diff --git a/backend/Dockerfile b/backend/Dockerfile
index 807ef2ce..9d0c1e09 100644
--- a/backend/Dockerfile
+++ b/backend/Dockerfile
@@ -29,6 +29,10 @@ RUN npm run build
 # NOTE: Has to be alpine3.16 because newer versions have changed a dependency, causing Prisma to fail
 FROM node:20-alpine3.16 AS node-run
 
+# healthcheck needs this
+USER root
+RUN apk --no-cache add curl
+
 # following mkdir needs root (for some reason)
 RUN mkdir -p /usr/src/app/backend/prisma
 RUN chown node:node /usr/src/app -R
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/test.ts b/backend/src/routes/test.ts
index 05b0a1a7..270fd5a5 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/test.ts
+++ b/backend/src/routes/test.ts
@@ -7,4 +7,8 @@ router.get('/create-test-users', async (_req, res) => {
   res.status(200).send()
 })
 
+router.get("/ping", async (_req, res) => {
+    return res.status(200).send()
+})
+
 export default router
diff --git a/docker-compose.anon.yml b/docker-compose.anon.yml
index fbf19515..7f17cf0e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.anon.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.anon.yml
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ services:
     build:
       context: .
       dockerfile: ./backend/Dockerfile
+      target: node-run
+    healthcheck:
+      test: curl -f http://localhost:4000/test/ping || exit 1
+      start_period: 10s
+      interval: 30s
+      retries: 3
+      timeout: 15s
 
   db-anon:
     container_name: nowdb-db-anon