diff --git a/tentacle.sh b/tentacle.sh
index 404b2b2..5f301f5 100644
--- a/tentacle.sh
+++ b/tentacle.sh
@@ -301,16 +301,56 @@ docker run -d \
 # -----------------------------
 # Test GPU Access
 # -----------------------------
-sleep 5
+wait_for_container_running() {
+  local name="$1"
+  local timeout="${2:-60}"
+  local elapsed=0
+  local state=""
 
-if ! docker exec "${CONTAINER_NAME}" nvidia-smi >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-  err "GPU not accessible inside container."
+  while [ "$elapsed" -lt "$timeout" ]; do
+    state="$(docker inspect -f '{{if .State.Running}}running{{else if .State.Restarting}}restarting{{else if .State.Paused}}paused{{else}}stopped{{end}}' "$name" 2>/dev/null || echo missing)"
+
+    case "$state" in
+      running)
+        return 0
+        ;;
+      restarting)
+        sleep 2
+        elapsed=$((elapsed + 2))
+        ;;
+      stopped|paused|missing)
+        break
+        ;;
+      *)
+        sleep 2
+        elapsed=$((elapsed + 2))
+        ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  err "Tentacle container did not reach a running state (last state: ${state})."
+  docker logs "$name" || true
+  return 1
+}
+
+wait_for_container_running "${CONTAINER_NAME}" 60
+
+if docker exec "${CONTAINER_NAME}" sh -lc 'command -v nvidia-smi >/dev/null 2>&1'; then
+  if ! docker exec "${CONTAINER_NAME}" nvidia-smi >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    err "nvidia-smi exists in the container but failed to access the GPU."
+    err "Check NVIDIA Container Toolkit installation."
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  log "GPU access verified with nvidia-smi."
+elif docker exec "${CONTAINER_NAME}" sh -lc 'test -c /dev/nvidiactl || test -c /dev/nvidia0'; then
+  warn "nvidia-smi is not present in the container image; NVIDIA device nodes are visible."
+  warn "The worker can still run, but GPU capability scoring will be unavailable."
+else
+  err "GPU device nodes are not visible inside the container."
   err "Check NVIDIA Container Toolkit installation."
   exit 1
 fi
 
-log "GPU access verified."
-
 
 # -----------------------------
 # Done
@@ -322,4 +362,4 @@ echo "  Container: ${CONTAINER_NAME}"
 echo "  Image:     ${IMAGE}"
 echo "  Logs:      docker logs -f ${CONTAINER_NAME}"
 echo "  Restart:   systemctl restart docker"
-echo
\ No newline at end of file
+echo