diff --git a/cmd/start.go b/cmd/start.go
index 80446039..ac44ba73 100644
--- a/cmd/start.go
+++ b/cmd/start.go
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@ package cmd
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"log"
+	"net/http"
+	"os"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/microcks/microcks-cli/pkg/config"
 	"github.com/microcks/microcks-cli/pkg/connectors"
@@ -10,13 +13,35 @@ import (
 	"github.com/spf13/cobra"
 )
 
+func waitForReadiness(port string, timeoutSecs int) error {
+	healthURL := fmt.Sprintf("http://localhost:%s/api/health", port)
+	client := &http.Client{Timeout: 2 * time.Second}
+	deadline := time.Now().Add(time.Duration(timeoutSecs) * time.Second)
+
+	for time.Now().Before(deadline) {
+		resp, err := client.Get(healthURL)
+		if err == nil && resp.StatusCode == http.StatusOK {
+			resp.Body.Close()
+			return nil
+		}
+		if resp != nil {
+			resp.Body.Close()
+		}
+		fmt.Print(".")
+		time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+	}
+	return fmt.Errorf("Microcks did not become ready within %d seconds", timeoutSecs)
+}
+
 func NewStartCommand(globalClientOpts *connectors.ClientOptions) *cobra.Command {
 	var (
-		name       string
-		hostPort   string
-		imageName  string
-		autoRemove bool
-		driver     string
+		name        string
+		hostPort    string
+		imageName   string
+		autoRemove  bool
+		driver      string
+		wait        bool
+		waitTimeout int
 	)
 	var startCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		Use:   "start",
@@ -140,6 +165,15 @@ microcks start --name [name of you container/instance]`,
 			err = config.WriteLocalConfig(*localConfig, configFile)
 			errors.CheckError(err)
 
+			if wait {
+				fmt.Print("Waiting for Microcks to be ready")
+				if err := waitForReadiness(instance.Port, waitTimeout); err != nil {
+					fmt.Printf("\n%s\n", err)
+					os.Exit(1)
+				}
+				fmt.Println()
+			}
+
 			fmt.Printf("Microcks started successfully at %s\n", server)
 		},
 	}
@@ -148,5 +182,7 @@ microcks start --name [name of you container/instance]`,
 	startCmd.Flags().StringVar(&imageName, "image", "quay.io/microcks/microcks-uber:latest-native", "image which will be used to create a container")
 	startCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&autoRemove, "rm", false, "mimic of '--rm' flag of dokcer to automatically remove the container when it exits")
 	startCmd.Flags().StringVar(&driver, "driver", "docker", "use --driver to change driver from docker to podman")
+	startCmd.Flags().BoolVar(&wait, "wait", false, "wait for Microcks to be ready before returning")
+	startCmd.Flags().IntVar(&waitTimeout, "wait-timeout", 30, "seconds to wait for readiness before giving up")
 	return startCmd
 }
diff --git a/cmd/start_test.go b/cmd/start_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4d46f700
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/start_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright The Microcks Authors.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *  http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package cmd
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"net"
+	"net/http"
+	"net/http/httptest"
+	"strings"
+	"sync/atomic"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func serverPort(srv *httptest.Server) string {
+	_, port, _ := net.SplitHostPort(srv.Listener.Addr().String())
+	return port
+}
+
+func TestWaitForReadinessSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if r.URL.Path != "/api/health" {
+			t.Fatalf("unexpected path: %s", r.URL.Path)
+		}
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	if err := waitForReadiness(serverPort(srv), 5); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected no error, got: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWaitForReadinessRetryThenSuccess(t *testing.T) {
+	var calls int32
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		n := atomic.AddInt32(&calls, 1)
+		if n < 3 {
+			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+			return
+		}
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	if err := waitForReadiness(serverPort(srv), 10); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected eventual success, got: %v", err)
+	}
+	if atomic.LoadInt32(&calls) < 3 {
+		t.Fatalf("expected at least 3 calls, got %d", atomic.LoadInt32(&calls))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWaitForReadinessTimeout(t *testing.T) {
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	err := waitForReadiness(serverPort(srv), 1)
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected timeout error, got nil")
+	}
+	if !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "did not become ready") {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error message: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestWaitForReadinessURLConstruction(t *testing.T) {
+	var gotPath string
+	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		gotPath = r.URL.Path
+		w.WriteHeader(http.StatusOK)
+	}))
+	defer srv.Close()
+
+	port := serverPort(srv)
+	if err := waitForReadiness(port, 5); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if gotPath != "/api/health" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected path /api/health, got %s", gotPath)
+	}
+	_ = fmt.Sprintf("port %s used", port)
+}
diff --git a/documentation/cmd/start.md b/documentation/cmd/start.md
index 65d8e899..5577808d 100644
--- a/documentation/cmd/start.md
+++ b/documentation/cmd/start.md
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ microcks start --name [name of you container/instance]
 
 # Auto remove the container on exit
 microcks start --rm
+
+# Wait for Microcks to be ready before returning
+microcks start --wait
+
+# Wait up to 60 seconds for readiness
+microcks start --wait --wait-timeout 60
 ```
 
 ### Options
@@ -33,6 +39,8 @@ microcks start --rm
 | `--image`   | Container image to use (default: `quay.io/microcks/microcks-uber:latest-native`) |
 | `--rm`      | Auto-remove the container when it exits (like Docker `--rm`)                     |
 | `--driver`  | Container driver to use (`docker` or `podman`, default: `docker`)                |
+| `--wait`    | Block until `GET /api/health` returns 200 before returning                       |
+| `--wait-timeout` | Seconds to wait for readiness before giving up (default: `30`)              |
 
 ### Options Inherited from Parent Commands
 | Flag                     | Description                                 |