diff --git a/headroom/proxy/server.py b/headroom/proxy/server.py
index ea9615fcc..10e5260c7 100644
--- a/headroom/proxy/server.py
+++ b/headroom/proxy/server.py
@@ -2685,15 +2685,29 @@ def create_app(config: ProxyConfig | None = None) -> FastAPI:
         *,
         enabled: bool,
         ready: bool,
+        optional: bool = False,
         **details: Any,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
-        status = "disabled" if not enabled else ("healthy" if ready else "unhealthy")
-        return {
+        if not enabled:
+            status = "disabled"
+        elif ready:
+            status = "healthy"
+        elif optional:
+            # Optional/non-gating components report "degraded" rather than
+            # "unhealthy" so the top-level status: "healthy" / ready: true
+            # payload is not contradicted by a component-level failure label.
+            status = "degraded"
+        else:
+            status = "unhealthy"
+        result: dict[str, Any] = {
             "enabled": enabled,
             "ready": (ready if enabled else True),
             "status": status,
-            **details,
         }
+        if optional:
+            result["optional"] = True
+        result.update(details)
+        return result
 
     def _kompress_health_routers() -> list[ContentRouter]:
         routers: list[ContentRouter] = []
@@ -2803,6 +2817,7 @@ def create_app(config: ProxyConfig | None = None) -> FastAPI:
             "kompress": _component_health(
                 enabled=kompress_enabled,
                 ready=proxy.warmup.kompress.status == "loaded",
+                optional=True,
                 backend=proxy.warmup.kompress.info.get("backend", None),
             ),
         }
diff --git a/tests/test_proxy_health.py b/tests/test_proxy_health.py
index efdad4cc1..b45cb42ad 100644
--- a/tests/test_proxy_health.py
+++ b/tests/test_proxy_health.py
@@ -69,7 +69,8 @@ def test_readyz_excludes_kompress_from_aggregate_readiness(monkeypatch):
     assert payload["checks"]["kompress"] == {
         "enabled": True,
         "ready": False,
-        "status": "unhealthy",
+        "status": "degraded",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": None,
     }
 
@@ -85,6 +86,7 @@ def test_readyz_promotes_deferred_kompress_after_runtime_load(monkeypatch):
         "enabled": True,
         "ready": True,
         "status": "healthy",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": "onnx",
     }
     # The promotion must also clear the startup marker, otherwise the slot
@@ -110,6 +112,7 @@ def test_readyz_promotes_kompress_from_module_cache(monkeypatch, attached):
         "enabled": True,
         "ready": True,
         "status": "healthy",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": "onnx",
     }
     assert proxy.warmup.kompress.handle is model
@@ -141,7 +144,8 @@ def test_readyz_keeps_pending_kompress_unloaded(monkeypatch):
     assert payload["checks"]["kompress"] == {
         "enabled": True,
         "ready": False,
-        "status": "unhealthy",
+        "status": "degraded",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": None,
     }
     assert compressor.calls == ["is_ready"]
@@ -181,6 +185,7 @@ def test_readyz_disabled_kompress_skips_inspection(monkeypatch):
         "enabled": False,
         "ready": True,
         "status": "disabled",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": None,
     }
     assert compressor.calls == []
@@ -202,6 +207,7 @@ def test_readyz_per_provider_kompress_override_reenables_health(monkeypatch):
         "enabled": True,
         "ready": True,
         "status": "healthy",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": "onnx",
     }
     assert compressor.calls == ["is_ready", "ready_backend"]
@@ -222,7 +228,8 @@ def test_readyz_never_calls_lazy_kompress_getters(monkeypatch):
     assert payload["checks"]["kompress"] == {
         "enabled": True,
         "ready": False,
-        "status": "unhealthy",
+        "status": "degraded",
+        "optional": True,
         "backend": None,
     }
 
@@ -234,37 +241,73 @@ def test_readyz_never_calls_lazy_kompress_getters(monkeypatch):
             "null",
             None,
             False,
-            {"enabled": True, "ready": False, "status": "unhealthy", "backend": None},
+            {
+                "enabled": True,
+                "ready": False,
+                "status": "degraded",
+                "optional": True,
+                "backend": None,
+            },
         ),
         (
             "null",
             _ReadyCompressor(),
             False,
-            {"enabled": True, "ready": True, "status": "healthy", "backend": "onnx"},
+            {
+                "enabled": True,
+                "ready": True,
+                "status": "healthy",
+                "optional": True,
+                "backend": "onnx",
+            },
         ),
         (
             "null",
             _ReadyCompressor(backend="remote"),
             False,
-            {"enabled": True, "ready": True, "status": "healthy", "backend": "remote"},
+            {
+                "enabled": True,
+                "ready": True,
+                "status": "healthy",
+                "optional": True,
+                "backend": "remote",
+            },
         ),
         (
             "error",
             _ReadyCompressor(),
             False,
-            {"enabled": True, "ready": True, "status": "healthy", "backend": "onnx"},
+            {
+                "enabled": True,
+                "ready": True,
+                "status": "healthy",
+                "optional": True,
+                "backend": "onnx",
+            },
         ),
         (
             "loaded",
             _ReadyCompressor(),
             False,
-            {"enabled": True, "ready": True, "status": "healthy", "backend": "existing"},
+            {
+                "enabled": True,
+                "ready": True,
+                "status": "healthy",
+                "optional": True,
+                "backend": "existing",
+            },
         ),
         (
             "null",
             _ReadyCompressor(),
             True,
-            {"enabled": False, "ready": True, "status": "disabled", "backend": None},
+            {
+                "enabled": False,
+                "ready": True,
+                "status": "disabled",
+                "optional": True,
+                "backend": None,
+            },
         ),
     ],
 )