diff --git a/pkg/agent/run.go b/pkg/agent/run.go
index 3d2436198dc..d9def1e1f9f 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/run.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/run.go
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/agent"
 	daemonconfig "github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/config"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/executor"
+	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/health"
+	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/watchdog"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/metrics"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/nodeconfig"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/profile"
@@ -41,6 +43,7 @@ import (
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/fields"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/labels"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/watch"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/healthz"
 	"k8s.io/client-go/kubernetes"
 	toolscache "k8s.io/client-go/tools/cache"
 	toolswatch "k8s.io/client-go/tools/watch"
@@ -141,6 +144,14 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg cmds.Agent, proxy proxy.Proxy) error {
 	notifySocket := os.Getenv("NOTIFY_SOCKET")
 	os.Unsetenv("NOTIFY_SOCKET")
 
+	// Capture the watchdog interval before stripping WATCHDOG_USEC so the
+	// kubelet's own NewHealthChecker short-circuits and doesn't spawn a
+	// goroutine that logs "Failed to notify watchdog" every tick.
+	watchdogInterval, werr := systemd.SdWatchdogEnabled(true)
+	if werr != nil {
+		logrus.Warnf("systemd watchdog: failed to read WATCHDOG_USEC, watchdog disabled: %v", werr)
+	}
+
 	go func() {
 		if err := startCRI(ctx, nodeConfig); err != nil {
 			signals.RequestShutdown(errors.WithMessage(err, "failed to start container runtime"))
@@ -164,12 +175,27 @@ func run(ctx context.Context, cfg cmds.Agent, proxy proxy.Proxy) error {
 			logrus.Info(version.Program + " agent is up and running")
 			os.Setenv("NOTIFY_SOCKET", notifySocket)
 			systemd.SdNotify(true, "READY=1\n")
+			go watchdog.Run(ctx, notifySocket, watchdogInterval, agentHealthCheckers(nodeConfig))
 		}
 	}()
 
 	return nil
 }
 
+// agentHealthCheckers returns the set of liveness checks that must all pass
+// for the k3s agent process to be considered healthy by the systemd
+// watchdog. Only used on agent-only nodes; on server nodes the server's
+// checker set covers kubelet (and kube-proxy when gated by DisableKubeProxy
+// on Control). kube-proxy is not included here because its disabled state is
+// not stored on nodeConfig — adding it unconditionally would silence the
+// watchdog whenever kube-proxy is disabled.
+func agentHealthCheckers(nodeConfig *daemonconfig.Node) []healthz.HealthChecker {
+	return []healthz.HealthChecker{
+		health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("kubelet", "http://127.0.0.1:10248/healthz"),
+		health.NewGRPCHealthz("cri", nodeConfig.AgentConfig.RuntimeSocket),
+	}
+}
+
 // startCRI starts the configured CRI, or waits for an external CRI to be ready.
 func startCRI(ctx context.Context, nodeConfig *daemonconfig.Node) error {
 	if nodeConfig.Docker {
diff --git a/pkg/cli/cmds/log_linux.go b/pkg/cli/cmds/log_linux.go
index 513e94db05d..389673f5d40 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/cmds/log_linux.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/cmds/log_linux.go
@@ -57,7 +57,11 @@ func forkIfLoggingOrReaping() error {
 		}
 
 		args := append([]string{version.Program}, os.Args[1:]...)
-		env := append(os.Environ(), "_K3S_LOG_REEXEC_=true", "NOTIFY_SOCKET=")
+		// NOTIFY_SOCKET is intentionally passed through to the child so that
+		// pkg/daemons/watchdog can drive systemd's WATCHDOG=1 pings. The child
+		// strips NOTIFY_SOCKET from its env early (server.go / agent run.go)
+		// before any embedded component can read it.
+		env := append(os.Environ(), "_K3S_LOG_REEXEC_=true")
 		ctx := signals.SetupSignalContext()
 		cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "/proc/self/exe")
 		cmd.Args = args
diff --git a/pkg/cli/server/server.go b/pkg/cli/server/server.go
index b6e3257b328..c09ceb8bca0 100644
--- a/pkg/cli/server/server.go
+++ b/pkg/cli/server/server.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ import (
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/clientaccess"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/config"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/executor"
+	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/health"
+	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/daemons/watchdog"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/datadir"
 	"github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/etcd"
 	k3smetrics "github.com/k3s-io/k3s/pkg/metrics"
@@ -39,6 +42,7 @@ import (
 	metav1 "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/apis/meta/v1"
 	utilnet "k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/net"
 	"k8s.io/apimachinery/pkg/util/wait"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/healthz"
 	kubeapiserverflag "k8s.io/component-base/cli/flag"
 	"k8s.io/klog/v2"
 	"k8s.io/kubernetes/pkg/controlplane/apiserver/options"
@@ -476,6 +480,14 @@ func run(app *cli.Context, cfg *cmds.Server, leaderControllers server.CustomCont
 	notifySocket := os.Getenv("NOTIFY_SOCKET")
 	os.Unsetenv("NOTIFY_SOCKET")
 
+	// Capture the watchdog interval before stripping WATCHDOG_USEC so the
+	// kubelet's own NewHealthChecker short-circuits and doesn't spawn a
+	// goroutine that logs "Failed to notify watchdog" every tick.
+	watchdogInterval, err := systemd.SdWatchdogEnabled(true)
+	if err != nil {
+		logrus.Warnf("systemd watchdog: failed to read WATCHDOG_USEC, watchdog disabled: %v", err)
+	}
+
 	// try setting advertise-ip from agent VPN
 	if vpnInfo, _ := vpn.GetInfoFromExecutor(); vpnInfo != nil {
 		// If we are in ipv6-only mode, we should pass the ipv6 address. Otherwise, ipv4
@@ -615,11 +627,53 @@ func run(app *cli.Context, cfg *cmds.Server, leaderControllers server.CustomCont
 		logrus.Info(version.Program + " is up and running")
 		os.Setenv("NOTIFY_SOCKET", notifySocket)
 		systemd.SdNotify(true, "READY=1\n")
+		go watchdog.Run(ctx, notifySocket, watchdogInterval, serverHealthCheckers(&serverConfig.ControlConfig, cfg.DisableAgent))
 	}()
 
 	return server.StartServer(ctx, wg, &serverConfig, cfg)
 }
 
+// serverHealthCheckers returns the liveness checks that must all pass for the
+// k3s server process to be considered healthy by the systemd watchdog.
+// Components disabled via --disable-* are skipped. When the embedded agent is
+// running on this node, kubelet and kube-proxy are included too, since the
+// same process owns their liveness. Endpoints mirror the RKE2 static-pod
+// readiness/liveness probes:
+//
+//	https://github.com/rancher/rke2/blob/v1.36.0+rke2r1/pkg/podtemplate/spec.go
+func serverHealthCheckers(cc *config.Control, agentDisabled bool) []healthz.HealthChecker {
+	var checkers []healthz.HealthChecker
+	host := cc.Loopback(false)
+
+	if !cc.DisableAPIServer && cc.HTTPSPort > 0 {
+		// k3s starts kube-apiserver with --anonymous-auth=false, so /livez
+		// requires a client cert; the admin client cert is the simplest
+		// in-process identity that satisfies authn + authorization.
+		url := fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/livez", net.JoinHostPort(host, strconv.Itoa(cc.HTTPSPort)))
+		checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetWithClientCertHealthz("kube-apiserver", url,
+			cc.Runtime.ClientAdminCert, cc.Runtime.ClientAdminKey))
+	}
+	if !cc.DisableETCD {
+		checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("etcd", fmt.Sprintf("http://%s/health?serializable=true", net.JoinHostPort(host, "2381"))))
+	}
+	if !cc.DisableControllerManager {
+		checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("kube-controller-manager", fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/healthz", net.JoinHostPort(host, "10257"))))
+	}
+	if !cc.DisableScheduler {
+		checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("kube-scheduler", fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/healthz", net.JoinHostPort(host, "10259"))))
+	}
+	if cc.SupervisorPort > 0 {
+		checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("supervisor", fmt.Sprintf("https://%s/ping", net.JoinHostPort(host, strconv.Itoa(cc.SupervisorPort)))))
+	}
+	if !agentDisabled {
+		checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("kubelet", fmt.Sprintf("http://%s/healthz", net.JoinHostPort(host, "10248"))))
+		if !cc.DisableKubeProxy {
+			checkers = append(checkers, health.NewHTTPGetHealthz("kube-proxy", fmt.Sprintf("http://%s/healthz", net.JoinHostPort(host, "10256"))))
+		}
+	}
+	return checkers
+}
+
 // validateNetworkConfig ensures that the network configuration values make sense.
 func validateNetworkConfiguration(serverConfig server.Config) error {
 	switch serverConfig.ControlConfig.EgressSelectorMode {
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/health/health.go b/pkg/daemons/health/health.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..824fd676e29
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/daemons/health/health.go
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+package health
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"strings"
+	"time"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
+	healthpb "google.golang.org/grpc/health/grpc_health_v1"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/healthz"
+)
+
+const dialTimeout = 5 * time.Second
+
+func NewHTTPGetHealthz(name, url string) healthz.HealthChecker {
+	client := &http.Client{
+		Transport: &http.Transport{
+			TLSClientConfig:   &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: true},
+			DisableKeepAlives: true,
+		},
+	}
+	return healthz.NamedCheck(name, func(_ *http.Request) error {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), dialTimeout)
+		defer cancel()
+		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, url, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		resp, err := client.Do(req)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("get %s: %w", url, err)
+		}
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode >= 300 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("get %s: status %d", url, resp.StatusCode)
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
+func NewHTTPGetWithClientCertHealthz(name, url, certFile, keyFile string) healthz.HealthChecker {
+	cert, err := tls.LoadX509KeyPair(certFile, keyFile)
+	if err != nil {
+		return healthz.NamedCheck(name, func(_ *http.Request) error {
+			return fmt.Errorf("load client cert %s/%s: %w", certFile, keyFile, err)
+		})
+	}
+	client := &http.Client{
+		Transport: &http.Transport{
+			TLSClientConfig: &tls.Config{
+				InsecureSkipVerify: true,
+				Certificates:       []tls.Certificate{cert},
+			},
+			DisableKeepAlives: true,
+		},
+	}
+	return healthz.NamedCheck(name, func(_ *http.Request) error {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), dialTimeout)
+		defer cancel()
+		req, err := http.NewRequestWithContext(ctx, http.MethodGet, url, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		resp, err := client.Do(req)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("get %s: %w", url, err)
+		}
+		defer resp.Body.Close()
+		if resp.StatusCode < 200 || resp.StatusCode >= 300 {
+			return fmt.Errorf("get %s: status %d", url, resp.StatusCode)
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+}
+
+func NewTCPConnectHealthz(name, addr string) healthz.HealthChecker {
+	return healthz.NamedCheck(name, func(_ *http.Request) error {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), dialTimeout)
+		defer cancel()
+		var d net.Dialer
+		conn, err := d.DialContext(ctx, "tcp", addr)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("dial tcp %s: %w", addr, err)
+		}
+		return conn.Close()
+	})
+}
+
+func NewGRPCHealthz(name, target string) healthz.HealthChecker {
+	target = strings.TrimPrefix(target, "unix://")
+	dialTarget := "unix:" + target
+	return healthz.NamedCheck(name, func(_ *http.Request) error {
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), dialTimeout)
+		defer cancel()
+		conn, err := grpc.NewClient(dialTarget, grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()))
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("dial grpc %s: %w", dialTarget, err)
+		}
+		defer conn.Close()
+		client := healthpb.NewHealthClient(conn)
+		resp, err := client.Check(ctx, &healthpb.HealthCheckRequest{})
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("grpc health check %s: %w", dialTarget, err)
+		}
+		if resp.Status != healthpb.HealthCheckResponse_SERVING {
+			return fmt.Errorf("grpc health check %s: status %s", dialTarget, resp.Status)
+		}
+		return nil
+	})
+}
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/health/health_test.go b/pkg/daemons/health/health_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..fcadf8bf1ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/daemons/health/health_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,206 @@
+package health
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"crypto/rand"
+	"crypto/rsa"
+	"crypto/tls"
+	"crypto/x509"
+	"crypto/x509/pkix"
+	"encoding/pem"
+	"math/big"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	healthpb "google.golang.org/grpc/health/grpc_health_v1"
+)
+
+func Test_UnitTCPChecker(t *testing.T) {
+	ln, err := net.Listen("tcp", "127.0.0.1:0")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("listen: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { ln.Close() })
+
+	c := NewTCPConnectHealthz("ok", ln.Addr().String())
+	if c.Name() != "ok" {
+		t.Errorf("Name() = %q, want %q", c.Name(), "ok")
+	}
+	if err := c.Check(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected open port to pass, got %v", err)
+	}
+	ln.Close()
+	if err := NewTCPConnectHealthz("closed", ln.Addr().String()).Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected closed port to fail")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitHTTPGetChecker(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		switch r.URL.Path {
+		case "/ok":
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+		default:
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusInternalServerError)
+		}
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+
+	if err := NewHTTPGetHealthz("ok", srv.URL+"/ok").Check(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected 200 to pass, got %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := NewHTTPGetHealthz("fail", srv.URL+"/fail").Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected 500 to fail")
+	}
+	if err := NewHTTPGetHealthz("dial", "http://127.0.0.1:1/never").Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected unreachable URL to fail")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitHTTPGetCheckerSkipsTLSVerify(t *testing.T) {
+	// httptest.NewTLSServer uses a self-signed cert; the checker must accept it.
+	srv := httptest.NewTLSServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, _ *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+	if err := NewHTTPGetHealthz("tls", srv.URL+"/livez").Check(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected TLS-skip-verify probe to pass against self-signed cert, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitHTTPGetWithClientCertChecker(t *testing.T) {
+	// TLS server that requires (and inspects) a client cert.
+	srv := httptest.NewUnstartedServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if len(r.TLS.PeerCertificates) == 0 {
+			http.Error(w, "no client cert", http.StatusUnauthorized)
+			return
+		}
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	srv.TLS = &tls.Config{ClientAuth: tls.RequireAnyClientCert}
+	srv.StartTLS()
+	t.Cleanup(srv.Close)
+
+	// Generate a throwaway client cert + key on disk.
+	certPath, keyPath := writeSelfSignedCert(t)
+
+	if err := NewHTTPGetWithClientCertHealthz("apiserver", srv.URL+"/livez", certPath, keyPath).Check(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected probe with client cert to pass, got %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Without a cert the same endpoint should 401.
+	if err := NewHTTPGetHealthz("apiserver-anon", srv.URL+"/livez").Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected anonymous probe to fail without client cert")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitHTTPGetWithClientCertMissingFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	// Cert path doesn't exist — Check should return an error every call,
+	// not panic.
+	c := NewHTTPGetWithClientCertHealthz("apiserver", "https://127.0.0.1:1/livez", "/nonexistent.crt", "/nonexistent.key")
+	if err := c.Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected missing cert files to surface as a Check error")
+	}
+}
+
+// writeSelfSignedCert generates an in-memory self-signed cert and writes the
+// PEM-encoded cert and key to a tempdir. Returns their paths.
+func writeSelfSignedCert(t *testing.T) (certPath, keyPath string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	key, err := rsa.GenerateKey(rand.Reader, 2048)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("generate key: %v", err)
+	}
+	tmpl := &x509.Certificate{
+		SerialNumber: big.NewInt(1),
+		Subject:      pkix.Name{CommonName: "test-client"},
+		NotBefore:    time.Now().Add(-time.Hour),
+		NotAfter:     time.Now().Add(time.Hour),
+		KeyUsage:     x509.KeyUsageDigitalSignature,
+		ExtKeyUsage:  []x509.ExtKeyUsage{x509.ExtKeyUsageClientAuth},
+	}
+	der, err := x509.CreateCertificate(rand.Reader, tmpl, tmpl, &key.PublicKey, key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("create cert: %v", err)
+	}
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	certPath = filepath.Join(dir, "client.crt")
+	keyPath = filepath.Join(dir, "client.key")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(certPath, pem.EncodeToMemory(&pem.Block{Type: "CERTIFICATE", Bytes: der}), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write cert: %v", err)
+	}
+	keyDER, err := x509.MarshalPKCS8PrivateKey(key)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal key: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := os.WriteFile(keyPath, pem.EncodeToMemory(&pem.Block{Type: "PRIVATE KEY", Bytes: keyDER}), 0600); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("write key: %v", err)
+	}
+	return certPath, keyPath
+}
+
+// healthServer is a minimal implementation of grpc.health.v1.Health that
+// returns a configurable status — used to test the gRPC health checker
+// against both SERVING and NOT_SERVING responses.
+type healthServer struct {
+	healthpb.UnimplementedHealthServer
+	status healthpb.HealthCheckResponse_ServingStatus
+}
+
+func (h *healthServer) Check(_ context.Context, _ *healthpb.HealthCheckRequest) (*healthpb.HealthCheckResponse, error) {
+	return &healthpb.HealthCheckResponse{Status: h.status}, nil
+}
+
+func startHealthServer(t *testing.T, status healthpb.HealthCheckResponse_ServingStatus) string {
+	t.Helper()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	socket := filepath.Join(dir, "grpc.sock")
+
+	ln, err := net.Listen("unix", socket)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("listen unix: %v", err)
+	}
+	srv := grpc.NewServer()
+	healthpb.RegisterHealthServer(srv, &healthServer{status: status})
+	go srv.Serve(ln)
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		srv.Stop()
+		ln.Close()
+	})
+	return socket
+}
+
+func Test_UnitGRPCCheckerServing(t *testing.T) {
+	socket := startHealthServer(t, healthpb.HealthCheckResponse_SERVING)
+	if err := NewGRPCHealthz("cri", socket).Check(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected SERVING status to pass, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitGRPCCheckerNotServing(t *testing.T) {
+	socket := startHealthServer(t, healthpb.HealthCheckResponse_NOT_SERVING)
+	if err := NewGRPCHealthz("cri", socket).Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected NOT_SERVING status to fail")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitGRPCCheckerStripsUnixScheme(t *testing.T) {
+	socket := startHealthServer(t, healthpb.HealthCheckResponse_SERVING)
+	if err := NewGRPCHealthz("cri", "unix://"+socket).Check(nil); err != nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected unix:// scheme to be stripped, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitGRPCCheckerMissingSocket(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	socket := filepath.Join(dir, "absent.sock")
+	if err := NewGRPCHealthz("cri", socket).Check(nil); err == nil {
+		t.Errorf("expected missing socket to fail")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/watchdog/watchdog.go b/pkg/daemons/watchdog/watchdog.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bb395b42f59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/daemons/watchdog/watchdog.go
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+// Package watchdog implements the k3s side of the systemd notify / watchdog
+// protocol.
+//
+// k3s strips NOTIFY_SOCKET (and WATCHDOG_USEC) from the process environment
+// early in startup so embedded components — kubelet, etcd, kine, etc. —
+// cannot ping systemd on behalf of the whole process. That is intentional:
+// the kubelet by itself has no visibility into etcd, the apiserver, or the
+// CRI runtime, so letting it ping the watchdog would mask whole-process
+// failures.
+//
+// READY=1 is still sent the usual way via systemd.SdNotify in the server /
+// agent startup code, which temporarily restores NOTIFY_SOCKET and then
+// unsets it again. This package owns the periodic WATCHDOG=1 pings: callers
+// pass in the cached NOTIFY_SOCKET path and WATCHDOG_USEC interval that they
+// captured before stripping, plus the set of healthz.HealthCheckers covering
+// every component that must be alive for the process to be considered
+// healthy. WATCHDOG=1 is only sent while every check passes; otherwise the
+// loop stays quiet and systemd will restart the unit after WatchdogSec.
+package watchdog
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"time"
+
+	systemd "github.com/coreos/go-systemd/v22/daemon"
+	"github.com/sirupsen/logrus"
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/healthz"
+)
+
+func Run(ctx context.Context, socketPath string, interval time.Duration, checkers []healthz.HealthChecker) {
+	if socketPath == "" {
+		return
+	}
+	if interval <= 0 {
+		logrus.Debug("systemd watchdog: not enabled by unit, notifier disabled")
+		return
+	}
+	if len(checkers) == 0 {
+		logrus.Warn("systemd watchdog: no health checks registered, notifier disabled")
+		return
+	}
+
+	tick := interval / 2
+	names := make([]string, len(checkers))
+	for i, c := range checkers {
+		names[i] = c.Name()
+	}
+	logrus.Infof("systemd watchdog: pinging every %s (WatchdogSec=%s), monitoring components %v",
+		tick, interval, names)
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(tick)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			if name, err := check(checkers); err != nil {
+				logrus.Warnf("systemd watchdog: %q is unhealthy, withholding WATCHDOG=1: %v", name, err)
+				continue
+			}
+			if err := notify(socketPath, systemd.SdNotifyWatchdog); err != nil {
+				logrus.Warnf("systemd watchdog: failed to send WATCHDOG=1: %v", err)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func check(checkers []healthz.HealthChecker) (string, error) {
+	for _, c := range checkers {
+		if err := c.Check(nil); err != nil {
+			return c.Name(), err
+		}
+	}
+	return "", nil
+}
+
+func notify(socketPath, state string) error {
+	if socketPath == "" {
+		return errors.New("watchdog: empty notify socket path")
+	}
+	addr := &net.UnixAddr{Name: socketPath, Net: "unixgram"}
+	conn, err := net.DialUnix(addr.Net, nil, addr)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer conn.Close()
+	_, err = conn.Write([]byte(state))
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/pkg/daemons/watchdog/watchdog_test.go b/pkg/daemons/watchdog/watchdog_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..512e14aeef6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/daemons/watchdog/watchdog_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+package watchdog
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"k8s.io/apiserver/pkg/server/healthz"
+)
+
+// startNotifyListener opens a unix datagram socket at a temporary path and
+// returns the path plus a channel that receives every datagram written to it.
+// The listener is cleaned up when the test ends.
+func startNotifyListener(t *testing.T) (string, <-chan string) {
+	t.Helper()
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, "notify.sock")
+	conn, err := net.ListenUnixgram("unixgram", &net.UnixAddr{Name: path, Net: "unixgram"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("listen unixgram: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() {
+		conn.Close()
+		_ = os.Remove(path)
+	})
+
+	out := make(chan string, 16)
+	go func() {
+		buf := make([]byte, 1024)
+		for {
+			n, _, err := conn.ReadFromUnix(buf)
+			if err != nil {
+				close(out)
+				return
+			}
+			out <- string(buf[:n])
+		}
+	}()
+	return path, out
+}
+
+// fakeChecker returns a healthz.HealthChecker that calls fn and exposes a
+// counter of invocations.
+type fakeChecker struct {
+	name  string
+	fn    func() error
+	calls atomic.Int32
+}
+
+func (f *fakeChecker) Name() string                   { return f.name }
+func (f *fakeChecker) Check(_ *http.Request) error    { f.calls.Add(1); return f.fn() }
+
+func ok(name string) *fakeChecker {
+	return &fakeChecker{name: name, fn: func() error { return nil }}
+}
+
+func bad(name string, err error) *fakeChecker {
+	return &fakeChecker{name: name, fn: func() error { return err }}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitWatchdogNoSocketReturnsImmediately(t *testing.T) {
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		Run(context.Background(), "", time.Second, []healthz.HealthChecker{ok("x")})
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Run did not return when socketPath was empty")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitWatchdogZeroIntervalReturnsImmediately(t *testing.T) {
+	socket, _ := startNotifyListener(t)
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		Run(context.Background(), socket, 0, []healthz.HealthChecker{ok("x")})
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Run did not return when interval was zero")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitWatchdogEmptyCheckersReturnsImmediately(t *testing.T) {
+	socket, _ := startNotifyListener(t)
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		Run(context.Background(), socket, time.Second, nil)
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Run did not return when checkers was empty")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitWatchdogPingsWhenHealthy(t *testing.T) {
+	socket, msgs := startNotifyListener(t)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	go Run(ctx, socket, 100*time.Millisecond, []healthz.HealthChecker{ok("ok")})
+
+	select {
+	case got := <-msgs:
+		if got != "WATCHDOG=1" {
+			t.Errorf("expected WATCHDOG=1, got %q", got)
+		}
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("did not receive WATCHDOG=1 within 2s")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitWatchdogWithholdsPingWhenUnhealthy(t *testing.T) {
+	socket, msgs := startNotifyListener(t)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	defer cancel()
+
+	checker := bad("bad", errors.New("unhealthy"))
+	go Run(ctx, socket, 100*time.Millisecond, []healthz.HealthChecker{checker})
+
+	select {
+	case got := <-msgs:
+		t.Fatalf("did not expect any WATCHDOG=1 ping, got %q", got)
+	case <-time.After(500 * time.Millisecond):
+	}
+	if checker.calls.Load() == 0 {
+		t.Fatal("expected checker to have been invoked at least once")
+	}
+}
+
+func Test_UnitWatchdogStopsOnContextCancel(t *testing.T) {
+	socket, _ := startNotifyListener(t)
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() {
+		Run(ctx, socket, 100*time.Millisecond, []healthz.HealthChecker{ok("ok")})
+		close(done)
+	}()
+
+	cancel()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("Run did not return after ctx cancellation")
+	}
+}