diff --git a/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml b/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml
index 0bf0763..ff3cea6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/pr-validation.yml
@@ -41,10 +41,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Run linters
         run: just lint-strict
 
-      - name: Test device readiness and recovery
-        working-directory: device-plugin
-        run: go test -race -count=1 -timeout=90s ./...
-
   build:
     name: Build
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
@@ -64,6 +60,66 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build device plugin
         run: just plugin-build
 
+  readiness:
+    name: Device Readiness (${{ matrix.hypervisor }}, ${{ matrix.cpu_vendor }})
+    timeout-minutes: 15
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        include:
+          - hypervisor: kvm
+            cpu_vendor: hosted
+            live_test: TestKVMLiveVMCreation
+            live_env: TEST_KVM_LIVE
+          - hypervisor: mshv
+            cpu_vendor: amd
+            live_test: TestMSHVLivePartitionCreation
+            live_env: TEST_MSHV_LIVE
+          - hypervisor: mshv
+            cpu_vendor: intel
+            live_test: TestMSHVLivePartitionCreation
+            live_env: TEST_MSHV_LIVE
+    runs-on: ${{ matrix.hypervisor == 'kvm' && 'ubuntu-24.04' || fromJSON(format('["self-hosted", "Linux", "X64", "1ES.Pool=hld-azlinux3-mshv-{0}", "JobId=device-readiness-{0}-{1}-{2}-{3}"]', matrix.cpu_vendor, github.run_id, github.run_number, github.run_attempt)) }}
+    env:
+      HYPERVISOR: ${{ matrix.hypervisor }}
+      LIVE_TEST: ${{ matrix.live_test }}
+      LIVE_ENV: ${{ matrix.live_env }}
+    defaults:
+      run:
+        shell: bash
+        working-directory: device-plugin
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@11d5960a326750d5838078e36cf38b85af677262 # v4
+        with:
+          persist-credentials: false
+
+      - name: Setup Go
+        uses: actions/setup-go@40f1582b2485089dde7abd97c1529aa768e1baff # v5
+        with:
+          go-version-file: device-plugin/go.mod
+          cache-dependency-path: device-plugin/go.sum
+
+      - name: Check hypervisor host
+        run: |
+          uname -a
+          lscpu
+          git rev-parse HEAD
+          stat -c '%n %F %a %U:%G %t:%T' "/dev/$HYPERVISOR"
+          sudo -n test -c "/dev/$HYPERVISOR"
+
+      - name: Test device readiness and recovery
+        run: go test -race -count=1 -timeout=90s ./...
+
+      - name: Test live hypervisor readiness
+        run: |
+          go test -race -c -o "$RUNNER_TEMP/device-readiness.test" .
+          # Only the live probe needs root; leave host device permissions unchanged.
+          sudo -n env "$LIVE_ENV=1" "$RUNNER_TEMP/device-readiness.test" \
+            -test.v -test.count=1 -test.timeout=60s -test.run "^${LIVE_TEST}$" \
+            | tee "$RUNNER_TEMP/live-readiness.log"
+          grep -F -- "--- PASS: $LIVE_TEST (" "$RUNNER_TEMP/live-readiness.log"
+
   integration:
     name: Integration Tests
     runs-on: ubuntu-24.04
@@ -91,7 +147,7 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install kind
         run: |
           go install sigs.k8s.io/kind@latest
-          echo "$(go env GOPATH)/bin" >> $GITHUB_PATH
+          echo "$(go env GOPATH)/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
 
       - name: Install kubectl
         uses: azure/setup-kubectl@v4
diff --git a/device-plugin/probe_kvm_linux_test.go b/device-plugin/probe_kvm_linux_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e503639
--- /dev/null
+++ b/device-plugin/probe_kvm_linux_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+// Copyright 2026 The Hyperlight Authors.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+package main
+
+import (
+	"os"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestKVMLiveVMCreation(t *testing.T) {
+	if os.Getenv("TEST_KVM_LIVE") != "1" {
+		t.Skip("set TEST_KVM_LIVE=1 on a KVM host")
+	}
+	t.Setenv("TEST_PROBE_SUCCESS", "0")
+	t.Setenv("TEST_PROBE_HANG", "0")
+	requireNoError(t, (&deviceProbe{}).check(t.Context(), "kvm", "/dev/kvm"))
+}
diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index e7586bd..e87219f 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -104,6 +104,8 @@ For KVM, a helper opens the character device read/write, verifies API version 12
 
 From `device-plugin/`, the opt-in `TEST_MSHV_LIVE=1 go test -count=1 -run '^TestMSHVLivePartitionCreation$' ./...` check requires an MSHV host and access to `/dev/mshv`. Ordinary unit tests exercise failure handling and descriptor cleanup without a real hypervisor.
 
+PR Validation runs the readiness and recovery race tests on hosted Ubuntu KVM and the organization-wide Azure Linux 3 MSHV AMD and Intel runner pools. Each matrix entry also runs its live creation test through the production readiness helper: `TestKVMLiveVMCreation` with `TEST_KVM_LIVE=1`, or `TestMSHVLivePartitionCreation` with `TEST_MSHV_LIVE=1`. Only the live test binary runs as root, without changing host device ownership or permissions. Missing devices, failed partition/VM creation, and probe timeouts fail the job. The workflow logs the tested commit, kernel, CPU details and device metadata. This validates host readiness, not MSHV Kubernetes/CDI injection or guest execution; the existing KVM KIND integration job remains separate.
+
 The bootstrap allocation gives the trusted plugin explicit hypervisor device access through kubelet and the container runtime. Host permissions and security policy still apply; denial fails readiness without changing those policies. The probe establishes usability for the plugin, not admission or device access for every application security context; fresh guest execution remains a separate acceptance check.
 
 The liveness probe performs a gRPC health request to the running server. Readiness additionally requires a successful, deadline-bounded kubelet registration, an active `ListAndWatch` stream and a successful readiness check. Socket existence alone satisfies neither probe. Registration failures stop the attempted server before retrying; kubelet socket cleanup causes the server to be recreated and registered again.