diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 45dc1af..6b0f08e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ Adjust the **articles:get** window as needed.
 
 ### Scheduled `app:prewarm` on hub
 
-The **`prewarm`** service uses the **same** image as `php` and runs **`app:prewarm` every 10 minutes** (same cadence as dev’s `docker/cron`). It waits in an **entrypoint loop** until **`http://php/`** returns (Caddy up after DB + migrations), so the first boot is not blocked on Compose’s `php` healthcheck timing. **Optional** `PREWARM_FLAGS` in `.env` is passed into that container; after changing it, run:
+The **`prewarm`** service uses the **same** image as `php` and runs **`app:prewarm` every 10 minutes** (same cadence as dev’s `docker/cron`). It waits for **MySQL** and the **`doctrine_migration_versions`** table (so the `php` entrypoint has run migrations) — it does **not** use `curl` to the `php` service, which can fail if HTTP is only bound for loopback inside that container. **Optional** `PREWARM_FLAGS` in `.env` is passed into that container; after changing it, run:
 
 ```bash
 docker compose -f compose.hub.yaml up -d --force-recreate prewarm
diff --git a/compose.hub.yaml b/compose.hub.yaml
index cafd632..15c7ee6 100644
--- a/compose.hub.yaml
+++ b/compose.hub.yaml
@@ -54,14 +54,22 @@ services:
     image: ${UNFOLD_DOCKER_IMAGE:-silberengel/unfold:latest}
     pull_policy: always
     restart: unless-stopped
+    # The app image healthchecks HTTP on :80; this service is CLI-only (no Caddy in this container).
+    healthcheck:
+      disable: true
     working_dir: /app
-    # Do not `depends_on: php: service_healthy`: Compose can time out the stack while `php` is still
-    # starting (DB retries + migrations); `prewarm` waits in-script for http://php:80/ = same as ready.
+    # Do not wait on `curl http://php/`: Caddy in the `php` container is often only reachable on
+    # 127.0.0.1 from *inside* that container, so cross-container HTTP can hang. Wait on the same MySQL
+    # instead: `php` runs migrations in its entrypoint; the migration table is the readiness signal.
     entrypoint: ["/bin/sh", "-c"]
     command:
       - |
-        echo "prewarm: waiting for app at http://php/ (Caddy + migrations)…"
-        until curl -fsS "http://php/" -o /dev/null 2>/dev/null; do
+        until php bin/console dbal:run-sql -q "SELECT 1" 2>/dev/null; do
+          echo "prewarm: waiting for database…"
+          sleep 2
+        done
+        until php bin/console dbal:run-sql -q "SELECT 1 FROM doctrine_migration_versions LIMIT 1" 2>/dev/null; do
+          echo "prewarm: waiting for migrations (php entrypoint)…"
           sleep 3
         done
         while true; do