diff --git a/default/config.yaml b/default/config.yaml
index 14bccb3ba..d99ca0e98 100644
--- a/default/config.yaml
+++ b/default/config.yaml
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ browserLaunch:
   avoidLocalhost: false
 # Server port
 port: 8000
+# Interval in seconds to write a heartbeat file. Set to 0 to disable.
+# This is used primarily for Docker healthchecks.
+heartbeatInterval: 0
 # -- SSL options --
 ssl:
   # Enable SSL/TLS encryption
diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.yml b/docker/docker-compose.yml
index 74b749c48..1cafe6ceb 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ services:
     environment:
       - NODE_ENV=production
       - FORCE_COLOR=1
+      - SILLYTAVERN_HEARTBEATINTERVAL=30
     ports:
       - "8000:8000"
     volumes:
@@ -14,4 +15,10 @@ services:
       - "./data:/home/node/app/data"
       - "./plugins:/home/node/app/plugins"
       - "./extensions:/home/node/app/public/scripts/extensions/third-party"
+    healthcheck:
+      test: ["CMD", "node", "src/healthcheck.js"]
+      interval: 30s
+      timeout: 10s
+      start_period: 20s
+      retries: 3
     restart: unless-stopped
diff --git a/src/command-line.js b/src/command-line.js
index 1ee73e840..6540397ff 100644
--- a/src/command-line.js
+++ b/src/command-line.js
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import { initConfig } from './config-init.js';
  * @property {boolean|string} enableIPv4 If enable IPv4 protocol ("auto" is also allowed)
  * @property {boolean|string} enableIPv6 If enable IPv6 protocol ("auto" is also allowed)
  * @property {boolean} dnsPreferIPv6 If prefer IPv6 for DNS
+ * @property {number} heartbeatInterval Interval in seconds to write a heartbeat file. 0 to disable.
  * @property {boolean} browserLaunchEnabled If automatically launch SillyTavern in the browser
  * @property {string} browserLaunchHostname Browser launch hostname
  * @property {number} browserLaunchPort Browser launch port override (-1 is use server port)
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ export class CommandLineParser {
             enableIPv4: true,
             enableIPv6: false,
             dnsPreferIPv6: false,
+            heartbeatInterval: 0,
             browserLaunchEnabled: false,
             browserLaunchHostname: 'auto',
             browserLaunchPort: -1,
@@ -229,6 +231,11 @@ export class CommandLineParser {
                 type: 'array',
                 describe: 'Request proxy bypass list (space separated list of hosts)',
             })
+            .option('heartbeatInterval', {
+                type: 'number',
+                default: null,
+                describe: 'Interval in seconds to write a heartbeat file. 0 to disable.',
+            })
             /* DEPRECATED options */
             .option('autorun', {
                 type: 'boolean',
@@ -289,6 +296,7 @@ export class CommandLineParser {
             enableIPv4: stringToBool(cliArguments.enableIPv4) ?? stringToBool(getConfigValue('protocol.ipv4', defaultConfig.enableIPv4)) ?? defaultConfig.enableIPv4,
             enableIPv6: stringToBool(cliArguments.enableIPv6) ?? stringToBool(getConfigValue('protocol.ipv6', defaultConfig.enableIPv6)) ?? defaultConfig.enableIPv6,
             dnsPreferIPv6: cliArguments.dnsPreferIPv6 ?? getConfigValue('dnsPreferIPv6', defaultConfig.dnsPreferIPv6, 'boolean'),
+            heartbeatInterval: cliArguments.heartbeatInterval ?? getConfigValue('heartbeatInterval', defaultConfig.heartbeatInterval, 'number'),
             browserLaunchEnabled: cliArguments.browserLaunchEnabled ?? cliArguments.autorun ?? getConfigValue('browserLaunch.enabled', defaultConfig.browserLaunchEnabled, 'boolean'),
             browserLaunchHostname: cliArguments.browserLaunchHostname ?? cliArguments.autorunHostname ?? getConfigValue('browserLaunch.hostname', defaultConfig.browserLaunchHostname),
             browserLaunchPort: cliArguments.browserLaunchPort ?? cliArguments.autorunPortOverride ?? getConfigValue('browserLaunch.port', defaultConfig.browserLaunchPort, 'number'),
diff --git a/src/healthcheck.js b/src/healthcheck.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d2fe1ecb6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/healthcheck.js
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+import fs from 'fs';
+import path from 'path';
+import { serverDirectory } from './server-directory.js';
+
+// Default to 0 seconds (disabled) if not set
+const intervalSeconds = parseInt(process.env.SILLYTAVERN_HEARTBEATINTERVAL || '0');
+const intervalMs = intervalSeconds * 1000;
+
+// Heartbeat disabled
+if (Number.isNaN(intervalSeconds) || intervalSeconds <= 0) {
+    process.exit(0);
+}
+
+// Allow a grace period (2 missed beats)
+const threshold = intervalMs * 2;
+
+const dataRoot = process.env.SILLYTAVERN_DATAROOT || path.join(serverDirectory, 'data');
+const heartbeatFile = path.join(dataRoot, 'heartbeat.json');
+
+try {
+    if (!fs.existsSync(heartbeatFile)) {
+        console.error(`Heartbeat file not found at: ${heartbeatFile}`);
+        process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    const stats = fs.statSync(heartbeatFile);
+    const lastModified = stats.mtimeMs;
+    const now = Date.now();
+    const diff = now - lastModified;
+
+    if (diff > threshold) {
+        console.error(`Server is unresponsive. Last heartbeat was ${Math.round(diff / 1000)} seconds ago.`);
+        process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    process.exit(0);
+} catch (err) {
+    console.error('Healthcheck error:', err.message);
+    process.exit(1);
+}
diff --git a/src/server-main.js b/src/server-main.js
index 2d5e14d5f..23c78292d 100644
--- a/src/server-main.js
+++ b/src/server-main.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 // native node modules
+import fs from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import util from 'node:util';
 import net from 'node:net';
@@ -349,6 +350,28 @@ async function postSetupTasks(result) {
         }
     }
 
+    if (cliArgs.heartbeatInterval > 0) {
+        // Convert seconds to milliseconds for the timer
+        const intervalMs = cliArgs.heartbeatInterval * 1000;
+        const heartbeatPath = path.join(globalThis.DATA_ROOT, 'heartbeat.json');
+
+        console.log(`Heartbeat enabled. Updating ${color.green(heartbeatPath)} every ${cliArgs.heartbeatInterval} seconds`);
+
+        const writeHeartbeat = () => {
+            try {
+                fs.writeFileSync(heartbeatPath, JSON.stringify({ timestamp: Date.now() }));
+            } catch (err) {
+                console.error(`Failed to write heartbeat file at ${color.green(heartbeatPath)}:`, err.message);
+            }
+        };
+
+        // Write immediately
+        writeHeartbeat();
+
+        // Loop using the converted milliseconds
+        setInterval(writeHeartbeat, intervalMs).unref();
+    }
+
     setWindowTitle('SillyTavern WebServer');
 
     let logListen = 'SillyTavern is listening on';