diff --git a/docker/init_scripts/init b/docker/init_scripts/init
index ff0a3be14..7233826cc 100755
--- a/docker/init_scripts/init
+++ b/docker/init_scripts/init
@@ -37,7 +37,12 @@ error_log () {
 start_bin_gunicorn () {
     # cleanup potentially leftover socket
     rm /tmp/gunicorn.sock -f
-    # Commands to start our main application and store its PID to check for crashes
+    
+    # recreate the socket file and ensure it has correct permissions
+    touch /tmp/gunicorn.sock
+    chmod 777 /tmp/gunicorn.sock
+
+    # commands to start our main application and store its PID to check for crashes
     info_log "starting gunicorn"
     gunicorn \
         --access-logfile - \
@@ -106,6 +111,14 @@ watchdog_process_pid () {
     fi
 }
 
+wait_for_gunicorn_socket () {
+    info_log "waiting for gunicorn socket file..."
+    while [ ! -S /tmp/gunicorn.sock ]; do
+        sleep 1
+    done
+    info_log "gunicorn socket file found"
+}
+
 # switch to backend directory
 cd /backend || { error_log "/backend directory doesn't seem to exist"; }
 
@@ -135,11 +148,12 @@ while true; do
         debug_log "database schema already upgraded during current container lifecycle"
     fi
 
-    # Start nginx if we dont have a corresponding PID file
-    watchdog_process_pid bin nginx
-
     # Start uvicorn if we dont have a corresponding PID file
     watchdog_process_pid bin gunicorn
+    wait_for_gunicorn_socket
+
+    # Start nginx if we dont have a corresponding PID file
+    watchdog_process_pid bin nginx
 
     # only start the watcher.py if we actually want to use the rescan on fs change feature
     if [[ ${ENABLE_RESCAN_ON_FILESYSTEM_CHANGE} == "true" ]]; then