diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 488f15d..4f18771 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -46,18 +46,19 @@ services:
       S3_FORCE_PATH_STYLE: ${S3_FORCE_PATH_STYLE:-true}
       S3_PUBLIC_BASE_URL: ${S3_PUBLIC_BASE_URL:-}
       S3_OBJECT_PREFIX: ${S3_OBJECT_PREFIX:-toir-light/equipment}
+    # migrate deploy runs before the HTTP server listens; cold start can exceed 20s.
     healthcheck:
       test:
         [
           "CMD",
           "node",
           "-e",
-          "fetch('http://127.0.0.1:3000/health').then(r=>process.exit(r.ok?0:1)).catch(()=>process.exit(1))",
+          "require('http').get('http://127.0.0.1:3000/health',(r)=>process.exit(r.statusCode===200?0:1)).on('error',()=>process.exit(1))",
         ]
       interval: 15s
-      timeout: 5s
-      retries: 5
-      start_period: 20s
+      timeout: 10s
+      retries: 8
+      start_period: 120s
     expose:
       - "3000"
     networks: