diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index b69c037a..68d2366d 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ WORKDIR /opt/recipes
 
 COPY requirements.txt ./
 
-RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual .build-deps gcc musl-dev postgresql-dev zlib-dev jpeg-dev libwebp-dev libressl-dev libffi-dev cargo openssl-dev openldap-dev && \
+RUN apk add --no-cache --virtual .build-deps gcc musl-dev postgresql-dev postgresql zlib-dev jpeg-dev libwebp-dev libressl-dev libffi-dev cargo openssl-dev openldap-dev && \
     python -m venv venv && \
     /opt/recipes/venv/bin/python -m pip install --upgrade pip && \
     venv/bin/pip install wheel==0.36.2 && \
diff --git a/boot.sh b/boot.sh
index 7e2f05fa..ced7aaa2 100644
--- a/boot.sh
+++ b/boot.sh
@@ -1,28 +1,28 @@
 #!/bin/sh
 source venv/bin/activate
 
-echo "Migrating database"
+echo "Waiting for database to be ready..."
 
 attempt=0
 max_attempts=20
-while python manage.py migrate; \
-      status=$?; \
-      attempt=$((attempt+1)); \
-      [ $status -eq 1 ] \
-   && [ $attempt -le $max_attempts ]; do
-    echo -e "\n!!! Migration failed (error ${status}, attempt ${attempt}/${max_attempts})."
-    echo "!!! Database may not be ready yet or system is misconfigured."
-    echo -e "!!! Retrying in 5 seconds...\n"
-    sleep 5
+while pg_isready --host=${POSTGRES_HOST} -q; status=$?; attempt=$((attempt+1)); [ $status -ne 0 ] && [ $attempt -le $max_attempts ]; do
+    sleep 5 # no echo needed, response comes from pg_isready already
 done
 
 if [ $attempt -gt $max_attempts ]; then
-    echo -e "\n!!! Migration failed. Maximum attempts exceeded."
-    echo "!!! Please check logs above - misconfiguration is very likely."
-    echo "!!! Shutting down container."
+    echo -e "\nDatabase not reachable. Maximum attempts exceeded."
+    echo "Please check logs above - misconfiguration is very likely."
+	echo "Make sure the DB container is up and POSTGRES_HOST is set properly."
+    echo "Shutting down container."
     exit 1 # exit with error to make the container stop
 fi
 
+echo "Database is ready"
+
+echo "Migrating database"
+
+python manage.py migrate
+
 echo "Generating static files"
 
 python manage.py collectstatic_js_reverse
@@ -32,4 +32,4 @@ echo "Done"
 
 chmod -R 755 /opt/recipes/mediafiles
 
-exec gunicorn -b :8080 --access-logfile - --error-logfile - --log-level INFO recipes.wsgi
+exec gunicorn -b :8080 --access-logfile - --error-logfile - --log-level INFO recipes.wsgi
\ No newline at end of file