diff --git a/fastapi_vue_setup.py b/fastapi_vue_setup.py
index 43d9545..1dddcd0 100644
--- a/fastapi_vue_setup.py
+++ b/fastapi_vue_setup.py
@@ -110,6 +110,9 @@ def uv_add_packages(
 # If vite == dev, dev is incremented by 100
 DEFAULT_PORTS = (3100, 3100, 3200)
 
+# Default health check path for devserver backend readiness check
+DEFAULT_HEALTH = "/api/health?from=devserver.py"
+
 # Marker comment indicating file can be auto-upgraded
 # Users should remove this line to prevent automatic updates
 UPGRADE_MARKER = "auto-upgrade@fastapi-vue-setup"
@@ -300,6 +303,29 @@ def extract_existing_ports(
     return None
 
 
+# Sentinel for "not found" in extract_existing_health
+_HEALTH_NOT_FOUND = object()
+
+
+def extract_existing_health(project_dir: Path) -> str | object:
+    """Extract existing health path configuration from devserver.py.
+
+    Returns:
+        - The path string (may be empty to disable)
+        - _HEALTH_NOT_FOUND sentinel if not found or file doesn't exist
+    """
+    devserver_file = project_dir / "scripts" / "devserver.py"
+    if not devserver_file.exists():
+        return _HEALTH_NOT_FOUND
+
+    content = devserver_file.read_text("UTF-8")
+    # Match HEALTH = "/path" or HEALTH = ""
+    match = re.search(r'^HEALTH\s*=\s*"([^"]*)"', content, re.MULTILINE)
+    if match:
+        return match.group(1)
+    return _HEALTH_NOT_FOUND
+
+
 def load_template(path: str) -> str:
     """Load a template file from the template directory."""
     return (TEMPLATE_DIR / path).read_text("UTF-8")
@@ -1323,6 +1349,27 @@ def cmd_setup(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         f"📡 Ports: default={default_port}, vite={vite_port}, dev={dev_port} {ports_note}"
     )
 
+    # Determine health path configuration
+    # Priority: --health argument > existing project value > default
+    if args.health is not None:
+        health = args.health
+        health_note = "(--health)" if health else "(disabled via --health)"
+    else:
+        existing_health = extract_existing_health(project_dir)
+        if existing_health is not _HEALTH_NOT_FOUND:
+            # Explicitly configured (path string, possibly empty to disable)
+            health = existing_health
+            health_note = "(kept for upgrade)"
+        else:
+            # Not found - use default
+            health = DEFAULT_HEALTH
+            health_note = "(--health to override)"
+
+    if health:
+        print(f"🏥 Health check: {health} {health_note}")
+    else:
+        print(f"🏥 Health check: disabled {health_note}")
+
     # Title for templates
     project_title = module_name.replace("_", " ").title()
 
@@ -1338,6 +1385,7 @@ def cmd_setup(args: argparse.Namespace) -> int:
         "TEMPLATE_DEFAULT_PORT": str(default_port),
         "TEMPLATE_VITE_PORT": str(vite_port),
         "TEMPLATE_DEV_PORT": str(dev_port),
+        "TEMPLATE_HEALTH": f'"{health}"',
         "ENVPREFIX": module_name.upper(),
         "PROJECT_CLI": module_name,
         "MAIN_MODULE": main_module_path,
@@ -1635,6 +1683,11 @@ Examples:
         metavar="BACKEND,VITE,DEV",
         help="Port configuration as comma-separated values (default: 3100,3100,3200)",
     )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--health",
+        metavar="PATH",
+        help="Health check path for devserver (default: /api/health?from=devserver.py, '' to disable)",
+    )
     parser.add_argument(
         "--dry", "--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Show what would be done"
     )
diff --git a/template/scripts/devserver.py b/template/scripts/devserver.py
index 6a76b84..51769f4 100755
--- a/template/scripts/devserver.py
+++ b/template/scripts/devserver.py
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ from devutil import (  # type: ignore
 
 DEFAULT_VITE_PORT = TEMPLATE_VITE_PORT
 DEFAULT_DEV_PORT = TEMPLATE_DEV_PORT
+HEALTH = TEMPLATE_HEALTH
 
 
 async def run_devserver(
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ async def run_devserver(
         npm_i = await pg.spawn(*npm_install, cwd=front)
         await check_ports_free(viteurl, backurl)
         await pg.spawn(*MODULE_NAME, *(extra_args or []))
-        await pg.wait(npm_i, ready(backurl, path="/api/health?from=devserver.py"))
+        await pg.wait(npm_i, ready(backurl, path=HEALTH))
         await pg.spawn(*vite, cwd=front)
 
 
diff --git a/template/scripts/fastapi-vue/devutil.py b/template/scripts/fastapi-vue/devutil.py
index 66c4744..f4cf749 100644
--- a/template/scripts/fastapi-vue/devutil.py
+++ b/template/scripts/fastapi-vue/devutil.py
@@ -111,18 +111,19 @@ async def check_ports_free(*urls: str) -> None:
         await asyncio.gather(*[check(client, url) for url in urls])
 
 
-async def ready(url: str, path: str = "") -> None:
+async def ready(url: str, path: str = "", max_attempts=50) -> None:
     """Wait for the server to be ready by polling an endpoint.
 
+    Use empty path to disable the check and make this return immediately.
     Raises SystemExit(1) if server doesn't start in time.
     """
-    max_attempts = 50
-    full_url = f"{url}{path}"
+    if not path:
+        return
 
     async with httpx.AsyncClient() as client:
         for attempt in range(max_attempts):
             try:
-                await client.get(full_url, timeout=1.0)
+                await client.get(f"{url}{path}", timeout=1.0)
                 logger.info("✓ Backend ready!")
                 return
             except httpx.RequestError: