diff --git a/python/ray/serve/__init__.py b/python/ray/serve/__init__.py
index 3b4e5f65b0d6..61f8f3f9ea8f 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/__init__.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
     from ray.serve.api import (
         Application,
         Deployment,
+        _run,
         delete,
         deployment,
         get_app_handle,
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@
 ray._private.worker.blocking_get_inside_async_warned = True
 
 __all__ = [
+    "_run",
     "batch",
     "start",
     "HTTPOptions",
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/api.py b/python/ray/serve/api.py
index 5c8f83e51378..86c21faaf843 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/api.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/api.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import collections
 import inspect
 import logging
+import time
 from functools import wraps
 from typing import Any, Callable, Dict, List, Optional, Union
 
@@ -436,7 +437,7 @@ def list_deployments() -> Dict[str, Deployment]:
 
 
 @PublicAPI(stability="stable")
-def run(
+def _run(
     target: Application,
     _blocking: bool = True,
     name: str = SERVE_DEFAULT_APP_NAME,
@@ -445,28 +446,9 @@ def run(
 ) -> DeploymentHandle:
     """Run an application and return a handle to its ingress deployment.
 
-    The application is returned by `Deployment.bind()`. Example:
-
-    .. code-block:: python
-
-        handle = serve.run(MyDeployment.bind())
-        ray.get(handle.remote())
-
-    Args:
-        target:
-            A Serve application returned by `Deployment.bind()`.
-        name: Application name. If not provided, this will be the only
-            application running on the cluster (it will delete all others).
-        route_prefix: Route prefix for HTTP requests. If not provided, it will use
-            route_prefix of the ingress deployment. If specified neither as an argument
-            nor in the ingress deployment, the route prefix will default to '/'.
-        logging_config: Application logging config. If provided, the config will
-            be applied to all deployments which doesn't have logging config.
-
-    Returns:
-        DeploymentHandle: A handle that can be used to call the application.
+    This is only used internally with the _blocking not totally blocking the following
+    code indefinitely until Ctrl-C'd.
     """
-
     if len(name) == 0:
         raise RayServeException("Application name must a non-empty string.")
 
@@ -530,6 +512,56 @@ def run(
         return handle
 
 
+@PublicAPI(stability="stable")
+def run(
+    target: Application,
+    blocking: bool = False,
+    name: str = SERVE_DEFAULT_APP_NAME,
+    route_prefix: str = DEFAULT.VALUE,
+    logging_config: Optional[Union[Dict, LoggingConfig]] = None,
+) -> DeploymentHandle:
+    """Run an application and return a handle to its ingress deployment.
+
+    The application is returned by `Deployment.bind()`. Example:
+
+    .. code-block:: python
+
+        handle = serve.run(MyDeployment.bind())
+        ray.get(handle.remote())
+
+    Args:
+        target:
+            A Serve application returned by `Deployment.bind()`.
+        blocking: Whether this call should be blocking. If True, it
+            will loop and log status until Ctrl-C'd.
+        name: Application name. If not provided, this will be the only
+            application running on the cluster (it will delete all others).
+        route_prefix: Route prefix for HTTP requests. If not provided, it will use
+            route_prefix of the ingress deployment. If specified neither as an argument
+            nor in the ingress deployment, the route prefix will default to '/'.
+        logging_config: Application logging config. If provided, the config will
+            be applied to all deployments which doesn't have logging config.
+
+    Returns:
+        DeploymentHandle: A handle that can be used to call the application.
+    """
+    handle = _run(
+        target=target,
+        name=name,
+        route_prefix=route_prefix,
+        logging_config=logging_config,
+    )
+
+    if blocking:
+        try:
+            while True:
+                # Block, letting Ray print logs to the terminal.
+                time.sleep(10)
+        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            logger.info("Got KeyboardInterrupt, release blocking...")
+    return handle
+
+
 @PublicAPI(stability="stable")
 def delete(name: str, _blocking: bool = True):
     """Delete an application by its name.
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/scripts.py b/python/ray/serve/scripts.py
index 1419bcfa0d9f..85ea4526f475 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/scripts.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/scripts.py
@@ -590,8 +590,14 @@ def run(
         if is_config:
             client.deploy_apps(config, _blocking=False)
             cli_logger.success("Submitted deploy config successfully.")
+            if blocking:
+                while True:
+                    # Block, letting Ray print logs to the terminal.
+                    time.sleep(10)
         else:
-            serve.run(app, name=name, route_prefix=route_prefix)
+            # This should not block if reload is true so the watchfiles can be triggered
+            should_block = blocking and not reload
+            serve.run(app, blocking=should_block, name=name, route_prefix=route_prefix)
             cli_logger.success("Deployed app successfully.")
 
         if reload:
@@ -618,14 +624,11 @@ def run(
                     app = _private_api.call_app_builder_with_args_if_necessary(
                         import_attr(import_path, reload_module=True), args_dict
                     )
-                    serve.run(app, name=name, route_prefix=route_prefix)
+                    serve.run(
+                        target=app, blocking=True, name=name, route_prefix=route_prefix
+                    )
                     cli_logger.success("Redeployed app successfully.")
 
-        if blocking:
-            while True:
-                # Block, letting Ray print logs to the terminal.
-                time.sleep(10)
-
     except KeyboardInterrupt:
         cli_logger.info("Got KeyboardInterrupt, shutting down...")
         serve.shutdown()
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py
index 8a4edd4d9c47..45f62b5eba48 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_api.py
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ class A:
         def __init__(self):
             1 / 0
 
-    serve.run(A.bind(), _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(A.bind(), _blocking=False)
 
     def check_for_failed_deployment():
         default_app = serve.status().applications[SERVE_DEFAULT_APP_NAME]
@@ -880,7 +880,7 @@ def __init__(self):
             create_engine("mysql://some_wrong_url:3306").connect()
 
     ray_actor_options = {"runtime_env": {"pip": ["PyMySQL", "sqlalchemy==1.3.19"]}}
-    serve.run(
+    serve._run(
         MyDeployment.options(ray_actor_options=ray_actor_options).bind(),
         _blocking=False,
     )
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_autoscaling_policy.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_autoscaling_policy.py
index 2241dd05c2ed..19b9189a0a77 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_autoscaling_policy.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_autoscaling_policy.py
@@ -1081,7 +1081,7 @@ async def __init__(self):
     app = AutoscalingDeployment.bind()
 
     # Start the AutoscalingDeployment.
-    serve.run(app, name=app_name, _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(app, name=app_name, _blocking=False)
 
     # Active replicas are replicas that are waiting or running.
     expected_num_active_replicas: int = min_replicas
@@ -1165,7 +1165,7 @@ def check_expected_statuses(
             max_replicas=max_replicas,
         )
     ).bind()
-    serve.run(app, name=app_name, _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(app, name=app_name, _blocking=False)
     expected_num_active_replicas = min_replicas
 
     wait_for_condition(check_num_active_replicas, expected=expected_num_active_replicas)
@@ -1221,7 +1221,7 @@ def check_expected_statuses(
             max_replicas=max_replicas,
         )
     ).bind()
-    serve.run(app, name=app_name, _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(app, name=app_name, _blocking=False)
     expected_num_active_replicas = min_replicas
 
     wait_for_condition(check_num_active_replicas, expected=expected_num_active_replicas)
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_cluster.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_cluster.py
index bda10c2de4f4..4a123d716b4a 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_cluster.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_cluster.py
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class E:
         async def __init__(self):
             await signal.wait.remote()
 
-    serve.run(E.bind(), _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(E.bind(), _blocking=False)
 
     def get_replicas(replica_state):
         controller = client._controller
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_controller_recovery.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_controller_recovery.py
index 1222314b25d5..ba06e3cc4880 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_controller_recovery.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_controller_recovery.py
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ def make_nonblocking_calls(expected, expect_blocking=False, num_returns=1):
     # Redeploy new version. Since there is one replica blocking, only one new
     # replica should be started up.
     V2 = V1.options(func_or_class=V2, version="2")
-    serve.run(V2.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
+    serve._run(V2.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
     with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
         client._wait_for_application_running("app", timeout_s=0.1)
     responses3, blocking3 = make_nonblocking_calls({"1": 1}, expect_blocking=True)
@@ -231,7 +231,7 @@ async def __init__(self):
         def __call__(self, request):
             return f"1|{os.getpid()}"
 
-    serve.run(V1.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
+    serve._run(V1.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
     ray.get(pending_init_indicator.remote())
 
     def get_actor_info(name: str):
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy.py
index 9ced1f4de065..32bb9cc51bc6 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy.py
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ async def __call__(self, request):
     # Redeploy new version. This should not go through until the old version
     # replica completely stops.
     V2 = V1.options(func_or_class=V2, version="2")
-    serve.run(V2.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
+    serve._run(V2.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
     with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
         client._wait_for_application_running("app", timeout_s=0.1)
 
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ def make_nonblocking_calls(expected, expect_blocking=False):
     # Redeploy new version. Since there is one replica blocking, only one new
     # replica should be started up.
     V2 = V1.options(func_or_class=V2, version="2")
-    serve.run(V2.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
+    serve._run(V2.bind(), _blocking=False, name="app")
     with pytest.raises(TimeoutError):
         client._wait_for_application_running("app", timeout_s=0.1)
     responses3, blocking3 = make_nonblocking_calls({"1": 1}, expect_blocking=True)
@@ -351,7 +351,9 @@ def make_nonblocking_calls(expected, expect_blocking=False):
 
     # Reconfigure should block one replica until the signal is sent. Check that
     # some requests are now blocking.
-    serve.run(V1.options(user_config={"test": "2"}).bind(), name="app", _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(
+        V1.options(user_config={"test": "2"}).bind(), name="app", _blocking=False
+    )
     responses2, blocking2 = make_nonblocking_calls({"1": 1}, expect_blocking=True)
     assert list(responses2["1"])[0] in pids1
 
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy_2.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy_2.py
index b3e4bad296d9..64372b2db1fb 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy_2.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_deploy_2.py
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ class Model:
         def __call__(self):
             return "hello world"
 
-    serve.run(Model.bind(), _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(Model.bind(), _blocking=False)
 
     def check_fail():
         app_status = serve.status().applications["default"]
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py
index 5906af5cb1e1..28902b8621f8 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_failure.py
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ def make_blocked_request():
     for _ in range(2):
         starting_actor = SignalActor.remote()
         finish_starting_actor = SignalActor.remote()
-        serve.run(
+        serve._run(
             SlowStarter.bind(starting_actor, finish_starting_actor), _blocking=False
         )
 
diff --git a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_standalone.py b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_standalone.py
index c121ec179460..2dc678ffc18e 100644
--- a/python/ray/serve/tests/test_standalone.py
+++ b/python/ray/serve/tests/test_standalone.py
@@ -670,7 +670,7 @@ def test_updating_status_message(lower_slow_startup_threshold_and_reset):
     def f(*args):
         pass
 
-    serve.run(f.bind(), _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(f.bind(), _blocking=False)
 
     def updating_message():
         deployment_status = (
@@ -699,7 +699,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         def __call__(self, request):
             pass
 
-    serve.run(f.bind(), _blocking=False)
+    serve._run(f.bind(), _blocking=False)
 
     wait_for_condition(
         lambda: serve.status()
diff --git a/release/long_running_tests/workloads/serve_failure.py b/release/long_running_tests/workloads/serve_failure.py
index 48ed63a2f7a7..56480a1732a3 100644
--- a/release/long_running_tests/workloads/serve_failure.py
+++ b/release/long_running_tests/workloads/serve_failure.py
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ def handler(self, *args):
 
         if blocking:
             ray.get(self.random_killer.spare.remote(new_name))
-            serve.run(
+            serve._run(
                 handler.bind(),
                 name=new_name,
                 route_prefix=f"/{new_name}",
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ def handler(self, *args):
             self.applications.append(new_name)
             ray.get(self.random_killer.stop_spare.remote(new_name))
         else:
-            serve.run(
+            serve._run(
                 handler.bind(),
                 name=new_name,
                 route_prefix=f"/{new_name}",