diff --git a/docs/client-jersey.md b/docs/client-jersey.md
index 1253c2e367..53056a4c55 100644
--- a/docs/client-jersey.md
+++ b/docs/client-jersey.md
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ Example config for **production** to be used with environment variables of the c
 ```yaml
 oidc:
   disabled: ${OIDC_DISABLED:-false}
+  enableStartupValidation: ${OIDC_ENABLE_STARTUP_VALIDATION:-false}
   grantType: ${OIDC_GRANT_TYPE:-client_credentials}
   clientId: ${OIDC_CLIENT_ID}
   clientSecret: ${OIDC_CLIENT_SECRET}
@@ -270,6 +271,13 @@ oidc:
   * Disable retrieving a new token completely. Not meant for production! 
   * Example: `false`
 
+- _OIDC_ENABLE_STARTUP_VALIDATION_
+  * Enables startup validation of the OIDC configuration by performing an initial access-token retrieval.
+    Set to `true` to fail fast during startup if the OIDC provider is unreachable or misconfigured.
+  * Note: this only verifies that a token can be retrieved — it does **not** check whether the token
+    has the required scopes or permissions to access the target resource server.
+  * Default: `false`
+
 - _OIDC_GRANT_TYPE_
   * Sets the OIDC grant type.
   * Default: `client_credentials`
diff --git a/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcConfiguration.java b/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcConfiguration.java
index cf28ff3652..2a73b37098 100644
--- a/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcConfiguration.java
+++ b/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcConfiguration.java
@@ -48,6 +48,8 @@ public class OidcConfiguration {
 
   private String scope;
 
+  private boolean enableStartupValidation;
+
   private CacheConfiguration cache = new CacheConfiguration();
 
   /**
@@ -130,6 +132,15 @@ public OidcConfiguration setScope(String scope) {
     return this;
   }
 
+  public boolean isEnableStartupValidation() {
+    return enableStartupValidation;
+  }
+
+  public OidcConfiguration setEnableStartupValidation(boolean enableStartupValidation) {
+    this.enableStartupValidation = enableStartupValidation;
+    return this;
+  }
+
   public String getIssuerUrl() {
     return issuerUrl;
   }
diff --git a/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/filter/OidcRequestFilter.java b/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/filter/OidcRequestFilter.java
index be084061dd..bd192ea17d 100644
--- a/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/filter/OidcRequestFilter.java
+++ b/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/main/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/filter/OidcRequestFilter.java
@@ -22,17 +22,21 @@ public class OidcRequestFilter implements ClientRequestFilter {
 
   private static final Logger LOGGER = LoggerFactory.getLogger(OidcRequestFilter.class);
 
+  private final OidcConfiguration oidcConfiguration;
+
   private OidcClient oidcClient;
 
   private AuthHeaderClientFilter authHeaderClientFilter;
 
   public OidcRequestFilter(
       ClientFactory clientFactory, OidcConfiguration oidc, boolean authenticationPassthrough) {
+    this.oidcConfiguration = oidc;
     if (authenticationPassthrough) {
       authHeaderClientFilter = new AuthHeaderClientFilter();
     }
     if (!oidc.isDisabled()) {
       this.oidcClient = new OidcClient(clientFactory, oidc);
+      this.validateOidcConfig();
     }
   }
 
@@ -41,12 +45,55 @@ public OidcRequestFilter(
       OidcConfiguration oidc,
       boolean authenticationPassthrough,
       String clientName) {
+    this.oidcConfiguration = oidc;
     if (authenticationPassthrough) {
       authHeaderClientFilter = new AuthHeaderClientFilter();
     }
     if (!oidc.isDisabled()) {
       this.oidcClient = new OidcClient(clientFactory, oidc, clientName);
+      this.validateOidcConfig();
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Validates that an OIDC access token can be retrieved successfully.
+   *
+   * <p>This method is called during construction when OIDC is enabled. It enforces fast startup
+   * failure for invalid OIDC settings, unreachable token endpoints, or credentials that cannot
+   * retrieve a token.
+   *
+   * <p>Validation is skipped when {@link OidcConfiguration#isEnableStartupValidation()} returns
+   * {@code false}. The constructors also skip this validation when OIDC is disabled.
+   *
+   * @throws IllegalStateException if startup validation is enabled and the OIDC client is not
+   *     initialized, the token endpoint cannot be reached, or no valid access token can be
+   *     retrieved
+   */
+  private void validateOidcConfig() {
+    if (!oidcConfiguration.isEnableStartupValidation()) {
+      return;
     }
+
+    OidcResult oidcResult;
+    try {
+      oidcResult = oidcClient.createAccessToken();
+    } catch (RuntimeException e) {
+      throw new IllegalStateException(
+          buildOidcConfigValidationErrorMessage("Token retrieval failed."), e);
+    }
+
+    if (oidcResult == null || oidcResult.getState() == OidcState.ERROR) {
+      throw new IllegalStateException(
+          buildOidcConfigValidationErrorMessage(
+              "Could not retrieve access token. State was: "
+                  + (oidcResult == null ? "null" : oidcResult.getState())));
+    }
+  }
+
+  private String buildOidcConfigValidationErrorMessage(String detail) {
+    return String.format(
+        "OIDC startup validation failed. %s Configuration: issuerUrl='%s', grantType='%s'. Check OIDC provider settings.",
+        detail, oidcConfiguration.getIssuerUrl(), oidcConfiguration.getGrantType());
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/test/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcRequestFilterTest.java b/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/test/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcRequestFilterTest.java
index 325dccf315..493da04775 100644
--- a/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/test/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcRequestFilterTest.java
+++ b/sda-commons-client-jersey/src/test/java/org/sdase/commons/client/jersey/oidc/OidcRequestFilterTest.java
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 import static org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpHeaders.ACCEPT;
 import static org.apache.hc.core5.http.HttpHeaders.CONTENT_TYPE;
 import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatNoException;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThatThrownBy;
 
 import com.codahale.metrics.MetricFilter;
 import com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.BasicCredentials;
@@ -162,6 +164,50 @@ void shouldUseCustomNameForMetrics() {
     assertThat(metrics).anyMatch(m -> m.contains(".custom-oidc-client."));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void shouldThrowOnConstructionWhenStartupValidationEnabledAndTokenEndpointFails() {
+    // given – token endpoint returns no body → OidcState.ERROR
+    setupTokenEndpoint(false);
+    var clientFactory = app.getJerseyClientBundle().getClientFactory();
+    var config = buildOidcConfig(true);
+
+    // when / then
+    assertThatThrownBy(() -> new OidcRequestFilter(clientFactory, config, true))
+        .isInstanceOf(IllegalStateException.class)
+        .hasMessageContaining("OIDC startup validation failed");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void shouldNotThrowOnConstructionWhenStartupValidationEnabledAndTokenEndpointWorks() {
+    // given – token endpoint returns a valid token
+    setupTokenEndpoint(true);
+    var clientFactory = app.getJerseyClientBundle().getClientFactory();
+    var config = buildOidcConfig(true);
+
+    // when / then – no exception
+    assertThatNoException().isThrownBy(() -> new OidcRequestFilter(clientFactory, config, true));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void shouldNotThrowOnConstructionWhenStartupValidationIsDisabled() {
+    // given – token endpoint returns no body → OidcState.ERROR, but validation is disabled
+    setupTokenEndpoint(false);
+    var clientFactory = app.getJerseyClientBundle().getClientFactory();
+    var config = buildOidcConfig(false);
+
+    // when / then – no exception despite broken token endpoint
+    assertThatNoException().isThrownBy(() -> new OidcRequestFilter(clientFactory, config, true));
+  }
+
+  private OidcConfiguration buildOidcConfig(boolean enableStartupValidation) {
+    return new OidcConfiguration()
+        .setIssuerUrl(WIRE.baseUrl() + "/issuer")
+        .setClientId(CLIENT_ID)
+        .setClientSecret(CLIENT_SECRET)
+        .setUseAuthHeader(true)
+        .setEnableStartupValidation(enableStartupValidation);
+  }
+
   private void initializeAuthenticationContext() {
     Mockito.when(container.getHeaders())
         .thenReturn(