diff --git a/ethd b/ethd
index f1dff54b..11e66419 100755
--- a/ethd
+++ b/ethd
@@ -2310,8 +2310,7 @@ set_value_in_env() {
         if ! grep -qF "${var}" "${ENV_FILE}" 2>/dev/null ; then
             echo "${var}=${!var}" >> "${ENV_FILE}"
         else
-            # Handle & in GRAFFITI gracefully
-            sed -i'.original' -e "s~^\(${var}\s*=\s*\).*\$~\1${!var//&/\\&}~" "${ENV_FILE}"
+            sed -i'.original' -e "s~^\(${var}\s*=\s*\).*$~\1${!var}~" "${ENV_FILE}"
         fi
     fi
 }
diff --git a/teku/docker-entrypoint-vc.sh b/teku/docker-entrypoint-vc.sh
index 2b732fe5..7142a2db 100755
--- a/teku/docker-entrypoint-vc.sh
+++ b/teku/docker-entrypoint-vc.sh
@@ -66,6 +66,15 @@ fi
 # Web3signer URL
 if [ "${WEB3SIGNER}" = "true" ]; then
   __w3s_url="--validators-external-signer-url http://web3signer:9000 --validators-external-signer-public-keys external-signer"
+  while true; do
+    if curl -s -m 5 http://web3signer:9000 &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "web3signer is up, starting Teku"
+        break
+    else
+        echo "Waiting for web3signer to be reachable..."
+        sleep 5
+    fi
+  done
 else
   __w3s_url=""
 fi
diff --git a/teku/docker-entrypoint.sh b/teku/docker-entrypoint.sh
index 8616f835..77344da3 100755
--- a/teku/docker-entrypoint.sh
+++ b/teku/docker-entrypoint.sh
@@ -114,6 +114,15 @@ fi
 # Web3signer URL
 if [[ "${EMBEDDED_VC}" = "true" && "${WEB3SIGNER}" = "true" ]]; then
   __w3s_url="--validators-external-signer-url http://web3signer:9000 --validators-external-signer-public-keys external-signer"
+  while true; do
+    if curl -s -m 5 http://web3signer:9000 &> /dev/null; then
+        echo "web3signer is up, starting Teku"
+        break
+    else
+        echo "Waiting for web3signer to be reachable..."
+        sleep 5
+    fi
+  done
 else
   __w3s_url=""
 fi