diff --git a/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/healthcheck.py b/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/healthcheck.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5465b559
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/python/src/taskbroker_client/healthcheck.py
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import argparse
+import os
+import sys
+
+
+def healthcheck(path: str) -> None:
+    """
+    Remove the health file, so the next check fails unless the worker touches it
+    again. Runs as the worker pod's liveness probe.
+    """
+    try:
+        os.remove(path)
+    except FileNotFoundError:
+        sys.exit(f"{path} is missing: the worker has not touched it since the last probe")
+
+
+def main(argv: list[str] | None = None) -> None:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        prog="python3 -m taskbroker_client.healthcheck",
+        description="Remove the worker health file, or exit 1 if it is missing.",
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("path", help="the health check file the worker touches")
+    args = parser.parse_args(argv)
+    healthcheck(args.path)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()
diff --git a/clients/python/tests/test_healthcheck.py b/clients/python/tests/test_healthcheck.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..816b5518
--- /dev/null
+++ b/clients/python/tests/test_healthcheck.py
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import pytest
+
+from taskbroker_client.healthcheck import main
+
+
+def test_fails_when_worker_has_not_touched_file_since_last_check(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    path = tmp_path / "health"
+    path.touch()
+
+    main([str(path)])
+    assert not path.exists()
+
+    with pytest.raises(SystemExit) as exc:
+        main([str(path)])
+    assert exc.value.code == (
+        f"{path} is missing: the worker has not touched it since the last probe"
+    )