diff --git a/Samples/GDK-Http/Game.cpp b/Samples/GDK-Http/Game.cpp
index 7a763034..422c2e47 100644
--- a/Samples/GDK-Http/Game.cpp
+++ b/Samples/GDK-Http/Game.cpp
@@ -454,6 +454,14 @@ void Game::Update(DX::StepTimer const& /*timer*/)
         }
         break;
 
+        case 4:
+        {
+            // Test HTTP (non-HTTPS) protocol to verify WinHTTP flag handling
+            url = "http://neverssl.com/";
+            PerformHttpCall(url, "", false, "", false, false, false);
+        }
+        break;
+
         default:
         {
             // All HttpCalls complete
diff --git a/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.cpp b/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.cpp
index 0dcd4a9a..bbadc892 100644
--- a/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.cpp
+++ b/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.cpp
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "HTTP/httpcall.h"
 #include "winhttp_provider.h"
 #include "winhttp_connection.h"
+#include "uri.h"
 
 #if HC_PLATFORM == HC_PLATFORM_GDK
 #include <XGameRuntimeFeature.h>
@@ -97,7 +98,7 @@ HRESULT WinHttpProvider::PerformAsync(
     RETURN_IF_FAILED(getSecurityInfoResult.hr);
 
     // Get HSession for the call
-    auto getHSessionResult = GetHSession(getSecurityInfoResult.Payload().enabledHttpSecurityProtocolFlags);
+    auto getHSessionResult = GetHSession(getSecurityInfoResult.Payload().enabledHttpSecurityProtocolFlags, callHandle->url.data());
     RETURN_IF_FAILED(getHSessionResult.hr);
 
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock{ m_lock };
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ HRESULT WinHttpProvider::ConnectAsync(
     RETURN_IF_FAILED(getSecurityInfoResult.hr);
 
     // Get HSession for the call
-    auto getHSessionResult = GetHSession(getSecurityInfoResult.Payload().enabledHttpSecurityProtocolFlags);
+    auto getHSessionResult = GetHSession(getSecurityInfoResult.Payload().enabledHttpSecurityProtocolFlags, uri.data());
     RETURN_IF_FAILED(getHSessionResult.hr);
 
     std::unique_lock<std::mutex> lock{ m_lock };
@@ -326,8 +327,25 @@ Result<XPlatSecurityInformation> WinHttpProvider::GetSecurityInformation(const c
 #endif
 }
 
-Result<HINTERNET> WinHttpProvider::GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtocolFlags)
+Result<HINTERNET> WinHttpProvider::GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtocolFlags, const char* url)
 {
+    // Parse URL to determine scheme
+    xbox::httpclient::Uri uri(url);
+    if (!uri.IsValid())
+    {
+        return E_INVALIDARG;
+    }
+    
+    bool isHttps = uri.IsSecure();
+    
+#if HC_PLATFORM == HC_PLATFORM_GDK
+    // Log warning for insecure HTTP requests on GDK for console certification reasons
+    if (!isHttps)
+    {
+        HC_TRACE_WARNING(HTTPCLIENT, "WARNING: Insecure HTTP request \"%s\"", url);
+    }
+#endif
+    
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(m_lock);
     auto iter = m_hSessions.find(securityProtocolFlags);
     if (iter != m_hSessions.end())
@@ -342,31 +360,40 @@ Result<HINTERNET> WinHttpProvider::GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtocolFlags)
     m_proxyType = get_ie_proxy_info(proxy_protocol::https, proxyUri);
     GetProxyName(m_proxyType, proxyUri, accessType, wProxyName);
 
+    // Determine WinHTTP flags based on URL scheme
+    // Use WINHTTP_FLAG_SECURE_DEFAULTS for HTTPS and WINHTTP_FLAG_ASYNC for HTTP
+    DWORD openFlags;
+    if (isHttps)
+    {
+        // For HTTPS, use secure defaults which implies WINHTTP_FLAG_ASYNC
+        openFlags = WINHTTP_FLAG_SECURE_DEFAULTS;
+    }
+    else
+    {
+        // For HTTP, use async only (allow insecure connections)
+        openFlags = WINHTTP_FLAG_ASYNC;
+    }
+
     HINTERNET hSession = WinHttpOpen(
         nullptr,
         accessType,
         wProxyName.length() > 0 ? wProxyName.c_str() : WINHTTP_NO_PROXY_NAME,
         WINHTTP_NO_PROXY_BYPASS,
-#if HC_PLATFORM == HC_PLATFORM_GDK
-        WINHTTP_FLAG_SECURE_DEFAULTS
-#else
-        WINHTTP_FLAG_ASYNC
-#endif
+        openFlags
     );
 
-#if HC_PLATFORM == HC_PLATFORM_GDK
     DWORD error = GetLastError();
-    if (error == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER)
+    if (error == ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER && isHttps)
     {
-        // This might happen on older Win10 PC versions that don't support WINHTTP_FLAG_SECURE_DEFAULTS
+        // WINHTTP_FLAG_SECURE_DEFAULTS exists only on newer Windows versions;
+        // on earlier OS releases we will receive ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER and should continue without it.
         hSession = WinHttpOpen(
             nullptr,
-            WINHTTP_ACCESS_TYPE_AUTOMATIC_PROXY,
-            WINHTTP_NO_PROXY_NAME,
+            accessType,
+            wProxyName.length() > 0 ? wProxyName.c_str() : WINHTTP_NO_PROXY_NAME,
             WINHTTP_NO_PROXY_BYPASS,
             WINHTTP_FLAG_ASYNC);
     }
-#endif
 
     if (hSession == nullptr)
     {
@@ -375,20 +402,26 @@ Result<HINTERNET> WinHttpProvider::GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtocolFlags)
         return hr;
     }
 
-    auto result = WinHttpSetOption(
-        hSession,
-        WINHTTP_OPTION_SECURE_PROTOCOLS,
-        &securityProtocolFlags,
-        sizeof(securityProtocolFlags));
-    if (!result)
+    // Only set secure protocols for HTTPS requests
+    // For HTTP requests, ignore the security protocol settings as they don't apply
+    if (isHttps)
     {
-        HRESULT hr = HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
-        HC_TRACE_ERROR_HR(HTTPCLIENT, hr, "WinHttpProvider WinHttpSetOption");
-        return hr;
+        auto result = WinHttpSetOption(
+            hSession,
+            WINHTTP_OPTION_SECURE_PROTOCOLS,
+            &securityProtocolFlags,
+            sizeof(securityProtocolFlags));
+        if (!result)
+        {
+            HRESULT hr = HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
+            HC_TRACE_ERROR_HR(HTTPCLIENT, hr, "WinHttpProvider WinHttpSetOption WINHTTP_OPTION_SECURE_PROTOCOLS");
+            WinHttpCloseHandle(hSession);
+            return hr;
+        }
     }
 
     BOOL enableFallback = TRUE;
-    result = WinHttpSetOption(
+    auto result = WinHttpSetOption(
         hSession,
         WINHTTP_OPTION_IPV6_FAST_FALLBACK,
         &enableFallback,
@@ -396,7 +429,7 @@ Result<HINTERNET> WinHttpProvider::GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtocolFlags)
     if (!result)
     {
         HRESULT hr = HRESULT_FROM_WIN32(GetLastError());
-        HC_TRACE_WARNING_HR(HTTPCLIENT, hr, "WinHttpProvider WinHttpSetOption");
+        HC_TRACE_WARNING_HR(HTTPCLIENT, hr, "WinHttpProvider WinHttpSetOption WINHTTP_OPTION_IPV6_FAST_FALLBACK");
     }
 
     if (!m_globalProxy.empty())
diff --git a/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.h b/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.h
index 698cd6b4..7ed94820 100644
--- a/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.h
+++ b/Source/HTTP/WinHttp/winhttp_provider.h
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ class WinHttpProvider
     HRESULT CloseAllConnections();
 
     Result<XPlatSecurityInformation> GetSecurityInformation(const char* url);
-    Result<HINTERNET> GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtolFlags);
+    Result<HINTERNET> GetHSession(uint32_t securityProtocolFlags, const char* url);
 
     static HRESULT SetGlobalProxyForHSession(HINTERNET hSession, const char* proxyUri);
     static HRESULT GetProxyName(_In_ proxy_type proxyType, _In_ Uri proxyUri, _Out_ DWORD& pAccessType, _Out_ http_internal_wstring& pwProxyName);
diff --git a/Tests/UnitTests/Tests/HttpTests.cpp b/Tests/UnitTests/Tests/HttpTests.cpp
index 3e9dee1f..f1751e52 100644
--- a/Tests/UnitTests/Tests/HttpTests.cpp
+++ b/Tests/UnitTests/Tests/HttpTests.cpp
@@ -9,6 +9,10 @@
 #include "../global/global.h"
 #include <httpClient/httpProvider.h>
 
+#if HC_PLATFORM == HC_PLATFORM_GDK
+#include <winhttp.h>
+#endif
+
 #pragma warning(disable:4389)
 
 using namespace xbox::httpclient;
@@ -449,6 +453,54 @@ DEFINE_TEST_CLASS(HttpTests)
         HCHttpCallCloseHandle(call);
         HCCleanup();
     }
+
+    DEFINE_TEST_CASE(TestHttpProtocol)
+    {
+        DEFINE_TEST_CASE_PROPERTIES(TestHttpProtocol);
+        
+        // Test to verify HTTP (non-HTTPS) requests work correctly
+        // 
+        // Background: This test was added to ensure HTTP protocol support remains functional
+        // after changes to provider flag configuration that could potentially affect HTTP vs HTTPS handling.
+        
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCInitialize(nullptr));
+
+        HCCallHandle call = nullptr;
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCHttpCallCreate(&call));
+
+        // Use HTTP protocol to verify it works correctly
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCHttpCallRequestSetUrl(call, "GET", "http://example.com"));
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCHttpCallRequestSetRetryAllowed(call, false));
+        
+        // Create a mock response for the HTTP call
+        HCMockCallHandle mockCall;
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCMockCallCreate(&mockCall));
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCMockResponseSetStatusCode(mockCall, 200));
+        std::string responseBody = "HTTP test successful";
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCMockResponseSetResponseBodyBytes(mockCall, (uint8_t*)responseBody.c_str(), (uint32_t)responseBody.length()));
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCMockAddMock(mockCall, "GET", "http://example.com", nullptr, 0));
+
+        XAsyncBlock asyncBlock = {};
+        asyncBlock.context = call;
+        
+        // Perform the HTTP call
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCHttpCallPerformAsync(call, &asyncBlock));
+        
+        // Wait for completion
+        HRESULT hr = XAsyncGetStatus(&asyncBlock, true);
+        
+        // Verify the HTTP request succeeded
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, hr);
+        
+        // Verify we got a successful HTTP response
+        uint32_t statusCode = 0;
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(S_OK, HCHttpCallResponseGetStatusCode(call, &statusCode));
+        VERIFY_ARE_EQUAL(200, statusCode);
+
+        HCHttpCallCloseHandle(call);
+        HCCleanup();
+    }
+
 };
 
 NAMESPACE_XBOX_HTTP_CLIENT_TEST_END