diff --git a/api_server.py b/api_server.py
index bba4f43..6fbe2ea 100644
--- a/api_server.py
+++ b/api_server.py
@@ -1083,10 +1083,18 @@ async def ping() -> JSONResponse:
     # age is None right after boot: the watchdog hasn't run its first probe yet. Treat that
     # as healthy (gate on connected only) so a freshly-started container is not killed before
     # its first probe cycle — otherwise start_period would have to cover a full watchdog interval.
-    # Note: when the watchdog is DISABLED (TG_WATCHDOG_ENABLED=false) age stays None forever,
-    # so /ping degenerates to a pure connectivity check and cannot detect a stale-but-connected
-    # ("zombie") session — that TG-liveness signal only exists while the watchdog runs.
-    healthy = connected and (age is None or age < threshold)
+    #
+    # The staleness branch (age >= threshold => degraded) is only meaningful while the watchdog
+    # is running to refresh age. With the watchdog DISABLED (TG_WATCHDOG_ENABLED=false) nothing
+    # refreshes age — yet a disconnect-flap restart can still stamp it once (see _restart_client,
+    # which runs before the watchdog-enabled gate), after which age only grows. Letting that
+    # stale age drive /ping to 503 would spuriously fail the container healthcheck on a live
+    # connection and trigger an autoheal restart. So gate staleness on the watchdog being on;
+    # with it off, /ping is a pure connectivity check (no zombie-session detection — that
+    # TG-liveness signal only exists while the watchdog runs).
+    healthy = connected and (
+        not Config["tg_watchdog_enabled"] or age is None or age < threshold
+    )
     return JSONResponse(
         {
             "status": "ok" if healthy else "degraded",
diff --git a/tests/test_stage6_healthcheck.py b/tests/test_stage6_healthcheck.py
index 8f54b63..2a1d5ff 100644
--- a/tests/test_stage6_healthcheck.py
+++ b/tests/test_stage6_healthcheck.py
@@ -99,6 +99,21 @@ def test_ping_degraded_stale_probe(patch_client):
     assert fake.client.get_me_calls == 0
 
 
+def test_ping_watchdog_disabled_stale_age_still_healthy(patch_client, monkeypatch):
+    # With the watchdog OFF, nothing refreshes age (a disconnect-flap restart can stamp it
+    # once, then it only grows). A stale age must NOT drive /ping to 503 on a live connection
+    # — that would spuriously fail the healthcheck and trigger an autoheal restart. So with the
+    # watchdog disabled, /ping is a pure connectivity check: connected + stale age => healthy.
+    monkeypatch.setitem(api_server.Config, "tg_watchdog_enabled", False)
+    fake, tc = patch_client(age=THRESHOLD + 100, is_connected=True)
+    r = tc.get("/ping")
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    body = r.json()
+    assert body["status"] == "ok"
+    assert body["connected"] is True
+    assert fake.client.get_me_calls == 0
+
+
 def test_ping_degraded_disconnected(patch_client):
     # Even with a fresh probe age, a disconnected client is unhealthy.
     fake, tc = patch_client(age=1.0, is_connected=False)