diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
index a3b0663..ddfdd66 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,39 @@ jobs:
           docker compose exec -T postgres pg_isready -U postgres
           docker compose exec -T ward-gateway-db pg_isready -U postgres
 
+      - name: Wait for Kafka
+        run: |
+          for i in $(seq 1 90); do
+            if docker compose exec -T kafka \
+              /opt/kafka/bin/kafka-broker-api-versions.sh \
+              --bootstrap-server localhost:9092 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+              echo "Kafka is ready"
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            echo "waiting for Kafka ($i)..."
+            sleep 2
+          done
+          echo "Kafka failed to become ready" >&2
+          docker compose logs --tail=100 kafka
+          exit 1
+
+      - name: Wait for Redis / RabbitMQ / Elasticsearch
+        run: |
+          for i in $(seq 1 60); do
+            docker compose exec -T redis redis-cli ping 2>/dev/null | grep -q PONG \
+              && docker compose exec -T ward-gateway-redis redis-cli ping 2>/dev/null | grep -q PONG \
+              && docker compose exec -T rabbitmq rabbitmq-diagnostics -q ping \
+              && docker compose exec -T ward-gateway-rabbitmq rabbitmq-diagnostics -q ping \
+              && docker compose exec -T elasticsearch curl -sf http://localhost:9200/_cluster/health >/dev/null \
+              && echo "Redis, RabbitMQ, and Elasticsearch are ready" && exit 0
+            echo "waiting for brokers ($i)..."
+            sleep 2
+          done
+          echo "Brokers failed to become ready" >&2
+          docker compose ps
+          docker compose logs --tail=50 redis rabbitmq elasticsearch ward-gateway-redis ward-gateway-rabbitmq
+          exit 1
+
       - name: Create test databases
         run: |
           docker compose exec -T postgres psql -U postgres -tc "SELECT 1 FROM pg_database WHERE datname='vigilcare_test'" \