diff --git a/docker-compose.override.yml b/docker-compose.override.yml
index c084df9..0d4cfd4 100644
--- a/docker-compose.override.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.override.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ services:
     command:
       - sh
       - -lc
-      - python twitch-archive.py ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_ARGS:--u vinesauce --verbose}
+      - exec python -u twitch-archive.py ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_ARGS:--u vinesauce --verbose}
     volumes:
       - .:/app
       - ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_ARCHIVE_BIND:-./archive}:/app/archive
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index e77d6d6..43b68af 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ services:
     command:
       - sh
       - -lc
-      - python twitch-archive.py ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_ARGS:--u vinesauce}
+      - exec python -u twitch-archive.py ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_ARGS:--u vinesauce}
     volumes:
       - ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_ARCHIVE_BIND:-./archive}:/app/archive
       - ${TWITCH_ARCHIVE_CONFIG_BIND:-./config}:/app/config
diff --git a/modules/downloader.py b/modules/downloader.py
index 87fe30d..7f825bc 100644
--- a/modules/downloader.py
+++ b/modules/downloader.py
@@ -612,7 +612,10 @@ class ContentDownloader:
                     
                     # Show progress every 100 messages
                     if message_count % 100 == 0:
-                        print(f'{Fore.CYAN}  Downloaded {message_count} messages...{Style.RESET_ALL}', end='\r')
+                        if sys.stdout.isatty():
+                            print(f'{Fore.CYAN}  Downloaded {message_count} messages...{Style.RESET_ALL}', end='\r', flush=True)
+                        else:
+                            print(f'{Fore.CYAN}  Downloaded {message_count} messages...{Style.RESET_ALL}', flush=True)
                     
                     # Show chat previews in verbose mode (every 10 messages)
                     if verbose and message_count % 10 == 0:
diff --git a/test_twitch_archive_simple.py b/test_twitch_archive_simple.py
index 3d096e3..01f8c73 100644
--- a/test_twitch_archive_simple.py
+++ b/test_twitch_archive_simple.py
@@ -767,6 +767,55 @@ class TestEnvironmentLoadingRegression(unittest.TestCase):
         self.module.TwitchArchive._load_environment_variables(archive)
 
 
+class TestHealthcheckRegression(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Regression tests for Docker healthcheck behavior."""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.module = load_twitch_archive_module()
+
+    @patch.object(os, 'getenv', side_effect=lambda name, default=None: default)
+    def test_run_healthcheck_fails_when_heartbeat_is_missing(self, _mock_getenv):
+        config_manager = MagicMock()
+        config_manager.get_all_enabled_streamers.return_value = ['maddoscientist0']
+        config_manager.load_streamer_config.return_value = {'downloadVOD': False, 'downloadCHAT': False, 'uploadCloud': False}
+
+        archive = MagicMock()
+        archive.os_type = 'linux'
+        archive.downloadVOD = False
+        archive.downloadCHAT = False
+        archive.uploadCloud = False
+
+        with patch.object(self.module, 'ConfigManager', return_value=config_manager), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'TwitchArchive', return_value=archive), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'verify_streamlink', return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'verify_ffmpeg', return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'has_fresh_healthcheck_heartbeat', return_value=False):
+            result = self.module.run_healthcheck('maddoscientist0')
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, 1)
+
+    @patch.object(os, 'getenv', side_effect=lambda name, default=None: default)
+    def test_run_healthcheck_succeeds_with_fresh_heartbeat(self, _mock_getenv):
+        config_manager = MagicMock()
+        config_manager.get_all_enabled_streamers.return_value = ['maddoscientist0']
+        config_manager.load_streamer_config.return_value = {'downloadVOD': False, 'downloadCHAT': False, 'uploadCloud': False}
+
+        archive = MagicMock()
+        archive.os_type = 'linux'
+        archive.downloadVOD = False
+        archive.downloadCHAT = False
+        archive.uploadCloud = False
+
+        with patch.object(self.module, 'ConfigManager', return_value=config_manager), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'TwitchArchive', return_value=archive), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'verify_streamlink', return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'verify_ffmpeg', return_value=True), \
+             patch.object(self.module, 'has_fresh_healthcheck_heartbeat', return_value=True):
+            result = self.module.run_healthcheck('maddoscientist0')
+
+        self.assertEqual(result, 0)
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Run tests with verbose output
     print("="*70)
diff --git a/twitch-archive.py b/twitch-archive.py
index 16290db..ed2cbcb 100644
--- a/twitch-archive.py
+++ b/twitch-archive.py
@@ -60,6 +60,33 @@ from modules.downloader import ContentDownloader
 from modules.file_manager import FileManager
 
 
+HEALTHCHECK_HEARTBEAT_PATH = os.getenv('TWITCH_ARCHIVE_HEARTBEAT_PATH', '/tmp/twitch-archive-heartbeat')
+HEALTHCHECK_MAX_AGE_SECONDS = int(os.getenv('TWITCH_ARCHIVE_HEALTHCHECK_MAX_AGE', '180'))
+
+
+def write_healthcheck_heartbeat() -> None:
+    """Record a recent application heartbeat for Docker health checks."""
+    pathlib.Path(HEALTHCHECK_HEARTBEAT_PATH).touch()
+
+
+def has_fresh_healthcheck_heartbeat(max_age_seconds: int = HEALTHCHECK_MAX_AGE_SECONDS) -> bool:
+    """Return whether the application heartbeat file exists and is recent."""
+    try:
+        heartbeat_age = time.time() - os.path.getmtime(HEALTHCHECK_HEARTBEAT_PATH)
+    except OSError:
+        return False
+
+    return heartbeat_age <= max_age_seconds
+
+
+def print_progress_line(message: str) -> None:
+    """Use carriage returns only in an interactive terminal so Docker logs keep full lines."""
+    if sys.stdout.isatty():
+        print(message, end='\r', flush=True)
+    else:
+        print(message, flush=True)
+
+
 class TwitchArchive:
     """
     Main class for the Twitch Archive system.
@@ -345,16 +372,19 @@ class TwitchArchive:
         signal.signal(signal.SIGINT, self._signal_handler)
         if hasattr(signal, 'SIGTERM'):
             signal.signal(signal.SIGTERM, self._signal_handler)
+
+        write_healthcheck_heartbeat()
         
         while not self.shutdown_requested:
             try:
+                write_healthcheck_heartbeat()
                 # Check stream status using StreamMonitor
                 response = self.stream_monitor.check_stream_status()
                 is_live = response['data']['user']['stream']
                 
                 # Stream is offline
                 if is_live is None:
-                    print(f'{Fore.CYAN}⏳ {self.username} is offline. Checking again in {self.refresh}s...{Style.RESET_ALL}', end='\r')
+                    print_progress_line(f'{Fore.CYAN}⏳ {self.username} is offline. Checking again in {self.refresh}s...{Style.RESET_ALL}')
                     if self.shutdown_requested:
                         break
                     self._interruptible_sleep(self.refresh)
@@ -522,7 +552,7 @@ class TwitchArchive:
                         
                         # Wait before checking again
                         if not vod_found:
-                            print(f'{Fore.CYAN}VOD not found yet, waiting...{Style.RESET_ALL}', end='\r')
+                            print_progress_line(f'{Fore.CYAN}VOD not found yet, waiting...{Style.RESET_ALL}')
                             if not self._interruptible_sleep(min(10, self.vodTimeout - (time.time() - vod_wait_start))):
                                 break
                     
@@ -941,6 +971,8 @@ class TwitchArchiveManager:
         # Print configuration summary for each streamer
         for username, archiver in self.archivers.items():
             archiver._print_configuration_summary()
+
+        write_healthcheck_heartbeat()
         
         print(f'\n{Fore.GREEN}🚀 Starting monitoring loop...{Style.RESET_ALL}\n')
         
@@ -958,6 +990,7 @@ class TwitchArchiveManager:
         
         while not self.shutdown_requested:
             current_time = time.time()
+            write_healthcheck_heartbeat()
             
             # Print periodic status every 60 seconds
             if current_time - last_status_print >= 60:
@@ -1037,7 +1070,7 @@ class TwitchArchiveManager:
                         else:
                             # Not live
                             if self.verbose:
-                                print(f'{Fore.CYAN}[{username}] Offline - checking again in {archiver.refresh}s{Style.RESET_ALL}', end='\r')
+                                print_progress_line(f'{Fore.CYAN}[{username}] Offline - checking again in {archiver.refresh}s{Style.RESET_ALL}')
                             
                     except Exception as e:
                         print(f'{Fore.RED}[{username}] Error checking stream: {e}{Style.RESET_ALL}')
@@ -1340,7 +1373,7 @@ class TwitchArchiveManager:
                 
                 # Wait before checking again
                 if not vod_found:
-                    print(f'{Fore.CYAN}VOD not found yet, waiting...{Style.RESET_ALL}', end='\r')
+                    print_progress_line(f'{Fore.CYAN}VOD not found yet, waiting...{Style.RESET_ALL}')
                     time.sleep(min(10, archiver.vodTimeout - (time.time() - vod_wait_start)))
             
             if not vod_found:
@@ -1518,6 +1551,10 @@ def run_healthcheck(specific_streamer: Optional[str] = None) -> int:
     if not checks_ok:
         return 1
 
+    if not has_fresh_healthcheck_heartbeat():
+        print(f'{Fore.RED}✗ ERROR: Application heartbeat is missing or stale at {HEALTHCHECK_HEARTBEAT_PATH}{Style.RESET_ALL}')
+        return 1
+
     print(f'{Fore.GREEN}✓ Healthcheck OK for {username}{Style.RESET_ALL}')
     return 0