diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/cd.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/cd.yaml
index 51d88c7ea..7ae079aaa 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/cd.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/cd.yaml
@@ -4184,9 +4184,9 @@ jobs:
             && [ "$API_DB_ACTIVE_ROLE_CONNECTION_COUNT" -ge 0 ] \
             && [ "$WORKER_DB_ACTIVE_ROLE_CONNECTION_COUNT" -ge 0 ] \
             && [ "$BROKER_DB_ACTIVE_ROLE_CONNECTION_COUNT" -ge 0 ] \
-            && [ "$API_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge "$API_DB_REQUIRED_CONNECTION_BUDGET" ] \
-            && [ "$WORKER_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge "$WORKER_DB_REQUIRED_CONNECTION_BUDGET" ] \
-            && [ "$BROKER_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge "$BROKER_DB_REQUIRED_CONNECTION_BUDGET" ]; then
+            && [ "$API_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge "$API_DB_REPRESENTATIVE_PROBE_COUNT" ] \
+            && [ "$WORKER_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge "$WORKER_DB_REPRESENTATIVE_PROBE_COUNT" ] \
+            && [ "$BROKER_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge "$BROKER_DB_REPRESENTATIVE_PROBE_COUNT" ]; then
             CONNECTION_BUDGET_VERIFIED=true
           fi
 
diff --git a/apps/api/tests/test_workload_database_identity_projection.py b/apps/api/tests/test_workload_database_identity_projection.py
index deeab9d6e..469856da0 100644
--- a/apps/api/tests/test_workload_database_identity_projection.py
+++ b/apps/api/tests/test_workload_database_identity_projection.py
@@ -277,6 +277,17 @@ def test_cd_uses_live_spec_rollback_and_non_mutating_post_verifier() -> None:
         "available_connection_headroom >= required_connection_budget"
         not in normalized_workflow
     )
+    for workload in ("API", "WORKER", "BROKER"):
+        assert (
+            f'"${workload}_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge '
+            f'"${workload}_DB_REPRESENTATIVE_PROBE_COUNT"'
+            in workflow
+        )
+        assert (
+            f'"${workload}_DB_AVAILABLE_CONNECTION_HEADROOM" -ge '
+            f'"${workload}_DB_REQUIRED_CONNECTION_BUDGET"'
+            not in workflow
+        )
     assert '"spec": item["spec"]' in workflow
     assert '"data": item' not in workflow
     assert "get secret '${secret_name}' -n awoooi-prod -o jsonpath" not in workflow