diff --git a/.github/workflows/deploy-to-openshift-backend-dev.yml b/.github/workflows/deploy-to-openshift-backend-dev.yml
index 8f360b15..9c40e0a5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/deploy-to-openshift-backend-dev.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/deploy-to-openshift-backend-dev.yml
@@ -190,6 +190,7 @@ jobs:
              -p MAX_MEM=${{ env.MAX_MEM_NGINX }} \
              -p HOST_ROUTE=${{ secrets.NGINX_HOST_ROUTE }} \
              -p APP_ENVIRONMENT=${{ env.APP_ENVIRONMENT }} \
+             -p NGINX_BASIC_AUTH_TOKEN=${{ secrets.NGINX_BASIC_AUTH_TOKEN }} \
               | oc apply -f -
 
           cat <<- \EOF | sed 's/^ \+//g' > /tmp/nginx_htpasswd
diff --git a/tools/openshift/nginx.deployment.yaml b/tools/openshift/nginx.deployment.yaml
index 205ad8d6..51e4f46d 100644
--- a/tools/openshift/nginx.deployment.yaml
+++ b/tools/openshift/nginx.deployment.yaml
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ objects:
               path: /
               port: 8080
               scheme: HTTP
+              httpHeaders:
+              - name: Authorization
+                value: "Basic ${NGINX_BASIC_AUTH_TOKEN}"
             periodSeconds: 10
             successThreshold: 1
             timeoutSeconds: 1
@@ -54,6 +57,9 @@ objects:
               path: /
               port: 8080
               scheme: HTTP
+              httpHeaders:
+              - name: Authorization
+                value: "Basic ${NGINX_BASIC_AUTH_TOKEN}"
             periodSeconds: 10
             successThreshold: 1
             timeoutSeconds: 1
@@ -170,3 +176,6 @@ parameters:
 - name: HOST_ROUTE
   description: The internal route for routing nginx traffic
   required: true
+- name: NGINX_BASIC_AUTH_TOKEN
+  description: The basic authentication for liveness/readiness probes
+  required: true