diff --git a/dev/bin/init-lightning.sh b/dev/bin/init-lightning.sh
index ef9e85cb3a..5750cefc3c 100755
--- a/dev/bin/init-lightning.sh
+++ b/dev/bin/init-lightning.sh
@@ -24,6 +24,25 @@ retry() {
   false
 }
 
+run_with_lnd() {
+  local func_name="$1"
+  shift  # This will shift away the function name, so $1 becomes the next argument
+
+  if [[ "$func_name" == "lnd_cli" ]]; then
+    lnd_cli "$@"
+  elif [[ "$func_name" == "lnd_outside_cli" ]]; then
+    lnd_outside_cli "$@"
+  else
+    echo "Invalid function name passed!" && return 1
+  fi
+}
+
+lnd_is_ready() {
+  run_with_lnd "$1" getinfo
+  return "$?"
+}
+
+
 mempool_not_empty() {
   echo "Waiting for txn to show up in mempool..."
   local txid="$(bitcoin_cli getrawmempool | jq -r ".[0]")"
@@ -66,9 +85,11 @@ echo "Funded with txid: ${funded_txid}"
 
 # Open channel from lndoutside1 -> lnd1
 echo "Opening channel: lndoutside1 -> lnd1..."
+retry 30 1 lnd_is_ready lnd_cli
 pubkey_lnd1="$(lnd_cli getinfo | jq -r '.identity_pubkey')"
 endpoint_lnd1="${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}-lnd1-1:9735"
-lnd_outside_cli connect "${pubkey_lnd1}@${endpoint_lnd1}" > /dev/null 2>&1 || true
+echo "CONNECTING 1..."
+lnd_outside_cli connect "${pubkey_lnd1}@${endpoint_lnd1}" || true
 retry 30 1 synced_to_graph
 funding_txid=$(lnd_outside_cli openchannel \
   --node_key "$pubkey_lnd1" \
@@ -89,7 +110,8 @@ echo "Channel ${funding_txid} confirmed"
 echo "Opening balanced channel: lndoutside1 -> lndoutside2..."
 pubkey_lnd_outside_2="$(lnd_outside_2_cli getinfo | jq -r '.identity_pubkey')"
 endpoint_lnd_outside_2="${COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME}-lnd-outside-2-1:9735"
-lnd_outside_cli connect "${pubkey_lnd_outside_2}@${endpoint_lnd_outside_2}" > /dev/null 2>&1 || true
+echo "CONNECTING 2..."
+lnd_outside_cli connect "${pubkey_lnd_outside_2}@${endpoint_lnd_outside_2}" || true
 retry 30 1 synced_to_graph
 funding_txid=$(lnd_outside_cli openchannel \
   --node_key "$pubkey_lnd_outside_2" \