diff --git a/backend/src/routes/health.rs b/backend/src/routes/health.rs
index 13f43cd..b5759b5 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/health.rs
+++ b/backend/src/routes/health.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
-use axum::{http::StatusCode, response::Json};
+use axum::{extract::State, http::StatusCode, response::Json};
+use diesel::RunQueryDsl;
 use serde_json::json;
 
+use crate::state::AppState;
+
 #[derive(utoipa::OpenApi)]
 #[openapi(paths(crate::routes::health::health_check))]
 pub struct HealthApiDoc;
@@ -11,6 +14,33 @@ pub struct HealthApiDoc;
     responses((status = 200, description = "Service is healthy")),
     tag = "Health"
 )]
-pub async fn health_check() -> (StatusCode, Json<serde_json::Value>) {
-    (StatusCode::OK, Json(json!({ "status": "ok" })))
+pub async fn health_check(State(state): State<AppState>) -> (StatusCode, Json<serde_json::Value>) {
+    let database_ok = match state.db_unscoped() {
+        Ok(mut conn) => diesel::sql_query("SELECT 1")
+            .execute(&mut conn)
+            .map(|_| true)
+            .unwrap_or_else(|err| {
+                tracing::error!(error = ?err, "health check database ping failed");
+                false
+            }),
+        Err(err) => {
+            tracing::error!(error = ?err, "health check database connection failed");
+            false
+        }
+    };
+
+    let status = if database_ok {
+        StatusCode::OK
+    } else {
+        StatusCode::SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+    };
+
+    let payload = json!({
+        "status": if database_ok { "ok" } else { "error" },
+        "checks": {
+            "database": if database_ok { "ok" } else { "unavailable" }
+        }
+    });
+
+    (status, Json(payload))
 }