diff --git a/server/Dockerfile b/server/Dockerfile
index 0b0664d2..ee459f9d 100644
--- a/server/Dockerfile
+++ b/server/Dockerfile
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ RUN \
     echo "#!/bin/sh" >> /init && \
     echo "set -e" >> /init && \
     echo "cd /opt/app" >> /init && \
-    echo "./wait-for-es" >> /init && \
     echo "alembic upgrade head" >> /init && \
     echo "exec waitress-serve --port ${PORT} szurubooru.facade:app" \
         >> /init && \
diff --git a/server/szurubooru/facade.py b/server/szurubooru/facade.py
index d0306c28..b03e2197 100644
--- a/server/szurubooru/facade.py
+++ b/server/szurubooru/facade.py
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import coloredlogs
 import sqlalchemy as sa
 import sqlalchemy.orm.exc
 from szurubooru import config, db, errors, rest
-from szurubooru.func import posts, file_uploads
+from szurubooru.func import posts, file_uploads, image_hash
 # pylint: disable=unused-import
 from szurubooru import api, middleware
 
@@ -130,6 +130,8 @@ def create_app() -> Callable[[Any, Any], Any]:
     purge_thread.start()
 
     try:
+        image_hash.get_session().cluster.health(
+            wait_for_status='yellow', request_timeout=30)
         posts.populate_reverse_search()
         db.session.commit()
     except errors.ThirdPartyError:
diff --git a/server/wait-for-es b/server/wait-for-es
deleted file mode 100755
index b21ea6eb..00000000
--- a/server/wait-for-es
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,32 +0,0 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python3
-
-'''
-Docker helper script. Blocks until the ElasticSearch service is ready.
-'''
-
-import logging
-import time
-from szurubooru import errors
-from szurubooru.func.image_hash import get_session
-
-
-def main():
-    print('Looking for ElasticSearch connection...')
-    logging.basicConfig(level=logging.ERROR)
-    es = get_session()
-
-    TIMEOUT = 30
-    DELAY = 0.1
-    for _ in range(int(TIMEOUT / DELAY)):
-        try:
-            es.cluster.health(wait_for_status='yellow')
-            print('Connected to ElasticSearch!')
-            return
-        except Exception:
-            time.sleep(DELAY)
-            pass
-    raise errors.ThirdPartyError('Error connecting to ElasticSearch')
-
-
-if __name__ == '__main__':
-    main()