diff --git a/.github/workflows/checks.yml b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
index 78e878060..b4ece1215 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/checks.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/checks.yml
@@ -100,9 +100,8 @@ jobs:
         # tail -f admin-server.log &
         # above make e2e-test
 
-
         run: |
-          make run-flask > admin-server.log 2>&1 &
+          make run-flask-and-wait > admin-server.log 2>&1 &
           tail -f admin-server.log &
           make e2e-test
 
@@ -116,7 +115,7 @@ jobs:
           NOTIFY_E2E_AUTH_STATE_PATH: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_E2E_AUTH_STATE_PATH }}
           NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_EMAIL: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_EMAIL }}
           NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_PASSWORD }}
-          NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_URI: http://localhost:6012/
+          NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_URI: http://localhost:6012
           VCAP_SERVICES: ${{ secrets.VCAP_SERVICES }}
 
   validate-new-relic-config:
diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 97cd2d682..7d52529ea 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ watch-frontend:  ## Build frontend and watch for changes
 run-flask:  ## Run flask
 	poetry run newrelic-admin run-program flask run -p 6012 --host=0.0.0.0
 
+.PHONY: run-flask-and-wait
+run-flask-and-wait:
+	@make run-flask &
+	@echo "Waiting for Flask to start..."
+	@timeout 30 bash -c 'until curl -sf http://localhost:6012 > /dev/null 2>&1; do sleep 1; done'
+	@echo "Flask is ready!"
+
 .PHONY: run-flask-bare
 run-flask-bare:  ## Run flask without invoking poetry so we can override ENV variables in .env
 	flask run -p 6012 --host=0.0.0.0
diff --git a/sample.env b/sample.env
index 97f10dcd9..bdc85f68f 100644
--- a/sample.env
+++ b/sample.env
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS="path to Homebrew CA certificate"
 
 # E2E Testing
 
-NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_URI=http://localhost:6012/
+NOTIFY_E2E_TEST_URI=http://localhost:6012
 NOTIFY_E2E_AUTH_STATE_PATH=playwright/.auth/
 
 # Uncomment the next two lines to enable E2E testing;