diff --git a/deploy/deploy.sh b/deploy/deploy.sh
index 4149917..5f10673 100755
--- a/deploy/deploy.sh
+++ b/deploy/deploy.sh
@@ -53,13 +53,13 @@ chmod 644 "$SECRETS_DIR/db_password" "$SECRETS_DIR/db_root_password"
 echo "==> building and starting ${ENVIRONMENT}"
 $COMPOSE up -d --build
 
-echo "==> waiting for the wordpress container to come up"
-for i in $(seq 1 30); do
-  if $COMPOSE exec -T wordpress php -v >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+echo "==> waiting for WordPress core files (the official image copies them in on first boot of an empty volume, which takes a few seconds)"
+for i in $(seq 1 60); do
+  if $COMPOSE exec -T wordpress test -f /var/www/html/wp-settings.php >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     break
   fi
-  if [[ "$i" -eq 30 ]]; then
-    echo "wordpress container did not become ready in time" >&2
+  if [[ "$i" -eq 60 ]]; then
+    echo "wordpress core files did not appear in time" >&2
     exit 1
   fi
   sleep 2