diff --git a/src/api/router.zig b/src/api/router.zig
index 21640b2..865675d 100644
--- a/src/api/router.zig
+++ b/src/api/router.zig
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ pub fn handleHttpRequest(
 
 fn handleGet(conn: *websocket.Conn, path: []const u8, query: []const u8, headers: *const websocket.Handshake.KeyValue, ctx: *HttpContext) void {
     if (std.mem.eql(u8, path, "/_health") or std.mem.eql(u8, path, "/xrpc/_health")) {
+        _ = ctx.persist.db.exec("SELECT 1", .{}) catch {
+            h.respondJson(conn, .internal_server_error, "{\"status\":\"error\",\"msg\":\"database unavailable\"}");
+            return;
+        };
         h.respondJson(conn, .ok, "{\"status\":\"ok\"}");
     } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, path, "/_stats")) {
         var stats_buf: [4096]u8 = undefined;
diff --git a/src/main.zig b/src/main.zig
index 505840e..10d9fdf 100644
--- a/src/main.zig
+++ b/src/main.zig
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@
 //!   /admin/hosts/unblock                    — unblock a host (POST, admin)
 //!   /_health, /_stats                       — health, stats
 //!
-//! port 3001 (RELAY_METRICS_PORT): internal metrics only
+//! port 3001 (RELAY_METRICS_PORT): internal metrics + health
 //!   /metrics                                — prometheus metrics
+//!   /_health                                — liveness probe (DB check)
 
 const std = @import("std");
 const http = std.http;
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ const MetricsServer = struct {
     stats: *broadcaster.Stats,
     validator: *validator_mod.Validator,
     data_dir: []const u8,
+    persist: *event_log_mod.DiskPersist,
 
     fn run(self: *MetricsServer) void {
         while (!shutdown_flag.load(.acquire)) {
@@ -56,12 +58,12 @@ const MetricsServer = struct {
                 log.debug("metrics accept error: {s}", .{@errorName(err)});
                 continue;
             };
-            handleMetricsConn(conn.stream, self.stats, self.validator, self.data_dir);
+            handleMetricsConn(conn.stream, self.stats, self.validator, self.data_dir, self.persist);
         }
     }
 };
 
-fn handleMetricsConn(stream: std.net.Stream, stats: *broadcaster.Stats, validator: *validator_mod.Validator, data_dir: []const u8) void {
+fn handleMetricsConn(stream: std.net.Stream, stats: *broadcaster.Stats, validator: *validator_mod.Validator, data_dir: []const u8, persist: *event_log_mod.DiskPersist) void {
     defer stream.close();
 
     var recv_buf: [4096]u8 = undefined;
@@ -71,16 +73,32 @@ fn handleMetricsConn(stream: std.net.Stream, stats: *broadcaster.Stats, validato
     var server = http.Server.init(connection_reader.interface(), &connection_writer.interface);
 
     var request = server.receiveHead() catch return;
-
-    const cache_entries = validator.cacheSize();
-    const migration_queue_len = validator.migrationQueueLen();
-
-    var metrics_buf: [8192]u8 = undefined;
-    const body = broadcaster.formatPrometheusMetrics(stats, cache_entries, migration_queue_len, data_dir, &metrics_buf);
-    request.respond(body, .{ .status = .ok, .keep_alive = false, .extra_headers = &.{
-        .{ .name = "content-type", .value = "text/plain; version=0.0.4; charset=utf-8" },
-        .{ .name = "server", .value = "zlay (atproto-relay)" },
-    } }) catch {};
+    const path = request.head.target;
+
+    if (std.mem.eql(u8, path, "/_health")) {
+        const db_ok = if (persist.db.exec("SELECT 1", .{})) |_| true else |_| false;
+        const status: http.Status = if (db_ok) .ok else .internal_server_error;
+        const body = if (db_ok) "{\"status\":\"ok\"}" else "{\"status\":\"error\",\"msg\":\"database unavailable\"}";
+        request.respond(body, .{ .status = status, .keep_alive = false, .extra_headers = &.{
+            .{ .name = "content-type", .value = "application/json" },
+            .{ .name = "server", .value = "zlay (atproto-relay)" },
+        } }) catch {};
+    } else if (std.mem.eql(u8, path, "/metrics")) {
+        const cache_entries = validator.cacheSize();
+        const migration_queue_len = validator.migrationQueueLen();
+
+        var metrics_buf: [8192]u8 = undefined;
+        const body = broadcaster.formatPrometheusMetrics(stats, cache_entries, migration_queue_len, data_dir, &metrics_buf);
+        request.respond(body, .{ .status = .ok, .keep_alive = false, .extra_headers = &.{
+            .{ .name = "content-type", .value = "text/plain; version=0.0.4; charset=utf-8" },
+            .{ .name = "server", .value = "zlay (atproto-relay)" },
+        } }) catch {};
+    } else {
+        request.respond("not found", .{ .status = .not_found, .keep_alive = false, .extra_headers = &.{
+            .{ .name = "content-type", .value = "text/plain" },
+            .{ .name = "server", .value = "zlay (atproto-relay)" },
+        } }) catch {};
+    }
 }
 
 pub fn main() !void {
@@ -182,6 +200,7 @@ pub fn main() !void {
         .stats = &bc.stats,
         .validator = &val,
         .data_dir = data_dir,
+        .persist = &dp,
     };
     const metrics_thread = try std.Thread.spawn(.{ .stack_size = default_stack_size }, MetricsServer.run, .{&metrics_srv});