diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d127194..d7934f9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ The format is intentionally lightweight and human-readable. Group entries by rel
 - Added an opt-in `auto_update` policy block plus `foundrygate-auto-update` so controlled deployments can gate helper-driven updates without enabling silent self-updates
 - Added `GET /api/operator-events` plus operator-event metrics for update checks and helper-driven auto-update attempts
 - Added dashboard cards and tables for operator-side update checks and apply attempts
+- Added provider-health rollout guardrails so helper-driven auto-updates can block when gateway health is already degraded
 
 ## v0.6.0 - 2026-03-12
 
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e76dd6d..0bee303 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -543,6 +543,8 @@ Supported fields in `auto_update`:
 
 - `enabled`
 - `allow_major`
+- `require_healthy_providers`
+- `max_unhealthy_providers`
 - `apply_command`
 
 Example:
@@ -551,6 +553,8 @@ Example:
 auto_update:
   enabled: true
   allow_major: false
+  require_healthy_providers: true
+  max_unhealthy_providers: 0
   apply_command: "foundrygate-update"
 ```
 
@@ -559,6 +563,7 @@ What the current runtime does with it:
 - exposes eligibility in `GET /api/update` under `auto_update`
 - shows the same state in the dashboard
 - lets `foundrygate-auto-update --apply` run only when the current release state is eligible
+- can block helper-driven rollout when provider health is already degraded
 
 What it still does not do:
 
diff --git a/config.yaml b/config.yaml
index b9bbe69..64364d8 100644
--- a/config.yaml
+++ b/config.yaml
@@ -888,6 +888,8 @@ update_check:
 auto_update:
   enabled: false
   allow_major: false
+  require_healthy_providers: true
+  max_unhealthy_providers: 0
   apply_command: "foundrygate-update"
 
 
diff --git a/docs/PUBLISHING.md b/docs/PUBLISHING.md
index 857d121..74b7867 100644
--- a/docs/PUBLISHING.md
+++ b/docs/PUBLISHING.md
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ If you want scheduled update application:
 
 - keep `auto_update.enabled: true` explicit in `config.yaml`
 - keep `allow_major: false` unless you are ready to absorb breaking changes automatically
+- keep `require_healthy_providers: true` unless you are intentionally allowing rollouts while the gateway is degraded
 - prefer the reviewed examples in [examples/foundrygate-auto-update.service](./examples/foundrygate-auto-update.service) and [examples/foundrygate-auto-update.timer](./examples/foundrygate-auto-update.timer)
 - use the cron example in [examples/foundrygate-auto-update.cron](./examples/foundrygate-auto-update.cron) only when `systemd` timers are not practical
 
diff --git a/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md b/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
index e960205..cd66ab5 100644
--- a/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
+++ b/docs/TROUBLESHOOTING.md
@@ -181,4 +181,6 @@ If `foundrygate-auto-update --apply` refuses to run, inspect the `auto_update` b
 
 - `auto_update.enabled: false`
 - the latest release is a major upgrade while `allow_major: false`
+- one or more providers are unhealthy while `require_healthy_providers: true`
+- the number of unhealthy providers exceeds `max_unhealthy_providers`
 - the release lookup itself is unavailable
diff --git a/foundrygate/config.py b/foundrygate/config.py
index 222d483..6baa372 100644
--- a/foundrygate/config.py
+++ b/foundrygate/config.py
@@ -892,6 +892,16 @@ def _normalize_auto_update(data: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     if not isinstance(allow_major, bool):
         raise ConfigError("'auto_update.allow_major' must be a boolean")
 
+    require_healthy_providers = raw.get("require_healthy_providers", True)
+    if not isinstance(require_healthy_providers, bool):
+        raise ConfigError("'auto_update.require_healthy_providers' must be a boolean")
+
+    max_unhealthy_providers = raw.get("max_unhealthy_providers", 0)
+    if isinstance(max_unhealthy_providers, bool) or not isinstance(max_unhealthy_providers, int):
+        raise ConfigError("'auto_update.max_unhealthy_providers' must be a non-negative integer")
+    if max_unhealthy_providers < 0:
+        raise ConfigError("'auto_update.max_unhealthy_providers' must be non-negative")
+
     apply_command = raw.get("apply_command", "foundrygate-update")
     if not isinstance(apply_command, str) or not apply_command.strip():
         raise ConfigError("'auto_update.apply_command' must be a non-empty string")
@@ -900,6 +910,8 @@ def _normalize_auto_update(data: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, Any]:
     normalized["auto_update"] = {
         "enabled": enabled,
         "allow_major": allow_major,
+        "require_healthy_providers": require_healthy_providers,
+        "max_unhealthy_providers": max_unhealthy_providers,
         "apply_command": apply_command.strip(),
     }
     return normalized
@@ -989,6 +1001,8 @@ def auto_update(self) -> dict:
             {
                 "enabled": False,
                 "allow_major": False,
+                "require_healthy_providers": True,
+                "max_unhealthy_providers": 0,
                 "apply_command": "foundrygate-update",
             },
         )
diff --git a/foundrygate/main.py b/foundrygate/main.py
index 80093b2..3cf2473 100644
--- a/foundrygate/main.py
+++ b/foundrygate/main.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 from .metrics import MetricsStore, calc_cost
 from .providers import ProviderBackend, ProviderError
 from .router import Router, RoutingDecision
-from .updates import UpdateChecker
+from .updates import UpdateChecker, apply_auto_update_guardrails
 
 logger = logging.getLogger("foundrygate")
 
@@ -248,6 +248,17 @@ def _build_capability_coverage() -> dict[str, dict[str, Any]]:
     return dict(sorted(coverage.items()))
 
 
+def _health_summary() -> dict[str, int]:
+    """Return a compact provider-health summary for operator guardrails."""
+    providers_healthy = sum(1 for provider in _providers.values() if provider.health.healthy)
+    providers_unhealthy = sum(1 for provider in _providers.values() if not provider.health.healthy)
+    return {
+        "providers_total": len(_providers),
+        "providers_healthy": providers_healthy,
+        "providers_unhealthy": providers_unhealthy,
+    }
+
+
 def _estimate_request_dimensions(body: dict[str, Any]) -> dict[str, int | str]:
     """Return lightweight request-dimension estimates for debugging and routing preview."""
     messages = body.get("messages", [])
@@ -675,13 +686,7 @@ async def health():
     }
     return {
         "status": "ok",
-        "summary": {
-            "providers_total": len(providers),
-            "providers_healthy": sum(1 for provider in providers.values() if provider["healthy"]),
-            "providers_unhealthy": sum(
-                1 for provider in providers.values() if not provider["healthy"]
-            ),
-        },
+        "summary": _health_summary(),
         "coverage": _build_capability_coverage(),
         "providers": providers,
     }
@@ -821,6 +826,11 @@ async def update_status(request: Request, force: bool = False):
     """Return cached or fresh release update metadata."""
     headers = _collect_routing_headers(request)
     status = await _update_checker.get_status(force=force)
+    status.auto_update = apply_auto_update_guardrails(
+        status.auto_update or {},
+        providers_healthy=_health_summary()["providers_healthy"],
+        providers_unhealthy=_health_summary()["providers_unhealthy"],
+    )
     operator_action, client_tag = _collect_operator_context(headers)
     auto_update = status.auto_update or {}
     _metrics.log_operator_event(
diff --git a/foundrygate/updates.py b/foundrygate/updates.py
index fd5ed8a..8e39c84 100644
--- a/foundrygate/updates.py
+++ b/foundrygate/updates.py
@@ -74,6 +74,38 @@ def alert_level_for_update(update_type: str, *, available: bool, status: str) ->
     return "warning"
 
 
+def apply_auto_update_guardrails(
+    auto_update: dict[str, Any],
+    *,
+    providers_healthy: int,
+    providers_unhealthy: int,
+) -> dict[str, Any]:
+    """Apply provider-health guardrails to one auto-update eligibility result."""
+    result = dict(auto_update or {})
+    if not result.get("enabled") or not result.get("eligible"):
+        return result
+
+    require_healthy_providers = bool(result.get("require_healthy_providers", True))
+    max_unhealthy_providers = int(result.get("max_unhealthy_providers", 0))
+
+    if not require_healthy_providers:
+        return result
+
+    if providers_healthy <= 0:
+        result["eligible"] = False
+        result["blocked_reason"] = "No healthy providers available"
+        return result
+
+    if providers_unhealthy > max_unhealthy_providers:
+        result["eligible"] = False
+        result["blocked_reason"] = (
+            f"Too many unhealthy providers ({providers_unhealthy} > {max_unhealthy_providers})"
+        )
+        return result
+
+    return result
+
+
 @dataclass
 class UpdateStatus:
     """Structured update-check result."""
@@ -133,6 +165,10 @@ def __init__(
         self.auto_update = {
             "enabled": bool((auto_update or {}).get("enabled", False)),
             "allow_major": bool((auto_update or {}).get("allow_major", False)),
+            "require_healthy_providers": bool(
+                (auto_update or {}).get("require_healthy_providers", True)
+            ),
+            "max_unhealthy_providers": int((auto_update or {}).get("max_unhealthy_providers", 0)),
             "apply_command": str((auto_update or {}).get("apply_command", "foundrygate-update")),
         }
         self._cached = UpdateStatus(
@@ -187,6 +223,10 @@ def _auto_update_status(
             "strategy": "script",
             "allowed_update_types": allowed_types,
             "allow_major": allow_major,
+            "require_healthy_providers": bool(
+                self.auto_update.get("require_healthy_providers", True)
+            ),
+            "max_unhealthy_providers": int(self.auto_update.get("max_unhealthy_providers", 0)),
             "eligible": eligible,
             "blocked_reason": blocked_reason,
             "apply_command": apply_command,
diff --git a/tests/test_config.py b/tests/test_config.py
index 09b00fc..f9409be 100644
--- a/tests/test_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_config.py
@@ -87,4 +87,6 @@ def test_auto_update_defaults_are_exposed():
     cfg = load_config(Path(__file__).parent.parent / "config.yaml")
     assert cfg.auto_update["enabled"] is False
     assert cfg.auto_update["allow_major"] is False
+    assert cfg.auto_update["require_healthy_providers"] is True
+    assert cfg.auto_update["max_unhealthy_providers"] == 0
     assert cfg.auto_update["apply_command"] == "foundrygate-update"
diff --git a/tests/test_updates.py b/tests/test_updates.py
index 0dd4da6..559f545 100644
--- a/tests/test_updates.py
+++ b/tests/test_updates.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from foundrygate.updates import (
     UpdateChecker,
     alert_level_for_update,
+    apply_auto_update_guardrails,
     classify_update,
     is_update_available,
 )
@@ -57,6 +58,56 @@ def test_alert_level_maps_update_type_and_status():
     assert alert_level_for_update("unknown", available=False, status="unavailable") == "warning"
 
 
+def test_auto_update_guardrails_block_when_too_many_providers_are_unhealthy():
+    guarded = apply_auto_update_guardrails(
+        {
+            "enabled": True,
+            "eligible": True,
+            "require_healthy_providers": True,
+            "max_unhealthy_providers": 0,
+            "blocked_reason": "",
+        },
+        providers_healthy=1,
+        providers_unhealthy=1,
+    )
+
+    assert guarded["eligible"] is False
+    assert guarded["blocked_reason"] == "Too many unhealthy providers (1 > 0)"
+
+
+def test_auto_update_guardrails_allow_updates_when_health_budget_is_met():
+    guarded = apply_auto_update_guardrails(
+        {
+            "enabled": True,
+            "eligible": True,
+            "require_healthy_providers": True,
+            "max_unhealthy_providers": 1,
+            "blocked_reason": "",
+        },
+        providers_healthy=2,
+        providers_unhealthy=1,
+    )
+
+    assert guarded["eligible"] is True
+
+
+def test_auto_update_guardrails_block_when_no_provider_is_healthy():
+    guarded = apply_auto_update_guardrails(
+        {
+            "enabled": True,
+            "eligible": True,
+            "require_healthy_providers": True,
+            "max_unhealthy_providers": 2,
+            "blocked_reason": "",
+        },
+        providers_healthy=0,
+        providers_unhealthy=2,
+    )
+
+    assert guarded["eligible"] is False
+    assert guarded["blocked_reason"] == "No healthy providers available"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_update_checker_reports_latest_release():
     checker = UpdateChecker(