diff --git a/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php b/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php
index c75b903b0b..dac1f17bf4 100644
--- a/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php
+++ b/app/Http/Controllers/HealthController.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace App\Http\Controllers;
 
 use Illuminate\Routing\Controller as BaseController;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
 
 /**
  * This controller provide the health route  for
@@ -15,13 +16,35 @@ use Illuminate\Routing\Controller as BaseController;
  */
 class HealthController extends BaseController
 {
+
+    public function __construct()
+    {
+        $this->middleware('health');
+    }
+
+
     /**
      * Returns a fixed JSON content ({ "status": "ok"}) which indicate the app is up and running
      */
     public function get()
     {
-        return response()->json([
-            'status' => 'ok',
-        ]);
+        try {
+
+            if (DB::select('select 2 + 2')) {
+                return response()->json([
+                    'status' => 'ok',
+                ]);
+            }
+
+        } catch (\Exception $e) {
+            \Log::error('Could not connect to database');
+            return response()->json([
+                'status' => 'database connection failed',
+            ], 500);
+
+        }
+
+
+
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Http/Kernel.php b/app/Http/Kernel.php
index 8c9289a799..b69e22e4f9 100644
--- a/app/Http/Kernel.php
+++ b/app/Http/Kernel.php
@@ -53,6 +53,10 @@ class Kernel extends HttpKernel
             \App\Http\Middleware\CheckLocale::class,
             \Illuminate\Routing\Middleware\SubstituteBindings::class,
         ],
+
+        'health' => [
+
+        ],
     ];
 
     /**
@@ -69,5 +73,6 @@ class Kernel extends HttpKernel
         'can' => \Illuminate\Auth\Middleware\Authorize::class,
         'guest' => \App\Http\Middleware\RedirectIfAuthenticated::class,
         'throttle' => \Illuminate\Routing\Middleware\ThrottleRequests::class,
+        'health' => null,
     ];
 }
diff --git a/app/Http/Middleware/CheckForSetup.php b/app/Http/Middleware/CheckForSetup.php
index 4e399ffcff..6cb593b5ff 100644
--- a/app/Http/Middleware/CheckForSetup.php
+++ b/app/Http/Middleware/CheckForSetup.php
@@ -7,14 +7,19 @@ use Closure;
 
 class CheckForSetup
 {
+
+    protected $except = [
+        '_debugbar*',
+        'health'
+    ];
+
     public function handle($request, Closure $next, $guard = null)
     {
 
         /**
-         * This is dumb
-         * @todo Check on removing this, not sure if it's still needed
+         * Skip this middleware for the debugbar and health check
          */
-        if ($request->is('_debugbar*')) {
+        if ($request->is($this->except))  {
             return $next($request);
         }
 
@@ -25,7 +30,7 @@ class CheckForSetup
                 return $next($request);
             }
         } else {
-            if (! ($request->is('setup*')) && ! ($request->is('.env')) && ! ($request->is('health'))) {
+            if (! ($request->is('setup*')) && ! ($request->is('.env'))) {
                 return redirect(config('app.url').'/setup');
             }
 
diff --git a/routes/web.php b/routes/web.php
index f3ba8350f2..60b74476c7 100644
--- a/routes/web.php
+++ b/routes/web.php
@@ -536,13 +536,16 @@ Route::group(['middleware' => 'web'], function () {
     )->name('logout.post');
 });
 
-//Auth::routes();
 
-Route::get(
-    '/health', 
+/**
+ * Health check route - skip middleware
+ */
+Route::withoutMiddleware(['web'])->get(
+    '/health',
     [HealthController::class, 'get']
 )->name('health');
 
+
 Route::middleware(['auth'])->get(
     '/',
     [DashboardController::class, 'index']