keystore?.certificateAlias
+        );
       }
 
       // Split into server and client TLS options when distinct client certificates are configured.
diff --git a/utils/certificateChecker.js b/utils/certificateChecker.js
index 7e3e6696..744efe5f 100644
--- a/utils/certificateChecker.js
+++ b/utils/certificateChecker.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ try {
   logger.warn('Could not load zcrypto library, SAF keyrings will be unavailable');
 }
 const forge = require('node-forge');
+const { readFileAsBinaryString } = require('../lib/util');
 
 const argParser = require('./argumentParser');
 
@@ -94,7 +95,7 @@ if (userInput.type == 'JCERACFKS') {
   cert = forge.pki.certificateFromPem(pem);
 } else if (userInput.type == 'PKCS12') {
   logger.debug('Checking PKCS12 for alias '+userInput.alias);
-  const p12Content = fs.readFileSync(userInput.certificate, 'binary');
+  const p12Content = readFileAsBinaryString(userInput.certificate);
   const p12Asn1 = forge.asn1.fromDer(p12Content);
   const p12 = forge.pkcs12.pkcs12FromAsn1(p12Asn1, false, process.env.ZWE_zowe_certificate_keystore_password);
   for (let i = 0; i < p12.safeContents.length; i++) {