diff --git a/internal/worker/json.go b/internal/worker/json.go
index 7fdc8f8f9..bcf323f95 100644
--- a/internal/worker/json.go
+++ b/internal/worker/json.go
@@ -25,6 +25,10 @@ type OSBuildJobResult struct {
 // JSON-serializable types for the HTTP API
 //
 
+type statusResponse struct {
+	Status string `json:"status"`
+}
+
 type errorResponse struct {
 	Message string `json:"message"`
 }
diff --git a/internal/worker/server.go b/internal/worker/server.go
index 1c6d5bf49..00f9ba418 100644
--- a/internal/worker/server.go
+++ b/internal/worker/server.go
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ func NewServer(logger *log.Logger, jobs jobqueue.JobQueue, artifactsDir string)
 	s.router.MethodNotAllowed = http.HandlerFunc(methodNotAllowedHandler)
 	s.router.NotFound = http.HandlerFunc(notFoundHandler)
 
+	// Add a basic status handler for checking if osbuild-composer is alive.
+	s.router.GET("/status", s.statusHandler)
+
+	// Add handlers for managing jobs.
 	s.router.POST("/job-queue/v1/jobs", s.addJobHandler)
 	s.router.PATCH("/job-queue/v1/jobs/:job_id", s.updateJobHandler)
 	s.router.POST("/job-queue/v1/jobs/:job_id/artifacts/:name", s.addJobImageHandler)
@@ -134,6 +138,15 @@ func notFoundHandler(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request) {
 	jsonErrorf(writer, http.StatusNotFound, "not found")
 }
 
+func (s *Server) statusHandler(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request, _ httprouter.Params) {
+	writer.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+
+	// Send back a status message.
+	_ = json.NewEncoder(writer).Encode(&statusResponse{
+		Status: "OK",
+	})
+}
+
 func (s *Server) addJobHandler(writer http.ResponseWriter, request *http.Request, _ httprouter.Params) {
 	contentType := request.Header["Content-Type"]
 	if len(contentType) != 1 || contentType[0] != "application/json" {
diff --git a/internal/worker/server_test.go b/internal/worker/server_test.go
index 1ed3d254e..41dae2494 100644
--- a/internal/worker/server_test.go
+++ b/internal/worker/server_test.go
@@ -14,6 +14,12 @@ import (
 	"github.com/osbuild/osbuild-composer/internal/worker"
 )
 
+// Ensure that the status request returns OK.
+func TestStatus(t *testing.T) {
+	server := worker.NewServer(nil, testjobqueue.New(), "")
+	test.TestRoute(t, server, false, "GET", "/status", ``, http.StatusOK, `{"status":"OK"}`, "message")
+}
+
 func TestErrors(t *testing.T) {
 	var cases = []struct {
 		Method         string