diff --git a/peertube/build/Dockerfile b/peertube/build/Dockerfile
index 9fb23d9a..736002e8 100644
--- a/peertube/build/Dockerfile
+++ b/peertube/build/Dockerfile
@@ -94,7 +94,12 @@ RUN apk add nodejs-npm
 ## runtime deps
 RUN apk add openssl
 
+## to check if postgres is fine BEFORE running the app
+RUN apk add postgresql-client
+
+COPY src/ .
+
 USER peertube
 WORKDIR /opt/apps/peertube
 
-CMD ["npm", "start"]
+CMD ["/entrypoint.sh"]
diff --git a/peertube/build/src/entrypoint.sh b/peertube/build/src/entrypoint.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..5664b2bb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/peertube/build/src/entrypoint.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+timeout=120
+start="$(date +%s)"
+while true; do
+    if err=$(echo "SELECT 1;" | psql 2>&1 >/dev/null); then
+        break
+    fi
+    now=$(date +%s)
+    if ! [ "$err" = "psql: FATAL:  the database system is starting up" ]; then
+        echo "postgres connection error:" \
+             "Could not connect to '$PGHOST'. (will retry)"
+        if [ "$err" ]; then
+            echo "  Error:" >&2
+            printf "%s\n" "$err" | sed -r "s/^/    ! /g" >&2
+        fi
+    else
+        echo "Got 'database system is starting up' error... waiting before launching npm start" >&2
+    fi
+    elapsed=$((now - start))
+    if [ "$elapsed" -gt "$timeout" ]; then
+        echo "postgre connection error:"\
+        "Could not connect to db on '$PGHOST'" \
+        "container's IP."
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    sleep 0.5
+done
+
+exec npm start
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/peertube/hooks/postgres_database-relation-joined b/peertube/hooks/postgres_database-relation-joined
index ccf6dda5..8bcced20 100755
--- a/peertube/hooks/postgres_database-relation-joined
+++ b/peertube/hooks/postgres_database-relation-joined
@@ -22,4 +22,21 @@ database:
 
 EOF
 
+## XXXvlab: needed only for psql access to check if database is ready
+## before launching the app.
+uid=$(docker_get_uid "$SERVICE_NAME" peertube) || exit 1
+
+chown "$uid" "$SERVICE_CONFIGSTORE/root/.pgpass" || exit 1
+
+config-add "
+services:
+  $MASTER_BASE_SERVICE_NAME:
+    environment:
+      PGUSER: $USER
+      PGHOST: $TARGET_SERVICE_NAME
+      PGDATABASE: $DBNAME
+    volumes:
+      - $SERVICE_CONFIGSTORE/root/.pgpass:/var/lib/peertube/.pgpass
+"
+
 info "Configured $SERVICE_NAME code for $TARGET_SERVICE_NAME access."