diff --git a/cmd/main.go b/cmd/main.go
index fed106fb..519ded67 100644
--- a/cmd/main.go
+++ b/cmd/main.go
@@ -149,6 +149,15 @@ func main() {
 	// reconciling before enforcing readiness checks.
 	healthManager.SuppressReadiness(2 * time.Minute)
 
+	// When leader election is enabled, mark this pod as standby until it wins
+	// the lease. Standby pods return 200 on /readyz so Kubernetes does not
+	// repeatedly mark them unhealthy while they wait. The flag is cleared
+	// (inside the goroutine below) the moment this pod is elected leader, at
+	// which point the normal 2-minute readiness grace period takes over.
+	if enableLeaderElection {
+		healthManager.SetStandby(true)
+	}
+
 	// No need to add the standard controller with kubebuilder:scaffold:builder
 	// The env-based controller doesn't rely on CRDs
 
@@ -204,8 +213,22 @@ func main() {
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
 
+	ctx := ctrl.SetupSignalHandler()
+
+	// Clear standby the moment this pod wins leader election so that normal
+	// readiness checks (with the 2-minute grace period) take over.
+	if enableLeaderElection {
+		go func() {
+			select {
+			case <-mgr.Elected():
+				healthManager.SetStandby(false)
+			case <-ctx.Done():
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+
 	setupLog.Info("starting manager")
-	if err := mgr.Start(ctrl.SetupSignalHandler()); err != nil {
+	if err := mgr.Start(ctx); err != nil {
 		setupLog.Error(err, "problem running manager")
 		os.Exit(1)
 	}
diff --git a/config/manager/manager.yaml b/config/manager/manager.yaml
index 316bcda5..05e4e9bf 100644
--- a/config/manager/manager.yaml
+++ b/config/manager/manager.yaml
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ spec:
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       control-plane: controller-manager
-  replicas: 1
+  replicas: 2
   template:
     metadata:
       annotations:
diff --git a/dist/backend-install.yaml b/dist/backend-install.yaml
index 2d54a3c4..90cb4154 100644
--- a/dist/backend-install.yaml
+++ b/dist/backend-install.yaml
@@ -1480,7 +1480,7 @@ metadata:
   name: devzero-zxporter-controller-manager
   namespace: devzero-zxporter
 spec:
-  replicas: 1
+  replicas: 2
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       control-plane: controller-manager
diff --git a/dist/install.yaml b/dist/install.yaml
index 6de4b7c4..a32a65fc 100644
--- a/dist/install.yaml
+++ b/dist/install.yaml
@@ -1485,7 +1485,7 @@ metadata:
   name: devzero-zxporter-controller-manager
   namespace: devzero-zxporter
 spec:
-  replicas: 1
+  replicas: 2
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       control-plane: controller-manager
diff --git a/dist/installer_updater.yaml b/dist/installer_updater.yaml
index 080b0911..eceaec01 100644
--- a/dist/installer_updater.yaml
+++ b/dist/installer_updater.yaml
@@ -1424,7 +1424,7 @@ metadata:
   name: devzero-zxporter-controller-manager
   namespace: devzero-zxporter
 spec:
-  replicas: 1
+  replicas: 2
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       control-plane: controller-manager
diff --git a/dist/zxporter.yaml b/dist/zxporter.yaml
index a720ddba..245cfb15 100644
--- a/dist/zxporter.yaml
+++ b/dist/zxporter.yaml
@@ -664,7 +664,7 @@ metadata:
   name: devzero-zxporter-controller-manager
   namespace: devzero-zxporter
 spec:
-  replicas: 1
+  replicas: 2
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       control-plane: controller-manager
diff --git a/helm-chart/zxporter/templates/deployment.yaml b/helm-chart/zxporter/templates/deployment.yaml
index 811a3879..b775568b 100644
--- a/helm-chart/zxporter/templates/deployment.yaml
+++ b/helm-chart/zxporter/templates/deployment.yaml
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ metadata:
   name: devzero-zxporter-controller-manager
   namespace: {{ .Release.Namespace }}
 spec:
-  replicas: 1
+  replicas: {{ if .Values.highAvailability.enabled }}2{{ else }}1{{ end }}
   selector:
     matchLabels:
       control-plane: controller-manager
diff --git a/helm-chart/zxporter/values.yaml b/helm-chart/zxporter/values.yaml
index 6d9763ef..bdf44c9e 100644
--- a/helm-chart/zxporter/values.yaml
+++ b/helm-chart/zxporter/values.yaml
@@ -140,11 +140,10 @@ affinity: {}
 
 # High Availability Configuration
 highAvailability:
-  enabled: false
+  enabled: true
   podDisruptionBudget:
     enabled: true
     minAvailable: 1
-    # Alternative: maxUnavailable: 1
 
 # MPA Server Configuration
 mpaServer:
diff --git a/internal/health/manager.go b/internal/health/manager.go
index c961c5a2..45ce2a7d 100644
--- a/internal/health/manager.go
+++ b/internal/health/manager.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ type HealthManager struct {
 	components          map[string]*ComponentStatus
 	livenessGraceUntil  time.Time // LivenessCheck always passes before this deadline
 	readinessGraceUntil time.Time // ReadinessCheck always passes before this deadline
+	standby             bool      // standby=true when not leader; readiness passes unconditionally
 }
 
 // NewHealthManager creates a new HealthManager
@@ -118,6 +119,16 @@ func (hm *HealthManager) BuildReport() map[string]ComponentStatus {
 	return report
 }
 
+// SetStandby marks the pod as a standby (non-leader) replica. While in standby,
+// ReadinessCheck passes unconditionally — the pod is healthy and ready to take
+// over leadership, it just isn't running collectors yet. Call with false when
+// leader election is won so normal readiness checks resume.
+func (hm *HealthManager) SetStandby(standby bool) {
+	hm.mu.Lock()
+	defer hm.mu.Unlock()
+	hm.standby = standby
+}
+
 // SuppressLiveness makes LivenessCheck pass unconditionally for the given
 // duration. Use this before a planned collector restart so that the transient
 // Unhealthy window does not trigger a pod kill. The grace period is cleared
@@ -192,6 +203,9 @@ func (hm *HealthManager) ReadinessCheck() error {
 
 // readinessCheckLocked performs the readiness check while the caller holds mu.
 func (hm *HealthManager) readinessCheckLocked() error {
+	if hm.standby {
+		return nil // standby replica: healthy and ready to become leader
+	}
 	if !hm.readinessGraceUntil.IsZero() && time.Now().Before(hm.readinessGraceUntil) {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/internal/health/manager_test.go b/internal/health/manager_test.go
index 492aaf4a..f33e70f6 100644
--- a/internal/health/manager_test.go
+++ b/internal/health/manager_test.go
@@ -325,3 +325,34 @@ func TestLivenessCheck_FullRestartCycle(t *testing.T) {
 	hm.UpdateStatus(ComponentCollectorManager, HealthStatusHealthy, "restarted", nil)
 	assert.NoError(t, hm.LivenessCheck()) // passes normally
 }
+
+// TestReadinessCheck_StandbyPassesWhenComponentsUnspecified verifies that a
+// standby (non-leader) pod passes readiness even though its components are
+// unspecified — it is healthy and ready to take over leadership.
+func TestReadinessCheck_StandbyPassesWhenComponentsUnspecified(t *testing.T) {
+	hm := NewHealthManager()
+	hm.Register(ComponentCollectorManager)
+	hm.Register(ComponentDakrTransport)
+	// Components remain Unspecified (collectors never started on non-leader)
+
+	hm.SetStandby(true)
+	assert.NoError(t, hm.ReadinessCheck())
+}
+
+// TestReadinessCheck_StandbyClearedEnforcesNormalChecks verifies that after
+// winning leader election (SetStandby(false)), normal readiness rules apply.
+func TestReadinessCheck_StandbyClearedEnforcesNormalChecks(t *testing.T) {
+	hm := NewHealthManager()
+	hm.Register(ComponentCollectorManager)
+	hm.Register(ComponentDakrTransport)
+
+	hm.SetStandby(true)
+	assert.NoError(t, hm.ReadinessCheck()) // standby: passes
+
+	hm.SetStandby(false)
+	assert.Error(t, hm.ReadinessCheck()) // components still Unspecified → fails
+
+	hm.UpdateStatus(ComponentCollectorManager, HealthStatusHealthy, "ok", nil)
+	hm.UpdateStatus(ComponentDakrTransport, HealthStatusHealthy, "ok", nil)
+	assert.NoError(t, hm.ReadinessCheck()) // now passes
+}
diff --git a/internal/transport/telemetry_sender.go b/internal/transport/telemetry_sender.go
index 0c453571..0e04ebc2 100644
--- a/internal/transport/telemetry_sender.go
+++ b/internal/transport/telemetry_sender.go
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ func (s *TelemetrySender) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
 	s.logger.Info("Starting telemetry sender", "interval", s.interval)
 	s.isRunning = true
 
+	// Mark transport as healthy optimistically so the readiness probe does not
+	// return 503 while waiting for the first successful send. The circuit
+	// breaker will downgrade the status if actual sends fail.
+	s.updateHealthStatus(health.HealthStatusHealthy, "Transport starting", nil)
+
 	go s.run(ctx)
 	return nil
 }