diff --git a/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py b/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
index c9859ed25bb..096e23e673d 100644
--- a/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
+++ b/litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/_health_endpoints.py
@@ -1530,6 +1530,17 @@ def _allow_public_health_readiness_details() -> bool:
     return general_settings.get("allow_public_health_readiness_details") is True
 
 
+async def _set_public_readiness_status(response: Response) -> None:
+    from litellm.proxy.proxy_server import prisma_client
+
+    if prisma_client is None:
+        return
+
+    db_health_status = await _db_health_readiness_check()
+    if db_health_status["status"] != "connected":
+        response.status_code = status.HTTP_503_SERVICE_UNAVAILABLE
+
+
 @router.get(
     "/health/readiness",
     tags=["health"],
@@ -1542,6 +1553,8 @@ async def health_readiness(response: Response):
     """
     if _allow_public_health_readiness_details():
         return await _get_health_readiness_details(response=response)
+
+    await _set_public_readiness_status(response=response)
     return {"status": "healthy"}
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/test_health_endpoints.py b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/test_health_endpoints.py
index ae57c02e7c2..2edcb00c967 100644
--- a/tests/test_litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/test_health_endpoints.py
+++ b/tests/test_litellm/proxy/health_endpoints/test_health_endpoints.py
@@ -1520,8 +1520,7 @@ async def test_health_readiness_returns_503_when_db_disconnected():
         result = await health_readiness(response=response)
 
     assert response.status_code == 503
-    assert result["db"] == "disconnected"
-    assert result["status"] == "healthy"  # body shape unchanged for back-compat
+    assert result == {"status": "healthy"}
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -1544,7 +1543,7 @@ async def test_health_readiness_returns_200_when_db_connected():
         result = await health_readiness(response=response)
 
     assert response.status_code == 200
-    assert result["db"] == "connected"
+    assert result == {"status": "healthy"}
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
@@ -1563,7 +1562,7 @@ async def test_health_readiness_returns_200_when_no_db_configured():
         result = await health_readiness(response=response)
 
     assert response.status_code == 200
-    assert result["db"] == "Not connected"
+    assert result == {"status": "healthy"}
 
 
 def test_clean_endpoint_data_strips_credentials_keeps_routing_fields():