In some embodiments, a method configures, at a first host, an overlay channel for sending packets to check whether a failure has occurred at a workload. The first host and a second host are connected via a layer 3 network. The first host generates a packet to check whether the failure has occurred at the workload and encapsulates the packet. The first host sends the encapsulated packet to the second host using the overlay channel via the layer 3 network. The packet is decapsulated and forwarded to the workload at the second host.