diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/conf.py b/src/aleph/vm/conf.py
index 141f790dc..6f0e25f36 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/conf.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/conf.py
@@ -243,7 +243,8 @@ class Settings(BaseSettings):
 
     SNAPSHOT_FREQUENCY: int = Field(
         default=60,
-        description="Snapshot frequency interval in minutes. It will create a VM snapshot every X minutes.",
+        description="Snapshot frequency interval in minutes. It will create a VM snapshot every X minutes. "
+        "If set to zero, snapshots are disabled.",
     )
 
     SNAPSHOT_COMPRESSION_ALGORITHM: SnapshotCompressionAlgorithm = Field(
diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/snapshot_manager.py b/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/snapshot_manager.py
index 2a42774e0..d5f81d1eb 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/snapshot_manager.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/controllers/firecracker/snapshot_manager.py
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ def __init__(self):
         self.executions = {}
         self._scheduler = Scheduler()
 
-    def run_snapshots(self) -> None:
+    def run_in_thread(self) -> None:
         job_thread = threading.Thread(
             target=infinite_run_scheduler_jobs,
             args=[self._scheduler],
diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/orchestrator/supervisor.py b/src/aleph/vm/orchestrator/supervisor.py
index 82f6979cb..f40031d48 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/orchestrator/supervisor.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/orchestrator/supervisor.py
@@ -156,6 +156,10 @@ def run():
             app.on_cleanup.append(stop_balances_monitoring_task)
             app.on_cleanup.append(stop_all_vms)
 
+        logger.info("Loading existing executions ...")
+        asyncio.run(pool.load_persistent_executions())
+
+        logger.info(f"Starting the web server on http://{settings.SUPERVISOR_HOST}:{settings.SUPERVISOR_PORT}")
         web.run_app(app, host=settings.SUPERVISOR_HOST, port=settings.SUPERVISOR_PORT)
     except OSError as e:
         if e.errno == 98:
diff --git a/src/aleph/vm/pool.py b/src/aleph/vm/pool.py
index 0c1673cee..80f7327ea 100644
--- a/src/aleph/vm/pool.py
+++ b/src/aleph/vm/pool.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ class VmPool:
     executions: dict[ItemHash, VmExecution]
     message_cache: dict[str, ExecutableMessage] = {}
     network: Optional[Network]
-    snapshot_manager: SnapshotManager
+    snapshot_manager: Optional[SnapshotManager] = None
     systemd_manager: SystemDManager
 
     def __init__(self):
@@ -65,18 +65,18 @@ def __init__(self):
             else None
         )
         self.systemd_manager = SystemDManager()
-        self.snapshot_manager = SnapshotManager()
-        logger.debug("Initializing SnapshotManager ...")
-        self.snapshot_manager.run_snapshots()
-
-        logger.debug("Loading existing executions ...")
-        asyncio.run(self._load_persistent_executions())
+        if settings.SNAPSHOT_FREQUENCY > 0:
+            self.snapshot_manager = SnapshotManager()
 
     def setup(self) -> None:
         """Set up the VM pool and the network."""
         if self.network:
             self.network.setup()
 
+        if self.snapshot_manager:
+            logger.debug("Initializing SnapshotManager ...")
+            self.snapshot_manager.run_in_thread()
+
     def teardown(self) -> None:
         """Stop the VM pool and the network properly."""
         if self.network:
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ async def create_a_vm(
                 if execution.is_program and execution.vm:
                     await execution.vm.load_configuration()
 
-            if execution.vm and execution.vm.support_snapshot:
+            if execution.vm and execution.vm.support_snapshot and self.snapshot_manager:
                 await self.snapshot_manager.start_for(vm=execution.vm)
         except Exception:
             # ensure the VM is removed from the pool on creation error
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ async def forget_on_stop(stop_event: asyncio.Event):
 
         _ = asyncio.create_task(forget_on_stop(stop_event=execution.stop_event))
 
-    async def _load_persistent_executions(self):
+    async def load_persistent_executions(self):
         """Load persistent executions from the database."""
         saved_executions = await get_execution_records()
         for saved_execution in saved_executions: