diff --git a/awx/__init__.py b/awx/__init__.py
index 9573c3529a..35322396b3 100644
--- a/awx/__init__.py
+++ b/awx/__init__.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 from __future__ import absolute_import, unicode_literals
 
 import os
-import time
 import sys
 import warnings
 
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ else:
     from django.db.models import indexes
     from django.db.backends.utils import names_digest
     from django.db import connection
-    from django.db.utils import OperationalError
 
 
 if HAS_DJANGO is True:
@@ -154,19 +152,6 @@ def manage():
 
     # enforce the postgres version is equal to 12. if not, then terminate program with exit code of 1
     if not MODE == 'development':
-        # wait for connection to the database
-        sys.stdout.write("Wainting for connection to database\n")
-        connected = False
-        while not connected:
-            try:
-                connection.ensure_connection()
-                connected = True
-            except OperationalError:
-                sys.stdout.write("No connection available\n")
-                time.sleep(1)
-
-        sys.stdout.write("Connection established\n")
-
         if (connection.pg_version // 10000) < 12:
             sys.stderr.write("Postgres version 12 is required\n")
             sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx.sh b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx.sh
index cd9f573533..ce90142cb4 100755
--- a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx.sh
+++ b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ if [ -n "${AWX_KUBE_DEVEL}" ]; then
     export SDB_NOTIFY_HOST=$MY_POD_IP
 fi
 
+wait-for-migrations || exit 1
+
 awx-manage collectstatic --noinput --clear
 
 supervisord -c /etc/supervisord.conf
diff --git a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx_task.sh b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx_task.sh
index 7d5ac3265c..2e0d1a9b10 100755
--- a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx_task.sh
+++ b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/launch_awx_task.sh
@@ -13,6 +13,6 @@ if [ -n "${AWX_KUBE_DEVEL}" ]; then
     export SDB_NOTIFY_HOST=$MY_POD_IP
 fi
 
-wait-for-migrations
+wait-for-migrations || exit 1
 
 supervisord -c /etc/supervisord_task.conf
diff --git a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/wait-for-migrations b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/wait-for-migrations
index aec55fbf46..8557720591 100755
--- a/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/wait-for-migrations
+++ b/tools/ansible/roles/dockerfile/files/wait-for-migrations
@@ -22,13 +22,20 @@ wait_for() {
     local rc=1
     local attempt=1
     local next_sleep="${MIN_SLEEP}"
+    local check=1
 
     while true; do
         log_message "Attempt ${attempt} of ${ATTEMPTS}"
 
         timeout "${TIMEOUT}" \
-                /bin/bash -c "! awx-manage showmigrations | grep '\[ \]'" &>/dev/null \
-            && return || rc=$?
+                /bin/bash -c "awx-manage check" &>/dev/null
+        check=$?
+
+        if [ $check -eq 0 ]; then
+            timeout "${TIMEOUT}" \
+                    /bin/bash -c "! awx-manage showmigrations | grep '\[ \]'" &>/dev/null \
+                && return || rc=$?
+        fi
 
         (( ++attempt > ATTEMPTS )) && break