diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index cc754aa04..df51ac21b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -92,8 +92,7 @@ build-acceptance:
 acceptance-tests:
 acceptance-tests: build-acceptance
 	(cd compose/ && TAG=$(TAG) GS_USER=$(UID):$(GID) docker compose $(COMPOSE_ACCEPTANCE_DATADIR_OPTIONS) up -d)
-	sleep 30
-	(cd compose/ && TAG=$(TAG) GS_USER=$(UID):$(GID) docker compose $(COMPOSE_ACCEPTANCE_DATADIR_OPTIONS) exec -T acceptance pytest . -vvv --color=yes)
+	(cd compose/ && TAG=$(TAG) GS_USER=$(UID):$(GID) docker compose $(COMPOSE_ACCEPTANCE_DATADIR_OPTIONS) exec -T acceptance bash -c 'until [ -f /tmp/healthcheck ]; do echo "Waiting for /tmp/healthcheck to be available..."; sleep 5; done && pytest . -vvv --color=yes')
 
 .PHONY: stop-acceptance-tests
 stop-acceptance-tests: build-acceptance
diff --git a/acceptance_tests/Dockerfile b/acceptance_tests/Dockerfile
index 0eead3f8b..d48591306 100644
--- a/acceptance_tests/Dockerfile
+++ b/acceptance_tests/Dockerfile
@@ -12,4 +12,11 @@ COPY . /acceptance_tests
 WORKDIR /acceptance_tests
 RUN python3 -m pip install --disable-pip-version-check .
 
+COPY entrypoint.py /bin/entrypoint.py
+
+ENV PYTHONUNBUFFERED=1
+ENTRYPOINT ["/bin/entrypoint.py"]
+
+HEALTHCHECK --interval=5s --start-period=15s --retries=20 CMD test -f /tmp/healthcheck || exit 1
+
 CMD ["sleep", "infinity"]
diff --git a/acceptance_tests/entrypoint.py b/acceptance_tests/entrypoint.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..033418b38
--- /dev/null
+++ b/acceptance_tests/entrypoint.py
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+import time
+import os
+import requests
+import sys
+
+# Set variables
+start_time = time.time()
+
+# Set a maximum timeout from the environment or use 60 seconds as default
+max_time = int(os.getenv('MAX_TIMEOUT', 60))
+
+# Set the GEOSERVER_URL from the environment or use the default value
+GEOSERVER_URL = os.getenv('GEOSERVER_URL', 'http://gateway:8080/geoserver/cloud')
+GEOSERVER_USERNAME = os.getenv('GEOSERVER_USERNAME', 'admin')
+GEOSERVER_PASSWORD = os.getenv('GEOSERVER_PASSWORD', 'geoserver')
+
+# is we want to start directly with the passed command
+IGNORE_HEALTH_CHECK = os.getenv('IGNORE_HEALTH_CHECK', False)
+
+# Timeout function
+def timeout():
+    current_time = time.time()
+    if current_time - start_time > max_time:
+        return True
+    return False
+
+# Array of endpoints to check
+endpoints = [
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/wms?SERVICE=WMS&REQUEST=GetCapabilities",
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/wfs?SERVICE=WFS&REQUEST=GetCapabilities",
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/wps?SERVICE=WPS&REQUEST=GetCapabilities",
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/wcs?SERVICE=WCS&REQUEST=GetCapabilities",
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/ows?SERVICE=WMS&REQUEST=GetCapabilities",
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/gwc",
+    f"{GEOSERVER_URL}/rest",
+]
+
+if not IGNORE_HEALTH_CHECK:
+    # Loop through each endpoint and check if it's available
+    for endpoint in endpoints:
+        print(f"Waiting for {endpoint} to be available...")
+        if timeout():
+            print("Timeout")
+            break
+
+        while True:
+            try:
+                # Make a request to the endpoint
+                response = requests.get(endpoint, auth=(GEOSERVER_USERNAME, GEOSERVER_PASSWORD))
+                if response.status_code == 200:
+                    print(f"{endpoint} is up")
+                    break
+                else:
+                    print(f"{endpoint} returned status code {response.status_code}")
+            except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+                print(f"{endpoint} is not available - retrying...")
+
+            if timeout():
+                print("Timeout reached")
+                break
+
+            time.sleep(1)
+
+# create /tmp/healthcheck file to signal that the healthcheck is done
+with open("/tmp/healthcheck", "w") as f:
+    f.write("done")
+# Execute the command passed to the script anyway, this is useful for
+# running the tests and see what breaks
+if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+    command = sys.argv[1:]
+    os.execvp(command[0], command)