diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
index a785b13..d996891 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/build.yaml
@@ -22,14 +22,21 @@ jobs:
 
       - name: Validate web application loads
         run: |
-          HTTP_STATUS=$(curl -o /dev/null -s -w "%{http_code}\n" http://localhost:4567/)
-          if [ "$HTTP_STATUS" -ne 200 ]; then
-            echo "Failed to load web application. HTTP status: $HTTP_STATUS"
-            docker logs todoizer
-            exit 1
-          else
-            echo "Web application loaded successfully. HTTP status: $HTTP_STATUS"
-          fi
+          echo "Waiting for application to start..."
+          for i in {1..15}; do
+            # Run curl inside the container to bypass any host-runner networking port mapping quirks
+            HTTP_STATUS=$(docker exec todoizer curl -o /dev/null -s -w "%{http_code}\n" http://localhost:4567/ || echo "failed")
+            if [ "$HTTP_STATUS" == "200" ]; then
+              echo "Web application loaded successfully. HTTP status: $HTTP_STATUS"
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            echo "Attempt $i: App not ready (Status: $HTTP_STATUS). Sleeping 2s..."
+            sleep 2
+          done
+          
+          echo "Failed to load web application after 30 seconds."
+          docker logs todoizer
+          exit 1
           
       - name: Cleanup Test Container
         if: always()