diff --git a/deploy.sh b/deploy.sh
index 409f297..0e6a149 100755
--- a/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy.sh
@@ -17,14 +17,47 @@ docker run --rm -v $(pwd):/app \
 cd ..
 sh ./create_volumes.sh
 
+# Keep the timestamp of when starting up containers
+TIME_START=`date +%s`
+
 # Run containers
 docker-compose -f docker-compose-jfrog.yml up --detach
-# Wait until everything is up, 2 mins should be enough.
-sleep 120
+
+# loop until all containers are up
+while 1; do
+  # if any container other than composer has exited, bail out
+  res=`docker ps -a | \
+    grep "/curex-local/kea_" | \
+    grep -v "kea_composer" | \
+    grep "Exited" | \
+    wc -l`
+  if [ $res -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Some containers have exited."
+    docker ps -a | grep "/curex-local/kea_"
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  # count containers that are up
+  res=`docker ps -a | \
+    grep "/curex-local/kea_" | \
+    grep -v "kea_composer" | \
+    grep "Up" | \
+    wc -l`
+  if [ $res -eq 11 ]; then
+    break
+  fi
+  # only wait for 10 mins until everything is up. It should be more than
+  # enough.
+  TIME_NOW=`date +%s`
+  if [ $((TIME_NOW - TIME_START)) -ge 600 ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: Timeout exceeded."
+    exit 2
+  fi
+  sleep 1
+done
+
+# Wait a bit more
+sleep 10
 
 # create and populate the database
 docker-compose -f docker-compose-jfrog.yml exec api php artisan migrate:fresh --seed --force
 
-#Check that everything is running succesfully
-docker ps -a | grep "^CONTAINER\|/curex-local/kea_"
-