diff --git a/.github/workflows/cache-verify.yml b/.github/workflows/cache-verify.yml
index f27325159..8036179e9 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cache-verify.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cache-verify.yml
@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     env:
       jobs: 8
+      PATH: "/opt:${PATH}"
     strategy:
       matrix:
         job: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]
@@ -232,16 +233,32 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           docker compose -f docker-compose.yml -f docker-compose.test.yml up --detach backend mailserver webapp
 
-      - name: Wait for services
+      - name: Wait for essential services
         run: |
-          for i in {1..60}; do
-            curl -sf http://localhost:3000 && echo "✅ Webapp ready" && break
-            echo "Waiting... ($i/60)"
-            sleep 2
-          done
-          echo "❌ Timeout: webapp did not start in time"
-          docker compose logs
-          exit 1
+          wait_for() {
+            local name="$1"
+            local url="$2"
+            echo "⏳ Waiting for $name ($url)..."
+            for i in {1..60}; do
+              if curl -sf "$url" > /dev/null; then
+                echo "✅ $name is ready"
+                return 0
+              fi
+              echo "Waiting for $name... ($i/60)"
+              sleep 2
+            done
+            echo "❌ Timeout: $name did not respond at $url"
+            docker compose logs "$name"
+            return 1
+          }
+
+          # Check each essential service
+          wait_for "webapp" "http://localhost:3000"
+          wait_for "backend" "http://localhost:4000/api/health"
+          wait_for "mailserver" "http://localhost:1080"
+          wait_for "minio" "http://localhost:9000/minio/health/live"
+
+          echo "🎉 All services are up."
 
       - name: Full stack tests | run tests
         id: e2e-tests