diff --git a/Dockerfile b/Dockerfile
index b06467d..3f7f7cd 100644
--- a/Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfile
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ COPY backend/templates ./backend/templates
 # Store DB config in a docker-friendly location (/config), override via DB_CONFIG_PATH env if needed
 COPY backend/config /config
 COPY backend/requirements.txt ./requirements.txt
+COPY backend/entrypoint.sh ./entrypoint.sh
 
 # Frontend aus Build-Stage übernehmen
 COPY --from=frontend-build /app/frontend/dist ./frontend/dist
@@ -26,9 +27,12 @@ COPY --from=frontend-build /app/frontend/dist ./frontend/dist
 # Python-Abhängigkeiten installieren
 RUN pip install --no-cache-dir -r requirements.txt
 
+# Entrypoint ausführbar machen
+RUN chmod +x /app/entrypoint.sh
+
 # Flask starten
 WORKDIR /app/backend
 ENV PYTHONPATH=/app/backend
 ENV DB_CONFIG_PATH=/config/db_config.json
 EXPOSE 5000
-CMD ["python", "app.py"]
+ENTRYPOINT ["/app/entrypoint.sh"]
diff --git a/backend/entrypoint.sh b/backend/entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10dfcf4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+set -e
+
+RETRY_INTERVAL=3
+
+# If no db_config.json exists yet, skip the wait (first-run setup mode).
+python - <<'EOF'
+import sys, os
+config_path = os.environ.get("DB_CONFIG_PATH", "/config/db_config.json")
+if not os.path.exists(config_path):
+    sys.exit(1)
+EOF
+DB_CONFIGURED=$?
+
+if [ "$DB_CONFIGURED" -eq 1 ]; then
+    echo "[entrypoint] Keine DB-Konfiguration gefunden – starte im Setup-Modus."
+else
+    echo "[entrypoint] DB-Konfiguration gefunden – warte auf MariaDB..."
+    while true; do
+        python - <<'EOF'
+import sys
+from util.db_config import load_config, test_connection
+config = load_config()
+sys.exit(0 if config and test_connection(config) else 1)
+EOF
+        if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+            echo "[entrypoint] MariaDB erreichbar – starte Flask."
+            break
+        fi
+        echo "[entrypoint] MariaDB noch nicht bereit – neuer Versuch in ${RETRY_INTERVAL}s..."
+        sleep "$RETRY_INTERVAL"
+    done
+fi
+
+exec python app.py