diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index 3d5e920..3cad721 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@ RUN \
     composer && \
   echo "**** install runtime packages ****" && \
   apk add --no-cache \
-    curl \
     fontconfig \
     memcached \
-    netcat-openbsd \
     php8-ctype \
     php8-curl \
     php8-dom \
diff --git a/Dockerfile.aarch64 b/Dockerfile.aarch64
index 017a6ea..af97fb0 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.aarch64
+++ b/Dockerfile.aarch64
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@ RUN \
     composer && \
   echo "**** install runtime packages ****" && \
   apk add --no-cache \
-    curl \
     fontconfig \
     memcached \
-    netcat-openbsd \
     php8-ctype \
     php8-curl \
     php8-dom \
diff --git a/Dockerfile.armhf b/Dockerfile.armhf
index 0f79aa0..eaf7a8f 100644
--- a/Dockerfile.armhf
+++ b/Dockerfile.armhf
@@ -16,10 +16,8 @@ RUN \
     composer && \
   echo "**** install runtime packages ****" && \
   apk add --no-cache \
-    curl \
     fontconfig \
     memcached \
-    netcat-openbsd \
     php8-ctype \
     php8-curl \
     php8-dom \
diff --git a/root/etc/cont-init.d/50-config b/root/etc/cont-init.d/50-config
index 5c249dc..e2840d0 100644
--- a/root/etc/cont-init.d/50-config
+++ b/root/etc/cont-init.d/50-config
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ done
 
 # Echo init finish for test runs
 if [ -n "${TEST_RUN}" ]; then
-    echo '[services.d] done.'
+    echo '[ls.io-init] done.'
 fi
 
 # Create API key if needed
@@ -121,24 +121,22 @@ if ! grep -qx '^post_max_size.*$' /config/php/php-local.ini; then
     echo 'post_max_size = 100M' >>/config/php/php-local.ini
 fi
 
-# check for the mysql endpoint for 30 seconds
-END=$((SECONDS + 30))
-while [ ${SECONDS} -lt ${END} ] && [ -n "${DB_HOST}" ]; do
-    if /usr/bin/nc -z "${DB_HOST}" "${DB_PORT}"; then
-        if [ -n "$(/usr/bin/nc -w1 "${DB_HOST}" "${DB_PORT}")" ]; then
-            if [ -n "${RUN}" ]; then
-                break
-            fi
-            RUN="RAN"
-            # we sleep here again due to first run init on DB containers
-            if [ ! -f /dbwait.lock ]; then
-                sleep 5
-            fi
-        else
-            sleep 1
+# check for the mysql endpoint
+echo "Waiting for DB to be available"
+END=$((SECONDS+30))
+while [[ ${SECONDS} -lt ${END} ]] && [[ -n "${DB_HOST+x}" ]]; do
+    if [[ $(/usr/bin/nc -w1 "${DB_HOST}" "${DB_PORT}" | tr -d '\0') ]]; then
+        if [[ -n "${RUN}" ]]; then
+            break
         fi
+        RUN="RAN"
+        # we sleep here again due to first run init on DB containers
+        if [[ ! -f /dbwait.lock ]]; then
+            sleep 5
+        fi
+    else
+        sleep 1
     fi
-    sleep 1
 done
 
 # update database - will set up database if fresh, or, migrate existing