diff --git a/docker-entrypoint.sh b/docker-entrypoint.sh
index 5335d80..78bce3b 100644
--- a/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -6,18 +6,43 @@ mkdir -p /data/db /var/log/mongodb /var/run/mongodb
 chown -R mongodb:mongodb /data/db /var/log/mongodb /var/run/mongodb
 
 echo "Starting local MongoDB server (only accessible from inside container)..."
-# Start mongod as the default mongodb user, bound to localhost (127.0.0.1) for internal access only
-su -s /bin/bash -c "mongod --dbpath /data/db --bind_ip 127.0.0.1 --fork --logpath /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log" mongodb
+# Start mongod as default mongodb user, bound to localhost (127.0.0.1)
+if ! su -s /bin/bash -c "mongod --dbpath /data/db --bind_ip 127.0.0.1 --fork --logpath /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log" mongodb; then
+    echo "ERROR: Failed to fork mongod process."
+    if [ -f /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log ]; then
+        echo "=== MongoDB Log (/var/log/mongodb/mongod.log) ==="
+        cat /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log
+    fi
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 echo "Waiting for MongoDB to be ready..."
+READY=0
 for i in $(seq 1 30); do
-    mongosh --eval "db.adminCommand('ping')" --quiet &>/dev/null && break
+    if mongosh --eval "db.adminCommand('ping')" --quiet &>/dev/null; then
+        READY=1
+        echo "MongoDB is ready."
+        break
+    fi
     sleep 1
 done
 
+if [ "$READY" -ne 1 ]; then
+    echo "ERROR: MongoDB did not become ready within 30 seconds!"
+    if [ -f /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log ]; then
+        echo "=== MongoDB Log (/var/log/mongodb/mongod.log) ==="
+        tail -n 100 /var/log/mongodb/mongod.log
+    fi
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 echo "Starting Nginx reverse proxy..."
-nginx
+if ! nginx; then
+    echo "ERROR: Failed to start Nginx."
+    exit 1
+fi
 
 echo "Starting Node.js backend connected to local MongoDB..."
 # Start the Node.js API server using MongoDB
 exec node server/api-mongodb.js
+