diff --git a/health/healthcheck.py b/health/healthcheck.py
index be532a2fd..69d389e89 100644
--- a/health/healthcheck.py
+++ b/health/healthcheck.py
@@ -49,8 +49,7 @@ class ProductionHealthCheck(HealthCheck):
   def check_name(cls):
     return 'ProductionHealthCheck'
 
-  def conduct_healthcheck(self, db_healthy, buildlogs_healthy):
-    db_healthy = False
+  def conduct_healthcheck(self, db_healthy, buildlogs_healthy):    
     data = {
       'db_healthy': db_healthy,
       'buildlogs_healthy': buildlogs_healthy
@@ -78,7 +77,8 @@ class ProductionHealthCheck(HealthCheck):
       data['db_available_checked'] = True
       data['db_available_status'] = is_rds_working
 
-      if is_rds_working:
-        return (data, True)
+      # If RDS is down, then we still report the machine as healthy, so that it can handle
+      # requests once RDS comes back up.
+      return (data, not is_rds_working)
 
     return (data, db_healthy)
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