Phosphorylation of the protein kinase Akt at Ser473 is a key regulatory event in the induction of cellular survival mechanisms. A new study provides a novel mechanism for Akt activation. In cells and mice exposed to DNA-damaging insults, Ser473 phosphorylation is mediated by the DNA-dependent protein kinase at sites of DNA double-strand breaks. This event triggers the induction of a transcriptional program that promotes survival in response to DNA damage.