diff --git a/.env b/.env
index 500da07..3a20681 100644
--- a/.env
+++ b/.env
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ CORS_ALLOWED_ORIGINS=https://dev1.aptivaai.com,http://34.16.120.118:3000,http://
 SERVER1_PORT=5000
 SERVER2_PORT=5001
 SERVER3_PORT=5002
-IMG_TAG=a9421f5-202508081846
+IMG_TAG=6a4d533-202508081922
 
 ENV_NAME=dev
 PROJECT=aptivaai-dev
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/backend/server1.js b/backend/server1.js
index 494dfca..f8e27c2 100755
--- a/backend/server1.js
+++ b/backend/server1.js
@@ -100,15 +100,19 @@ app.use(
   })
 );
 
-app.get('/healthz', async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    await verifyCanary(pool);           // throws if bad
-    return res.type('text').send('OK'); // cheap 200 OK
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.error('[HEALTHZ]', e.message);
-    return res.status(500).type('text').send('FAIL');
-  }
-});
+ // LIVENESS: process is up; no external deps
+ app.get('/healthz', (req, res) => res.type('text').send('OK'));
+
+ // READINESS: KMS/DEK/DB are correct
+ app.get('/readyz', async (req, res) => {
+   try {
+     await verifyCanary(pool);           // throws if bad
+     return res.type('text').send('READY');
+   } catch (e) {
+     console.error('[READYZ]', e.message);
+     return res.status(503).type('text').send('NOT_READY');
+   }
+ });
 
 // Enable CORS with dynamic origin checking
 app.use(
diff --git a/backend/server2.js b/backend/server2.js
index becc295..ecfe083 100755
--- a/backend/server2.js
+++ b/backend/server2.js
@@ -67,16 +67,20 @@ await verifyCanary(pool);
 const app = express();
 const PORT = process.env.SERVER2_PORT || 5001;
 
-// at top of backend/server.js  (do once per server codebase)
-app.get('/healthz', async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    await verifyCanary(pool);          // << just pass the pool
-    return res.type('text').send('OK');
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.error('[HEALTHZ]', e.message);
-    return res.status(500).type('text').send('FAIL');
-  }
-});
+ // LIVENESS: process is up; no external deps
+ app.get('/healthz', (req, res) => res.type('text').send('OK'));
+
+ // READINESS: KMS/DEK/DB are correct
+ app.get('/readyz', async (req, res) => {
+   try {
+     await verifyCanary(pool);           // throws if bad
+     return res.type('text').send('READY');
+   } catch (e) {
+     console.error('[READYZ]', e.message);
+     return res.status(503).type('text').send('NOT_READY');
+   }
+ });
+
 
 /**************************************************
  * DB connections
diff --git a/backend/server3.js b/backend/server3.js
index f252c15..95ad6ad 100644
--- a/backend/server3.js
+++ b/backend/server3.js
@@ -71,16 +71,20 @@ const stripe = new Stripe(process.env.STRIPE_SECRET_KEY, {
   apiVersion: '2024-04-10',
 });
 
-// at top of backend/server.js  (do once per server codebase)
-app.get('/healthz', async (req, res) => {
-  try {
-    await verifyCanary(pool);          // << just pass the pool
-    return res.type('text').send('OK');
-  } catch (e) {
-    console.error('[HEALTHZ]', e.message);
-    return res.status(500).type('text').send('FAIL');
-  }
-});
+ // LIVENESS: process is up; no external deps
+ app.get('/healthz', (req, res) => res.type('text').send('OK'));
+
+ // READINESS: KMS/DEK/DB are correct
+ app.get('/readyz', async (req, res) => {
+   try {
+     await verifyCanary(pool);           // throws if bad
+     return res.type('text').send('READY');
+   } catch (e) {
+     console.error('[READYZ]', e.message);
+     return res.status(503).type('text').send('NOT_READY');
+   }
+ });
+
 
 function internalFetch(req, urlPath, opts = {}) {
   return fetch(`${API_BASE}${urlPath}`, {