diff --git a/deployment.yaml b/deployment.yaml
index e5e671c..7aea18e 100644
--- a/deployment.yaml
+++ b/deployment.yaml
@@ -64,6 +64,13 @@ spec:
             - name: vol
               mountPath: /home/agent/vol
 
+          readinessProbe:
+            exec:
+              command: ["test", "!", "-f", "/home/agent/vol/.openclaw-initializing"]
+            initialDelaySeconds: 5
+            periodSeconds: 5
+            failureThreshold: 60
+
           env:
 
             # ── Required ────────────────────────────────────────────
diff --git a/entrypoint.sh b/entrypoint.sh
index aa4cd20..3dcf9a7 100755
--- a/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/entrypoint.sh
@@ -61,6 +61,14 @@ export OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT="${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT:-18800}"
 log()  { echo "[entrypoint] $*"; }
 warn() { echo "[entrypoint] WARNING: $*" >&2; }
 
+# ── Readiness sentinel ────────────────────────────────────────────
+# Present during init; deleted just before gateway starts.
+# Kubernetes readiness probe: test ! -f /home/agent/vol/.openclaw-initializing
+SENTINEL="${VOL}/.openclaw-initializing"
+mkdir -p "${VOL}"
+touch "${SENTINEL}"
+log "Readiness sentinel created at ${SENTINEL}"
+
 # ── Warn on missing required vars ────────────────────────────────
 for var in OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_TOKEN OPENCLAW_DEFAULT_MODEL OPENCLAW_AGENT_NAME \
            ANTHROPIC_API_KEY ANTHROPIC_MODEL ANTHROPIC_SMALL_FAST_MODEL PAI_AGENT_NAME; do
@@ -522,6 +530,8 @@ fi
 # Run gateway in background. OpenClaw manages its own internal restarts.
 # The sleep loop keeps the container alive if the gateway process exits.
 log "Starting OpenClaw gateway on port ${OPENCLAW_GATEWAY_PORT}..."
+rm -f "${SENTINEL}"
+log "Readiness sentinel removed — pod is ready."
 /home/agent/.npm-global/bin/openclaw gateway &
 
 while true; do