diff --git a/mothership/internal/health/health.go b/mothership/internal/health/health.go
index 980c214..e41f3dc 100644
--- a/mothership/internal/health/health.go
+++ b/mothership/internal/health/health.go
@@ -122,9 +122,9 @@ func (c *Checker) check(version string) Response {
 		c.level3Since = time.Time{}
 	}
 
-	// Condition 3: No nodes online after 5 minutes uptime
+	// Condition 3: No nodes online after 5 minutes uptime (informational only,
+	// does not degrade status — zero nodes is valid for headless deployments)
 	if nodesOnline == 0 && uptime > 300 {
-		status = "degraded"
 		if reason == "" {
 			reason = "no nodes connected"
 		}
diff --git a/mothership/internal/health/health_test.go b/mothership/internal/health/health_test.go
index a971563..3ec9490 100644
--- a/mothership/internal/health/health_test.go
+++ b/mothership/internal/health/health_test.go
@@ -72,7 +72,8 @@ func TestHealthCheckDBFailing(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestHealthCheckNoNodes tests that health check returns degraded after 5 min with no nodes.
+// TestHealthCheckNoNodes tests that health check stays OK after 5 min with no nodes
+// (zero nodes is valid for headless deployments).
 func TestHealthCheckNoNodes(t *testing.T) {
 	checker := &Checker{
 		startTime: time.Now().Add(-6 * time.Minute), // 6 minutes ago
@@ -88,8 +89,8 @@ func TestHealthCheckNoNodes(t *testing.T) {
 
 	resp := checker.check("1.0.0")
 
-	if resp.Status != "degraded" {
-		t.Errorf("expected status=degraded, got %s", resp.Status)
+	if resp.Status != "ok" {
+		t.Errorf("expected status=ok, got %s", resp.Status)
 	}
 	if resp.Reason != "no nodes connected" {
 		t.Errorf("expected reason='no nodes connected', got %s", resp.Reason)