diff --git a/deployment/deploy_opencdmp.sh b/deployment/deploy_opencdmp.sh
index bd4ea15b7..c5c486bb0 100644
--- a/deployment/deploy_opencdmp.sh
+++ b/deployment/deploy_opencdmp.sh
@@ -26,19 +26,16 @@ docker-compose pull
 
 chmod 744 ./elk/elasticsearch/index_init.sh
 
-recreate_directories() {
-    echo "Resetting postgres and elasticsearch..."
+if [[ $1 == "-r" ]]; then
+    echo "Resetting PostgreSQL and Elasticsearch storage..."
     sudo rm -rf ./storage/postgres/data
     mkdir -p ./storage/postgres/data
 
     sudo rm -rf ./storage/elasticsearch
     mkdir -p ./storage/elasticsearch
-}
-
-if [[ $1 == "-r" ]]; then
-    recreate_directories
 fi
 
+echo "Deploying Elasticsearch Container"
 docker-compose up -d opencdmp.elasticsearch
 
 function loading_icon() {
@@ -61,7 +58,7 @@ function loading_icon() {
     printf " \b\n"
 }
 
-loading_icon 45 "Waiting for Elasticsearch to Startup!"
+loading_icon 60 "Waiting for Elasticsearch to Startup!"
 
 docker exec opencdmp.elasticsearch /usr/share/elasticsearch/config/index_init.sh
 
@@ -73,6 +70,8 @@ loading_icon 20 "Waiting for PostgreSQL to Initialize!"
 
 docker-compose up -d opencdmp.keycloak
 
-loading_icon 60 "Waiting for Keycloak to Startup!"
+loading_icon 90 "Waiting for Keycloak to Startup!"
 
 docker-compose up -d
+
+loading_icon 60 "Waiting for the Backend to Startup!"
diff --git a/deployment/docker-compose.yml b/deployment/docker-compose.yml
index 78c1cf157..6b9e139a3 100644
--- a/deployment/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/deployment/docker-compose.yml
@@ -1,14 +1,20 @@
 services:
+
 ############################## PROXY ########################################
   opencdmp.proxy:
       container_name: opencdmp.proxy
       image: nginx:${PROXY_TAG}
       depends_on:
-        - opencdmp.frontend
-        - opencdmp.backend
-        - opencdmp.notification
-        - opencdmp.annotation
-        # - opencdmp.keycloak
+        opencdmp.frontend:
+          condition: service_started
+        opencdmp.backend:
+          condition: service_started
+        opencdmp.notification:
+          condition: service_started
+        opencdmp.annotation:
+          condition: service_started
+        opencdmp.keycloak:
+          condition: service_started
 
 ############################## OPENDMP APP #################################
 
@@ -16,27 +22,41 @@ services:
     container_name: opencdmp.frontend
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}open-dmp-webapp:${MAIN_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.backend
-      - opencdmp.notification
-      - opencdmp.annotation
+      opencdmp.backend:
+        condition: service_started
+      opencdmp.notification:
+        condition: service_started
+      opencdmp.annotation:
+        condition: service_started
 
   opencdmp.backend:
     container_name: opencdmp.backend
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}open-dmp-api:${MAIN_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.postgres
+      opencdmp.postgres:
+        condition: service_started
+      opencdmp.keycloak:
+        condition: service_started
 
   opencdmp.notification:
     container_name: opencdmp.notification
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}open-dmp-notification-api:${NOTIFICATION_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.postgres
+      opencdmp.postgres:
+        condition: service_started
+      opencdmp.keycloak:
+        condition: service_started
 
   opencdmp.annotation:
     container_name: opencdmp.annotation
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}open-dmp-annotation-api:${ANNOTATION_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.postgres
+      opencdmp.postgres:
+        condition: service_started
+      opencdmp.keycloak:
+        condition: service_started
+      opencdmp.backend:
+        condition: service_started
 
 # # ############################## FILE-TRANSFORMERS #######################################
 
@@ -44,20 +64,23 @@ services:
     container_name: opencdmp.file.transformer.docx
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}file-transformation-docx-api:${DOCX_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.backend
+      opencdmp.backend:
+        condition: service_started
 
   opencdmp.file.transformer.rdajson:
     container_name: opencdmp.file.transformer.rdajson
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}file-transformation-rda-json-api:${JSON_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.backend
+      opencdmp.backend:
+        condition: service_started
 
 # ################################ ZENODO ###############################################
   opencdmp.zenodo:
     container_name: opencdmp.zenodo
     image: ${DOCKER_REGISTRY}repository-deposit-zenodo:${ZENODO_APP_TAG}
     depends_on:
-      - opencdmp.backend
+      opencdmp.backend:
+        condition: service_started
 
 ############################## POSTGRES 16 ############################################
   opencdmp.postgres:
diff --git a/deployment/elk/elasticsearch/index_init.sh b/deployment/elk/elasticsearch/index_init.sh
index 4e84456ca..51cc11638 100644
--- a/deployment/elk/elasticsearch/index_init.sh
+++ b/deployment/elk/elasticsearch/index_init.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #!/bin/bash
-echo "Elasticsearch is now available. Proceeding with initialization..."
+set -e
 
 echo "Creating Elasticsearch indexes, roles, and users..."
 
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ curl -XPUT "http://localhost:9200/opencdmp-plans-test" -u elastic:elastic -H 'Co
       "date_added": { "type": "date" }
     }
   }
-}'
+}' || { echo "Failed to create the 'plans' index"; exit 1; }
 
 # Command to create the "descriptions" index
 curl -XPUT "http://localhost:9200/opencdmp-descriptions-test" -u elastic:elastic -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{
@@ -32,8 +32,9 @@ curl -XPUT "http://localhost:9200/opencdmp-descriptions-test" -u elastic:elastic
       "language": { "type": "keyword" }
     }
   }
-}'
+}' || { echo "Failed to create the 'descriptions' index"; exit 1; }
 
+# Command to create the role
 curl -XPOST "localhost:9200/_security/role/opencdmp-api-test" -u elastic:elastic -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{
   "indices": [
     {
@@ -41,12 +42,16 @@ curl -XPOST "localhost:9200/_security/role/opencdmp-api-test" -u elastic:elastic
       "privileges": [ "all" ]
     }
   ]
-}'
+}' || { echo "Failed to create the role"; exit 1; }
 
-curl -XPOST "localhost:9200/_security/user/opencdmp-api-test?pretty" -u elastic:elastic -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d'
+# Command to create the user
+curl -XPOST "localhost:9200/_security/user/opencdmp-api-test?pretty" -u elastic:elastic -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '
 {
   "password" : "opencdmp",
   "roles" : [ "opencdmp-api-test" ]
-}'
+}' || { echo "Failed to create the user"; exit 1; }
 
-elasticsearch-plugin install analysis-icu
\ No newline at end of file
+# Install the analysis-icu plugin
+elasticsearch-plugin install analysis-icu || { echo "Failed to install the analysis-icu plugin"; exit 1; }
+
+echo "Initialization complete."