Leakage-aware activation control of a delayed keeper circuit for a dynamic read operation in a memory bit cell is disclosed. In one aspect, a leakage-aware activation control circuit is provided for a dynamic read circuit configured to perform read operations on a memory bit cell. To prevent or mitigate contention between the delayed keeper circuit and a read port circuit in the dynamic read circuit pulling a dynamic node to opposite voltage levels when a read operation is initiated, the leakage-aware activation control circuit is configured to adaptively control activation timing of the delayed keeper circuit based on a comparison of N-type Field-Effect Transistor (NFET) leakage current to P-type FET (PFET) leakage current. In this manner, the leakage-aware activation control circuit can adaptively adjust the activation timing of the delayed keeper circuit based on the actual relative strengths of NFETs and PFETs.