diff --git a/common/startup/check_database_connection.sh b/common/startup/check_database_connection.sh
index 10b163a4..cda3b34f 100644
--- a/common/startup/check_database_connection.sh
+++ b/common/startup/check_database_connection.sh
@@ -3,37 +3,30 @@
 source /startup/logger.sh
 
 function check_database_connection {
-  local IS_MYSQL_ALIVE=false
   local FAILURE_COUNT=0
   local MAX_FAILURE_COUNT=31
 
-  while [[ "${IS_MYSQL_ALIVE}" != "mysqld is alive" ]]; do
+  log_debug "Starting MySQL connection check (max attempts: ${MAX_FAILURE_COUNT})..."
+
+  while [[ $FAILURE_COUNT -lt $MAX_FAILURE_COUNT ]]; do
     FAILURE_COUNT=$((FAILURE_COUNT + 1))
-    if [[ $FAILURE_COUNT -gt $MAX_FAILURE_COUNT ]]; then
-      log_startup_error_header
-      log_error "MySQL is not responding after ${MAX_FAILURE_COUNT} attempts. Exiting."
-      log_error "Please ensure the MySQL server is running and accessible from this container."
-      exit 1
-    fi
 
-    if [[ "${IS_MYSQL_ALIVE}" =~ "error" ]]; then
-      log_error "MySQL response contained error: ${IS_MYSQL_ALIVE}"
-      log "We will continue to retry the connection."
+    # Try the connection using exit code
+    if mysqladmin ping --host="${MAUTIC_DB_HOST}" --port="${MAUTIC_DB_PORT}" \
+        --user="${MAUTIC_DB_USER}" --password="${MAUTIC_DB_PASSWORD}" &>/dev/null; then
+      log_debug "MySQL is alive and reachable on attempt ${FAILURE_COUNT}/${MAX_FAILURE_COUNT}!"
+      return 0
     else
-      log "MySQL is not ready yet, waiting..."
+      log "MySQL is not ready yet, waiting... Attempt ${FAILURE_COUNT}/${MAX_FAILURE_COUNT}"
     fi
-    sleep 1
 
-    # try the connection
-    log_debug "Checking DB connection to ${MAUTIC_DB_HOST}:${MAUTIC_DB_PORT} with user ${MAUTIC_DB_USER}"
-    IS_MYSQL_ALIVE=$(mysqladmin --host="${MAUTIC_DB_HOST}" --port="${MAUTIC_DB_PORT}" --user="${MAUTIC_DB_USER}" --password="${MAUTIC_DB_PASSWORD}" ping 2>&1)
+    sleep 1
   done
 
-  # we either maxed our connection attempts or we got a successful response
-  log_debug "MySQL connection check response: ${IS_MYSQL_ALIVE}"
-  if [[ "${IS_MYSQL_ALIVE}" == "mysqld is alive" ]]; then
-    log_debug "MySQL is alive and well."
-  fi
+  # Max attempts reached
+  log_error "MySQL is not responding after ${MAX_FAILURE_COUNT} attempts. Exiting."
+  log_error "Please ensure the MySQL server is running and accessible from this container."
+  exit 1
 }
 
 log_debug "Checking database connection is alive and well..."