diff --git a/src/api-umbrella/proxy/jobs/elasticsearch_setup.lua b/src/api-umbrella/proxy/jobs/elasticsearch_setup.lua
index 254cba8d1..6015ba578 100644
--- a/src/api-umbrella/proxy/jobs/elasticsearch_setup.lua
+++ b/src/api-umbrella/proxy/jobs/elasticsearch_setup.lua
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ local function wait_for_elasticsearch()
   repeat
     local res, err = httpc:request_uri(elasticsearch_host .. "/_cluster/health")
     if err then
-      ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "failed to fetch cluster health from elasticsearch: ", err)
+      ngx.log(ngx.NOTICE, "failed to fetch cluster health from elasticsearch (this is expected if elasticsearch is starting up at the same time): ", err)
     elseif res.body then
       local elasticsearch_health = cjson.decode(res.body)
       if elasticsearch_health["status"] == "yellow" or elasticsearch_health["status"] == "green" then
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ local function wait_for_elasticsearch()
       wait_time = wait_time + sleep_time
     end
   until elasticsearch_alive or wait_time > max_time
+
+  if elasticsearch_alive then
+    return true, nil
+  else
+    return false, "elasticsearch was not ready within " .. max_time  .."s"
+  end
 end
 
 local function create_templates()
@@ -101,14 +107,20 @@ local function create_aliases()
   end
 end
 
-local function do_check()
-  wait_for_elasticsearch()
-  create_templates()
-  create_aliases()
+local function setup()
+  local _, err = wait_for_elasticsearch()
+  if not err then
+    create_templates()
+    create_aliases()
+  else
+    ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "timed out waiting for eleasticsearch before setup, rerunning...")
+    ngx.sleep(5)
+    setup()
+  end
 end
 
 function _M.spawn()
-  interval_lock.repeat_with_mutex('elasticsearch_index_setup', delay, do_check)
+  interval_lock.repeat_with_mutex('elasticsearch_index_setup', delay, setup)
 end
 
 return _M
diff --git a/src/api-umbrella/proxy/startup/seed_database.lua b/src/api-umbrella/proxy/startup/seed_database.lua
index 3f4bb4ffb..30b6867e1 100644
--- a/src/api-umbrella/proxy/startup/seed_database.lua
+++ b/src/api-umbrella/proxy/startup/seed_database.lua
@@ -1,11 +1,37 @@
 local deep_merge_overwrite_arrays = require "api-umbrella.utils.deep_merge_overwrite_arrays"
-local lock = require "resty.lock"
+local interval_lock = require "api-umbrella.utils.interval_lock"
 local mongo = require "api-umbrella.utils.mongo"
 local random_token = require "api-umbrella.utils.random_token"
 local uuid = require "resty.uuid"
 
 local nowMongoDate = { ["$date"] = { ["$numberLong"] = tostring(os.time() * 1000) } }
 
+local function wait_for_mongodb()
+  local mongodb_alive = false
+  local wait_time = 0
+  local sleep_time = 0.5
+  local max_time = 14
+  repeat
+    local _, err = mongo.collections()
+    if err then
+      ngx.log(ngx.NOTICE, "failed to establish connection to mongodb (this is expected if mongodb is starting up at the same time): ", err)
+    else
+      mongodb_alive = true
+    end
+
+    if not mongodb_alive then
+      ngx.sleep(sleep_time)
+      wait_time = wait_time + sleep_time
+    end
+  until mongodb_alive or wait_time > max_time
+
+  if mongodb_alive then
+    return true, nil
+  else
+    return false, "elasticsearch was not ready within " .. max_time  .."s"
+  end
+end
+
 local function seed_api_keys()
   local keys = {
     -- static.site.ajax@internal.apiumbrella
@@ -208,19 +234,24 @@ local function seed_admin_permissions()
 end
 
 local function seed()
-  local seed_lock = lock:new("locks", { ["timeout"] = 0 })
-  local _, lock_err = seed_lock:lock("seed_database")
-  if lock_err then
-    return
+  local _, err = wait_for_mongodb()
+  if not err then
+    seed_api_keys()
+    seed_initial_superusers()
+    seed_admin_permissions()
+  else
+    ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "timed out waiting for mongodb before seeding, rerunning...")
+    ngx.sleep(5)
+    seed()
   end
+end
 
-  seed_api_keys()
-  seed_initial_superusers()
-  seed_admin_permissions()
+local function seed_once()
+  interval_lock.mutex_exec("seed_database", seed)
 end
 
 return function()
-  local ok, err = ngx.timer.at(0, seed)
+  local ok, err = ngx.timer.at(0, seed_once)
   if not ok then
     ngx.log(ngx.ERR, "failed to create timer: ", err)
     return
diff --git a/src/api-umbrella/utils/mongo.lua b/src/api-umbrella/utils/mongo.lua
index f3d26fceb..04f225507 100644
--- a/src/api-umbrella/utils/mongo.lua
+++ b/src/api-umbrella/utils/mongo.lua
@@ -120,6 +120,12 @@ function _M.find(collection, query_options)
   return results, err
 end
 
+function _M.collections()
+  local collection = ""
+  local query_options = {}
+  return _M.find(collection, query_options)
+end
+
 function _M.first(collection, query_options)
   if not query_options then
     query_options = {}