diff --git a/docker/docker-compose.cht-couchdb.yml b/docker/docker-compose.cht-couchdb.yml
index 6bc06056..a2f4f69c 100644
--- a/docker/docker-compose.cht-couchdb.yml
+++ b/docker/docker-compose.cht-couchdb.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ services:
   couchdb:
     image: public.ecr.aws/medic/cht-couchdb:4.1.0-alpha
     volumes:
-      - ${COUCHDB_DATA:-./srv}:/opt/couchdb/data
+      - couchdb-data:/opt/couchdb/data
       - cht-credentials:/opt/couchdb/etc/local.d/
     environment:
       - "COUCHDB_USER=${COUCHDB_USER:-admin}"
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ services:
 
 volumes:
   cht-credentials:
+  couchdb-data:
 
 networks:
   cht-net:
diff --git a/mediator/README.md b/mediator/README.md
index 75b60113..b04bc502 100644
--- a/mediator/README.md
+++ b/mediator/README.md
@@ -18,4 +18,4 @@ docker run --network <openhim-network-name> --name mediator -rm -p 5005:5005 med
 1. Run `npm dev` to start the mediator with watch mode. All code is in the `src` folder. The `dist` folder is generated by the build process.
 1. Navigate to `/mediator` folder. Run `npm install` to install the dependencies.
 1. Run `npm run unit-test` to run unit tests.
-1. Run `npm run e2e-test` to run e2e tests. (When running subsequent e2e tests locally, be aware to delete `/cht-interoperability/docker/srv` directory created by the CHT.)
+1. Run `npm run e2e-test` to run e2e tests.
diff --git a/mediator/test/e2e-test.sh b/mediator/test/e2e-test.sh
index d6a95399..ff3922a5 100755
--- a/mediator/test/e2e-test.sh
+++ b/mediator/test/e2e-test.sh
@@ -6,19 +6,33 @@ MEDIATORDIR="${BASEDIR}/mediator"
 export NODE_ENV=integration
 export NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED=0
 
-# Cleanup from last test, in case of interruptions
+retry_startup() {
+  max_attempts=5
+  count=0
+  until ./startup.sh init || [ $count -eq $max_attempts ]; do
+    echo "Attempt $((count+1)) of $max_attempts to start containers failed, retrying in 30 seconds..."
+    count=$((count+1))
+    sleep 30
+  done
+
+  if [ $count -eq $max_attempts ]; then
+    echo "Failed to start containers after $max_attempts attempts."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+}
+
+echo 'Cleanup from last test, in case of interruptions...'
 cd $BASEDIR
 ./startup.sh destroy
 
-# Starting the interoperability containers
+echo 'Starting the interoperability containers...'
 cd $BASEDIR
-./startup.sh init
+retry_startup
 
-# Waiting for configurator to finish
 echo 'Waiting for configurator to finish...'
 docker container wait chis-interop-configurator-1
 
-# Executing mediator e2e tests
+echo 'Executing mediator e2e tests...'
 cd $MEDIATORDIR
 export OPENHIM_API_URL='https://localhost:8080'
 export FHIR_URL='http://localhost:5001'
@@ -31,7 +45,7 @@ export CHT_USERNAME='admin'
 export CHT_PASSWORD='password'
 npm test ltfu-flow.spec.ts
 
-# Cleanup
+echo 'Cleanup after test...'
 unset NODE_ENV
 unset NODE_TLS_REJECT_UNAUTHORIZED
 unset OPENHIM_API_URL