diff --git a/internal/server/health.go b/internal/server/health.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a788182
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/server/health.go
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"encoding/json"
+	"net/http"
+)
+
+// HealthResponse represents the JSON structure for the /health endpoint response
+// as defined in MCP Gateway Specification section 8.1.1
+type HealthResponse struct {
+	Status         string                  `json:"status"`         // "healthy" or "unhealthy"
+	SpecVersion    string                  `json:"specVersion"`    // MCP Gateway Specification version
+	GatewayVersion string                  `json:"gatewayVersion"` // Gateway implementation version
+	Servers        map[string]ServerStatus `json:"servers"`        // Map of server names to their health status
+}
+
+// BuildHealthResponse constructs a HealthResponse from the unified server's status
+func BuildHealthResponse(unifiedServer *UnifiedServer) HealthResponse {
+	// Get server status
+	serverStatus := unifiedServer.GetServerStatus()
+
+	// Determine overall health based on server status
+	overallStatus := "healthy"
+	for _, status := range serverStatus {
+		if status.Status == "error" {
+			overallStatus = "unhealthy"
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	return HealthResponse{
+		Status:         overallStatus,
+		SpecVersion:    MCPGatewaySpecVersion,
+		GatewayVersion: gatewayVersion,
+		Servers:        serverStatus,
+	}
+}
+
+// HandleHealth returns an http.HandlerFunc that handles the /health endpoint
+// This function is used by both routed and unified modes to ensure consistent behavior
+func HandleHealth(unifiedServer *UnifiedServer) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+
+		response := BuildHealthResponse(unifiedServer)
+		json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(response)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/server/routed.go b/internal/server/routed.go
index 233c2d42..d608c6bb 100644
--- a/internal/server/routed.go
+++ b/internal/server/routed.go
@@ -110,29 +110,7 @@ func CreateHTTPServerForRoutedMode(addr string, unifiedServer *UnifiedServer, ap
 	}
 
 	// Health check (spec 8.1.1)
-	healthHandler := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-
-		// Get server status
-		serverStatus := unifiedServer.GetServerStatus()
-
-		// Determine overall health based on server status
-		overallStatus := "healthy"
-		for _, status := range serverStatus {
-			if status.Status == "error" {
-				overallStatus = "unhealthy"
-				break
-			}
-		}
-
-		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
-		json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]interface{}{
-			"status":         overallStatus,
-			"specVersion":    MCPGatewaySpecVersion,
-			"gatewayVersion": gatewayVersion,
-			"servers":        serverStatus,
-		})
-	})
+	healthHandler := HandleHealth(unifiedServer)
 	mux.Handle("/health", withResponseLogging(healthHandler))
 
 	// Close endpoint for graceful shutdown (spec 5.1.3)
diff --git a/internal/server/transport.go b/internal/server/transport.go
index 7c3f4d64..fcd1ab3c 100644
--- a/internal/server/transport.go
+++ b/internal/server/transport.go
@@ -158,29 +158,7 @@ func CreateHTTPServerForMCP(addr string, unifiedServer *UnifiedServer, apiKey st
 	mux.Handle("/mcp", finalHandler)
 
 	// Health check (spec 8.1.1)
-	healthHandler := http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-		w.Header().Set("Content-Type", "application/json")
-
-		// Get server status
-		serverStatus := unifiedServer.GetServerStatus()
-
-		// Determine overall health based on server status
-		overallStatus := "healthy"
-		for _, status := range serverStatus {
-			if status.Status == "error" {
-				overallStatus = "unhealthy"
-				break
-			}
-		}
-
-		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
-		json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]interface{}{
-			"status":         overallStatus,
-			"specVersion":    MCPGatewaySpecVersion,
-			"gatewayVersion": gatewayVersion,
-			"servers":        serverStatus,
-		})
-	})
+	healthHandler := HandleHealth(unifiedServer)
 	mux.Handle("/health", withResponseLogging(healthHandler))
 
 	// Close endpoint for graceful shutdown (spec 5.1.3)