diff --git a/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/relay-router.ts b/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/relay-router.ts
index 5db5c0323..766025c21 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/relay-router.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/routes/v1/relay-router.ts
@@ -166,14 +166,24 @@ export const registerRelayRouter = async (server: FastifyZodProvider) => {
     onRequest: (req, _, next) => {
       const authHeader = req.headers.authorization;
 
-      if (appCfg.RELAY_AUTH_SECRET && authHeader) {
-        const expectedHeader = `Bearer ${appCfg.RELAY_AUTH_SECRET}`;
-        if (
-          authHeader.length === expectedHeader.length &&
-          crypto.nativeCrypto.timingSafeEqual(Buffer.from(authHeader), Buffer.from(expectedHeader))
-        ) {
-          return next();
-        }
+      if (!appCfg.RELAY_AUTH_SECRET) {
+        throw new UnauthorizedError({
+          message: "Relay authentication not configured"
+        });
+      }
+
+      if (!authHeader) {
+        throw new UnauthorizedError({
+          message: "Missing authorization header"
+        });
+      }
+
+      const expectedHeader = `Bearer ${appCfg.RELAY_AUTH_SECRET}`;
+      if (
+        authHeader.length === expectedHeader.length &&
+        crypto.nativeCrypto.timingSafeEqual(Buffer.from(authHeader), Buffer.from(expectedHeader))
+      ) {
+        return next();
       }
 
       throw new UnauthorizedError({
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-dal.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-dal.ts
index 36feb3809..4bb4f58ba 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-dal.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-dal.ts
@@ -30,8 +30,7 @@ export const gatewayV2DalFactory = (db: TDbClient) => {
         .select(db.ref("name").withSchema(TableName.Identity).as("identityName"));
 
       if (isHeartbeatStale) {
-        const oneHourAgo = new Date();
-        oneHourAgo.setHours(oneHourAgo.getHours() - 1);
+        const oneHourAgo = new Date(Date.now() - 60 * 60 * 1000);
         void query.where(`${TableName.GatewayV2}.heartbeat`, "<", oneHourAgo);
         void query.where((v) => {
           void v
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-service.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-service.ts
index 128f9a651..78a62bcb8 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/gateway-v2/gateway-v2-service.ts
@@ -902,8 +902,6 @@ export const gatewayV2ServiceFactory = ({
       "Found gateways with last heartbeat over an hour ago. Sending notifications."
     );
 
-    await Promise.all(unhealthyGateways.map((gw) => gatewayV2DAL.updateById(gw.id, { healthAlertedAt: new Date() })));
-
     const gatewaysByOrg = unhealthyGateways.reduce<Record<string, (typeof unhealthyGateways)[number][]>>((acc, gw) => {
       if (!acc[gw.orgId]) {
         acc[gw.orgId] = [];
@@ -944,6 +942,8 @@ export const gatewayV2ServiceFactory = ({
           },
           template: SmtpTemplates.HealthAlert
         });
+
+        await Promise.all(gateways.map((gw) => gatewayV2DAL.updateById(gw.id, { healthAlertedAt: new Date() })));
       } catch (error) {
         logger.error(error, `Failed to send gateway health notifications for organization [orgId=${orgId}]`);
       }
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-dal.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-dal.ts
index cef5e643a..687b2d0e8 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-dal.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-dal.ts
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@ export const relayDalFactory = (db: TDbClient) => {
         .where(buildFindFilter(regularFilter, TableName.Relay));
 
       if (isHeartbeatStale) {
-        const oneHourAgo = new Date();
-        oneHourAgo.setHours(oneHourAgo.getHours() - 1);
+        const oneHourAgo = new Date(Date.now() - 60 * 60 * 1000);
         void query.where(`${TableName.Relay}.heartbeat`, "<", oneHourAgo);
         void query.where((v) => {
           void v
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-service.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-service.ts
index 661a3d304..6b56908f5 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/relay/relay-service.ts
@@ -1209,8 +1209,6 @@ export const relayServiceFactory = ({
   };
 
   const $healthcheckNotify = async () => {
-    const oneHourAgo = new Date();
-    oneHourAgo.setHours(oneHourAgo.getHours() - 1);
     const unhealthyRelays = await relayDAL.find({
       isHeartbeatStale: true
     });
@@ -1222,8 +1220,6 @@ export const relayServiceFactory = ({
       "Found relays with last heartbeat over an hour ago. Sending notifications."
     );
 
-    await Promise.all(unhealthyRelays.map((r) => relayDAL.updateById(r.id, { healthAlertedAt: new Date() })));
-
     const relaysByOrg = unhealthyRelays.reduce<Record<string, TRelays[]>>((acc, r) => {
       const key = r.orgId ?? "instance";
       if (!acc[key]) {
@@ -1285,6 +1281,8 @@ export const relayServiceFactory = ({
             template: SmtpTemplates.HealthAlert
           });
         }
+
+        await Promise.all(relays.map((r) => relayDAL.updateById(r.id, { healthAlertedAt: new Date() })));
       } catch (error) {
         logger.error(error, `Failed to send relay health notifications for organization [orgId=${orgId}]`);
       }