diff --git a/gubernator.go b/gubernator.go
index f2a2b3f..11cc126 100644
--- a/gubernator.go
+++ b/gubernator.go
@@ -577,8 +577,9 @@ func (s *V1Instance) HealthCheck(ctx context.Context, r *HealthCheckReq) (health
 	}
 
 	health = &HealthCheckResp{
-		PeerCount: int32(len(localPeers) + len(regionPeers)),
-		Status:    Healthy,
+		PeerCount:        int32(len(localPeers) + len(regionPeers)),
+		Status:           Healthy,
+		AdvertiseAddress: ownPeerAddress,
 	}
 
 	if len(errs) != 0 {
@@ -586,7 +587,9 @@ func (s *V1Instance) HealthCheck(ctx context.Context, r *HealthCheckReq) (health
 		health.Message = strings.Join(errs, "|")
 	}
 
-	health.OwnPeer = ownPeerAddress
+	if health.AdvertiseAddress == "" {
+		health.Message = strings.Join(errs, "this instance is not found in the peer list")
+	}
 
 	span.SetAttributes(
 		attribute.Int64("health.peerCount", int64(health.PeerCount)),
diff --git a/gubernator.pb.go b/gubernator.pb.go
index 4438562..443db48 100644
--- a/gubernator.pb.go
+++ b/gubernator.pb.go
@@ -631,10 +631,17 @@ type HealthCheckResp struct {
 	Message string `protobuf:"bytes,2,opt,name=message,proto3" json:"message,omitempty"`
 	// The number of peers we know about
 	PeerCount int32 `protobuf:"varint,3,opt,name=peer_count,json=peerCount,proto3" json:"peer_count,omitempty"`
-	// own_peer is the address owned by this instance
-	// if own_peer is empty, it could indicate the peer
-	// is not reliable.
-	OwnPeer string `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=own_peer,json=ownPeer,proto3" json:"own_peer,omitempty"`
+	// advertise_address is the address advertised to other peers and
+	// is verified as owned by this instance. If advertise_address is
+	// empty, this indicates the instance is unable to find it's advertised
+	// address in the list of peers provided to SetPeers(). This is likely
+	// due to an incorrect GUBER_ADVERTISE_ADDRESS, or the discovery method
+	// used to call SetPeers() is missing our instance address in the peer
+	// list provided.
+	//
+	// If advertise_address is empty, this gubernator instance is considered
+	// unhealthy.
+	AdvertiseAddress string `protobuf:"bytes,4,opt,name=advertise_address,json=advertiseAddress,proto3" json:"advertise_address,omitempty"`
 }
 
 func (x *HealthCheckResp) Reset() {
@@ -690,9 +697,9 @@ func (x *HealthCheckResp) GetPeerCount() int32 {
 	return 0
 }
 
-func (x *HealthCheckResp) GetOwnPeer() string {
+func (x *HealthCheckResp) GetAdvertiseAddress() string {
 	if x != nil {
-		return x.OwnPeer
+		return x.AdvertiseAddress
 	}
 	return ""
 }
@@ -762,46 +769,48 @@ var file_gubernator_proto_rawDesc = []byte{
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+	0x6f, 0x33,
 }
 
 var (
diff --git a/gubernator.proto b/gubernator.proto
index 990d2ec..9f9a742 100644
--- a/gubernator.proto
+++ b/gubernator.proto
@@ -210,15 +210,16 @@ message HealthCheckResp {
   string message = 2;
   // The number of peers we know about
   int32 peer_count = 3;
-// advertise_address is the address advertised to other peers and
-// is verified as owned by this instance. If advertise_address is 
-// empty, this indicates the instance is unable find it's advertised
-// address in the list of peers provided to SetPeers(). This is likely
-// due to an incorrect GUBER_ADVERTISE_ADDRESS, or the discovery method
-// used to call SetPeers() is missing our instance address in the peer
-// list provided.
-//
-// If advertise_address is empty, this gubernator instance is considered
-// unhealthy.
-string advertise_address = 4;
+
+  // advertise_address is the address advertised to other peers and
+  // is verified as owned by this instance. If advertise_address is 
+  // empty, this indicates the instance is unable to find it's advertised
+  // address in the list of peers provided to SetPeers(). This is likely
+  // due to an incorrect GUBER_ADVERTISE_ADDRESS, or the discovery method
+  // used to call SetPeers() is missing our instance address in the peer
+  // list provided.
+  //
+  // If advertise_address is empty, this gubernator instance is considered
+  // unhealthy.
+  string advertise_address = 4;
 }
diff --git a/tls_test.go b/tls_test.go
index f1e61ce..0e43e0e 100644
--- a/tls_test.go
+++ b/tls_test.go
@@ -333,7 +333,7 @@ func TestHTTPSClientAuth(t *testing.T) {
 	defer resp.Body.Close()
 	b, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, `{"status":"healthy","message":"","peer_count":1,"own_peer":"127.0.0.1:9695"}`, strings.ReplaceAll(string(b), " ", ""))
+	assert.Equal(t, `{"status":"healthy","message":"","peer_count":1,"advertise_address":"127.0.0.1:9695"}`, strings.ReplaceAll(string(b), " ", ""))
 
 	// Verify we get an error when we try to access existing HTTPListenAddress without cert
 	//nolint:bodyclose // Expect error, no body to close.
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ func TestHTTPSClientAuth(t *testing.T) {
 	defer resp2.Body.Close()
 	b, err = io.ReadAll(resp2.Body)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	assert.Equal(t, `{"status":"healthy","message":"","peer_count":1,"own_peer":"127.0.0.1:9695"}`, strings.ReplaceAll(string(b), " ", ""))
+	assert.Equal(t, `{"status":"healthy","message":"","peer_count":1,"advertise_address":"127.0.0.1:9695"}`, strings.ReplaceAll(string(b), " ", ""))
 
 }