diff --git a/core/src/plugins/container/config.ts b/core/src/plugins/container/config.ts
index 47cfc184f1..578da5d55e 100644
--- a/core/src/plugins/container/config.ts
+++ b/core/src/plugins/container/config.ts
@@ -305,6 +305,7 @@ export const containerDevModeSchema = () =>
 
 export interface ContainerLocalModeSpec {
   localAppPort: number
+  enableLivenessProbe: boolean
   command?: string[]
   containerName?: string
 }
@@ -318,6 +319,12 @@ export const containerLocalModeSchema = () =>
       .description("The command to run the local application (optional)."),
     containerName: joi.string().optional().description("The k8s name of the remote container (optional)."),
     localAppPort: joi.number().description("The working port of the local application."),
+    enableLivenessProbe: joi
+      .boolean()
+      .default(true)
+      .description(
+        "Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to false to disable liveness probes."
+      ),
   }).description(dedent`
     Specifies necessary configuration details of the local application which will replace a target remote service in the k8s cluster.
 
@@ -329,6 +336,9 @@ export const containerLocalModeSchema = () =>
 
     Local mode is enabled by setting the \`--local-mode\` option on the \`garden deploy\` command.
 
+    The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+    Those can be disabled by setting \`services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false\`.
+
     See the [Local Mode guide](${localModeGuideLink}) for more information.
   `)
 
diff --git a/core/src/plugins/kubernetes/local-mode.ts b/core/src/plugins/kubernetes/local-mode.ts
index 9b373602ce..ff4e671d56 100644
--- a/core/src/plugins/kubernetes/local-mode.ts
+++ b/core/src/plugins/kubernetes/local-mode.ts
@@ -334,18 +334,20 @@ function patchOriginalServiceSpec(
 
 /**
  * Patches the main container by adding localMode-specific settings like ports, environment variables,
- * docker image name and readiness probe settings.
+ * docker image name and health-check settings.
  *
  * @param mainContainer the main container object to be patched
  * @param proxyContainerName the target container name
  * @param localModeEnvVars the list of localMode-specific environment variables
  * @param localModePorts the list of localMode-specific ports (e.g. ssh port for tunnel setup)
+ * @param localModeSpec the local mode configuration spec
  */
 function patchMainContainer(
   mainContainer: V1Container,
   proxyContainerName: string,
   localModeEnvVars: PrimitiveMap,
-  localModePorts: ServicePortSpec[]
+  localModePorts: ServicePortSpec[],
+  localModeSpec: ContainerLocalModeSpec
 ) {
   mainContainer.name = proxyContainerName
   mainContainer.image = reverseProxyImageName
@@ -367,6 +369,10 @@ function patchMainContainer(
       containerPort: port.containerPort,
     })
   }
+
+  if (!localModeSpec.enableLivenessProbe) {
+    delete mainContainer.livenessProbe
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -405,7 +411,7 @@ export async function configureLocalMode(configParams: ConfigureLocalModeParams)
   const localModePorts = prepareLocalModePorts(configParams)
 
   patchOriginalServiceSpec(service.spec, localModeEnvVars, localModePorts)
-  patchMainContainer(mainContainer, proxyContainerName, localModeEnvVars, localModePorts)
+  patchMainContainer(mainContainer, proxyContainerName, localModeEnvVars, localModePorts, localModeSpec)
 
   // todo: check if anything else should be configured here
 }
diff --git a/core/test/integ/src/plugins/kubernetes/container/deployment.ts b/core/test/integ/src/plugins/kubernetes/container/deployment.ts
index 05d6beef4f..c233ac164c 100644
--- a/core/test/integ/src/plugins/kubernetes/container/deployment.ts
+++ b/core/test/integ/src/plugins/kubernetes/container/deployment.ts
@@ -362,6 +362,29 @@ describe("kubernetes container deployment handlers", () => {
       })
     })
 
+    it("should delete liveness probes in local mode when livenessProbeEnabled=false", async () => {
+      const service = graph.getService("local-mode")
+      service.spec.localMode.enableLivenessProbe = false
+      const namespace = provider.config.namespace!.name!
+
+      const resource = await createWorkloadManifest({
+        api,
+        provider,
+        service,
+        runtimeContext: emptyRuntimeContext,
+        namespace,
+        enableDevMode: false,
+        enableHotReload: false,
+        enableLocalMode: true, // <----
+        log: garden.log,
+        production: false,
+        blueGreen: false,
+      })
+
+      const appContainerSpec = resource.spec.template?.spec?.containers.find((c) => c.name === "local-mode")
+      expect(appContainerSpec!.livenessProbe).to.be.undefined
+    })
+
     it("should remove readiness probes when in local mode", async () => {
       const service = graph.getService("local-mode")
       const namespace = provider.config.namespace!.name!
diff --git a/docs/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md b/docs/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md
index 4961dee561..566274d9e9 100644
--- a/docs/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md
+++ b/docs/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md
@@ -73,7 +73,17 @@ inspect the `known_hosts` file and clean it up manually.
 ## Configuration
 
 To configure a service for local mode, add `localMode` to your module/service configuration to specify your target
-services:
+services.
+
+### Health-checks
+
+The readiness probes are disabled for all services running in local mode. This has been done because of some technical
+reasons. The k8s cluster readiness checks are applied to a proxy container which sends the traffic to the local service.
+When a readiness probe happens, the target local service and the relevant port forward are not ready yet.
+
+The _local mode_ supports liveness probes. The liveness probles have intentionally longer initial delays, just to make
+sure that the local services and port forward have enough time to start. The liveness probes are enabled by default, but
+can be disabled if necessary. See the example below.
 
 ### Configuring local mode for `container` modules
 
@@ -86,6 +96,7 @@ services:
     args: [ npm, start ]
     localMode:
       localAppPort: 8090 # The port of the local service, will be used for port-forward setup
+      enableLivenessProbe: false # Optional, `true` is the default value. Set it to `false` if you need to disable liveness probes for the local service.
       command: [ npm, run, serve ] # Starts the local service which will replace the target one in the k8s cluster
       containerName: "node-service" # Optional. The name of the target k8s service. It will be inferred automatically if this option is not defined.
   ...
diff --git a/docs/reference/module-types/container.md b/docs/reference/module-types/container.md
index da65b67cb5..befda1299d 100644
--- a/docs/reference/module-types/container.md
+++ b/docs/reference/module-types/container.md
@@ -312,6 +312,9 @@ services:
     #
     # Local mode is enabled by setting the `--local-mode` option on the `garden deploy` command.
     #
+    # The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+    # Those can be disabled by setting `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false`.
+    #
     # See the [Local Mode guide](https://docs.garden.io/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md) for more information.
     localMode:
       # The command to run the local application (optional).
@@ -323,6 +326,10 @@ services:
       # The working port of the local application.
       localAppPort:
 
+      # Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to
+      # false to disable liveness probes.
+      enableLivenessProbe: true
+
     # List of ingress endpoints that the service exposes.
     ingresses:
       - # Annotations to attach to the ingress (Note: May not be applicable to all providers)
@@ -1399,6 +1406,9 @@ The `command` should not depend on the current service or module path.
 
 Local mode is enabled by setting the `--local-mode` option on the `garden deploy` command.
 
+The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+Those can be disabled by setting `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false`.
+
 See the [Local Mode guide](https://docs.garden.io/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md) for more information.
 
 | Type     | Required |
@@ -1435,6 +1445,16 @@ The working port of the local application.
 | -------- | -------- |
 | `number` | No       |
 
+### `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe`
+
+[services](#services) > [localMode](#serviceslocalmode) > enableLivenessProbe
+
+Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to false to disable liveness probes.
+
+| Type      | Default | Required |
+| --------- | ------- | -------- |
+| `boolean` | `true`  | No       |
+
 ### `services[].ingresses[]`
 
 [services](#services) > ingresses
diff --git a/docs/reference/module-types/jib-container.md b/docs/reference/module-types/jib-container.md
index 575b0c91a2..aff8658509 100644
--- a/docs/reference/module-types/jib-container.md
+++ b/docs/reference/module-types/jib-container.md
@@ -333,6 +333,9 @@ services:
     #
     # Local mode is enabled by setting the `--local-mode` option on the `garden deploy` command.
     #
+    # The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+    # Those can be disabled by setting `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false`.
+    #
     # See the [Local Mode guide](https://docs.garden.io/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md) for more information.
     localMode:
       # The command to run the local application (optional).
@@ -344,6 +347,10 @@ services:
       # The working port of the local application.
       localAppPort:
 
+      # Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to
+      # false to disable liveness probes.
+      enableLivenessProbe: true
+
     # List of ingress endpoints that the service exposes.
     ingresses:
       - # Annotations to attach to the ingress (Note: May not be applicable to all providers)
@@ -1470,6 +1477,9 @@ The `command` should not depend on the current service or module path.
 
 Local mode is enabled by setting the `--local-mode` option on the `garden deploy` command.
 
+The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+Those can be disabled by setting `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false`.
+
 See the [Local Mode guide](https://docs.garden.io/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md) for more information.
 
 | Type     | Required |
@@ -1506,6 +1516,16 @@ The working port of the local application.
 | -------- | -------- |
 | `number` | No       |
 
+### `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe`
+
+[services](#services) > [localMode](#serviceslocalmode) > enableLivenessProbe
+
+Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to false to disable liveness probes.
+
+| Type      | Default | Required |
+| --------- | ------- | -------- |
+| `boolean` | `true`  | No       |
+
 ### `services[].ingresses[]`
 
 [services](#services) > ingresses
diff --git a/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md b/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md
index bb5e78cded..ee49a68c3c 100644
--- a/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md
+++ b/docs/reference/module-types/maven-container.md
@@ -312,6 +312,9 @@ services:
     #
     # Local mode is enabled by setting the `--local-mode` option on the `garden deploy` command.
     #
+    # The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+    # Those can be disabled by setting `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false`.
+    #
     # See the [Local Mode guide](https://docs.garden.io/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md) for more information.
     localMode:
       # The command to run the local application (optional).
@@ -323,6 +326,10 @@ services:
       # The working port of the local application.
       localAppPort:
 
+      # Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to
+      # false to disable liveness probes.
+      enableLivenessProbe: true
+
     # List of ingress endpoints that the service exposes.
     ingresses:
       - # Annotations to attach to the ingress (Note: May not be applicable to all providers)
@@ -1409,6 +1416,9 @@ The `command` should not depend on the current service or module path.
 
 Local mode is enabled by setting the `--local-mode` option on the `garden deploy` command.
 
+The liveness probes are enabled by default.
+Those can be disabled by setting `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe: false`.
+
 See the [Local Mode guide](https://docs.garden.io/guides/running-service-in-local-mode.md) for more information.
 
 | Type     | Required |
@@ -1445,6 +1455,16 @@ The working port of the local application.
 | -------- | -------- |
 | `number` | No       |
 
+### `services[].localMode.enableLivenessProbe`
+
+[services](#services) > [localMode](#serviceslocalmode) > enableLivenessProbe
+
+Enable liveness probes for the local service (over the proxy container) if true. True by default. Set it to false to disable liveness probes.
+
+| Type      | Default | Required |
+| --------- | ------- | -------- |
+| `boolean` | `true`  | No       |
+
 ### `services[].ingresses[]`
 
 [services](#services) > ingresses