diff --git a/compose/cassandra.yml b/compose/cassandra.yml
index 073a4676..642b83df 100644
--- a/compose/cassandra.yml
+++ b/compose/cassandra.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,12 @@ services:
   # docker compose exec cassandra-1 nodetool status
   cassandra-1:
       image: cassandra:3.11.4
+      healthcheck:
+        test: ["CMD-SHELL", "[ $$(nodetool statusgossip) = running ]"]
+        interval: 30s
+        start_period: 30s
+        timeout: 10s
+        retries: 5
       ports:
         # no need to expose all ports?
         - "7000:7000" # Internode, cluster communication
diff --git a/compose/kairos.yml b/compose/kairos.yml
index b87bb36a..9be8840e 100644
--- a/compose/kairos.yml
+++ b/compose/kairos.yml
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ services:
     build:
       context: ../scripts/
       dockerfile: Dockerfile-kairos
+    depends_on:
+      cassandra-1:
+        condition: service_healthy
     deploy:
       restart_policy:
         condition: on-failure