diff --git a/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb b/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb
index 5a72e686..e9bd6c2e 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ class Kamal::Cli::Healthcheck < Kamal::Cli::Base
 
   desc "perform", "Health check current app version"
   def perform
+    return unless KAMAL.primary_role.running_traefik?
     on(KAMAL.primary_host) do
       begin
         execute *KAMAL.healthcheck.run
diff --git a/lib/kamal/commander.rb b/lib/kamal/commander.rb
index 9ba3be12..869568ae 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/commander.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/commander.rb
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class Kamal::Commander
   attr_reader :specific_roles, :specific_hosts
 
   def specific_primary!
-    self.specific_hosts = [ config.primary_web_host ]
+    self.specific_hosts = [ config.primary_host ]
   end
 
   def specific_roles=(role_names)
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ class Kamal::Commander
   end
 
   def primary_host
-    specific_hosts&.first || specific_roles&.first&.primary_host || config.primary_web_host
+    specific_hosts&.first || specific_roles&.first&.primary_host || config.primary_host
   end
 
   def primary_role
diff --git a/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb b/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb
index 5adc0244..6abe9bbd 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ class Kamal::Commands::Healthcheck < Kamal::Commands::Base
 
   def run
     web = config.role(:web)
+    return unless web.present?
 
     docker :run,
       "--detach",
diff --git a/lib/kamal/configuration.rb b/lib/kamal/configuration.rb
index fc881c06..b4a0ecd5 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/configuration.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/configuration.rb
@@ -89,8 +89,12 @@ class Kamal::Configuration
     roles.flat_map(&:hosts).uniq
   end
 
-  def primary_web_host
-    role(:web).primary_host
+  def primary_host
+    primary_role.primary_host
+  end
+
+  def primary_role
+    role(:web) || roles.first
   end
 
   def traefik_hosts
@@ -208,7 +212,7 @@ class Kamal::Configuration
     {
       roles: role_names,
       hosts: all_hosts,
-      primary_host: primary_web_host,
+      primary_host: primary_host,
       version: version,
       repository: repository,
       absolute_image: absolute_image,
diff --git a/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb b/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb
index e76e43e1..c4554d4f 100644
--- a/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb
@@ -64,9 +64,14 @@ class CliHealthcheckTest < CliTestCase
     end
     assert_match "container not ready (unhealthy)", exception.message
   end
+  
+  test "does not perform if primary does not have traefik" do
+    SSHKit::Backend::Abstract.any_instance.expects(:execute).never
+    run_command("perform", config_file: "test/fixtures/deploy_workers_only.yml")
+  end
 
   private
-    def run_command(*command)
-      stdouted { Kamal::Cli::Healthcheck.start([*command, "-c", "test/fixtures/deploy_with_accessories.yml"]) }
+    def run_command(*command, config_file: "test/fixtures/deploy_with_accessories.yml")
+      stdouted { Kamal::Cli::Healthcheck.start([*command, "-c", config_file]) } 
     end
 end
diff --git a/test/configuration_test.rb b/test/configuration_test.rb
index 5b9f4cc9..62693b2a 100644
--- a/test/configuration_test.rb
+++ b/test/configuration_test.rb
@@ -58,9 +58,9 @@ class ConfigurationTest < ActiveSupport::TestCase
     assert_equal [ "1.1.1.1", "1.1.1.2", "1.1.1.3" ], @config_with_roles.all_hosts
   end
 
-  test "primary web host" do
-    assert_equal "1.1.1.1", @config.primary_web_host
-    assert_equal "1.1.1.1", @config_with_roles.primary_web_host
+  test "primary host" do
+    assert_equal "1.1.1.1", @config.primary_host
+    assert_equal "1.1.1.1", @config_with_roles.primary_host
   end
 
   test "traefik hosts" do
diff --git a/test/fixtures/deploy_workers_only.yml b/test/fixtures/deploy_workers_only.yml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f12e650e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/fixtures/deploy_workers_only.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+service: app
+image: dhh/app
+servers:
+  workers:
+    hosts:
+      - 1.1.1.1
+      - 1.1.1.2
+registry:
+  username: user
+  password: pw