diff --git a/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb b/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb
index e9bd6c2e..54d01c03 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/cli/healthcheck.rb
@@ -3,7 +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?
+    raise "The primary host is not configured to run Traefik" unless KAMAL.config.primary_role.running_traefik?
     on(KAMAL.primary_host) do
       begin
         execute *KAMAL.healthcheck.run
diff --git a/lib/kamal/cli/main.rb b/lib/kamal/cli/main.rb
index b1f54aba..c8f0411d 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/cli/main.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/cli/main.rb
@@ -38,8 +38,10 @@ class Kamal::Cli::Main < Kamal::Cli::Base
         say "Ensure Traefik is running...", :magenta
         invoke "kamal:cli:traefik:boot", [], invoke_options
 
-        say "Ensure app can pass healthcheck...", :magenta
-        invoke "kamal:cli:healthcheck:perform", [], invoke_options
+        if KAMAL.config.primary_role.running_traefik?
+          say "Ensure app can pass healthcheck...", :magenta
+          invoke "kamal:cli:healthcheck:perform", [], invoke_options
+        end
 
         say "Detect stale containers...", :magenta
         invoke "kamal:cli:app:stale_containers", [], invoke_options.merge(stop: true)
diff --git a/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb b/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb
index 6abe9bbd..5adc0244 100644
--- a/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb
+++ b/lib/kamal/commands/healthcheck.rb
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ class Kamal::Commands::Healthcheck < Kamal::Commands::Base
 
   def run
     web = config.role(:web)
-    return unless web.present?
 
     docker :run,
       "--detach",
diff --git a/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb b/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb
index c4554d4f..3cba78bc 100644
--- a/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/healthcheck_test.rb
@@ -65,9 +65,14 @@ class CliHealthcheckTest < CliTestCase
     assert_match "container not ready (unhealthy)", exception.message
   end
   
-  test "does not perform if primary does not have traefik" do
+  test "raises an exception 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")
+    
+    exception = assert_raises do
+      run_command("perform", config_file: "test/fixtures/deploy_workers_only.yml")
+    end
+
+    assert_equal "The primary host is not configured to run Traefik", exception.message
   end
 
   private
diff --git a/test/cli/main_test.rb b/test/cli/main_test.rb
index a19ff90e..852602c6 100644
--- a/test/cli/main_test.rb
+++ b/test/cli/main_test.rb
@@ -122,6 +122,21 @@ class CliMainTest < CliTestCase
       refute_match /Running the post-deploy hook.../, output
     end
   end
+  
+  test "deploy without healthcheck if primary host doesn't have traefik" do
+    invoke_options = { "config_file" => "test/fixtures/deploy_workers_only.yml", "version" => "999", "skip_hooks" => false }
+
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:healthcheck:perform", [], invoke_options).never
+    
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:registry:login", [], invoke_options)
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:build:deliver", [], invoke_options)
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:traefik:boot", [], invoke_options)
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:app:stale_containers", [], invoke_options.merge(stop: true))
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:app:boot", [], invoke_options)
+    Kamal::Cli::Main.any_instance.expects(:invoke).with("kamal:cli:prune:all", [], invoke_options)
+
+    run_command("deploy", config_file: "deploy_workers_only")
+  end
 
   test "deploy with missing secrets" do
     invoke_options = { "config_file" => "test/fixtures/deploy_with_secrets.yml", "version" => "999", "skip_hooks" => false }