diff --git a/roles/caddy/tasks/main.yml b/roles/caddy/tasks/main.yml
index d9bac59..c40d83a 100644
--- a/roles/caddy/tasks/main.yml
+++ b/roles/caddy/tasks/main.yml
@@ -21,26 +21,26 @@
 
 - name: Deploy caddy to swarm
   community.general.docker_stack:
-    name: "{{ item.name }}"
+    name: "{{ caddy_stack.name }}"
     state: present
     prune: yes
     compose:
-      - "{{ item.compose }}"
-  with_items: "{{ caddy_stack }}"
+      - "{{ caddy_stack.compose }}"
   when: caddy_stack is defined
   become: yes
   tags:
     - docker-swarm
 
-- name: Register caddy container id
+- name: Get caddy container info
   ansible.builtin.command:
-    cmd: docker ps -q -f name={{ item.name }}
-  with_items: "{{ caddy_stack }}"
+    cmd: docker ps -q -f name={{ caddy_stack.name }}
   become: yes
+  # bringing up the container takes some time, we have to wait
+  until: caddy_container_info['rc'] == 0 and caddy_container_info['stdout'] | length >= 1
   register: caddy_container_info
 
-- name: Set fact
-  ansible.builtin.set_fact: caddy_container_id={{ caddy_container_info.results[0].stdout }}
+- name: Register caddy container id
+  ansible.builtin.set_fact: caddy_container_id={{ caddy_container_info['stdout'] }}
   notify: 
     - debug caddy container
 
@@ -52,6 +52,15 @@
       apk add curl
   become: yes
 
+- name: Ensure caddy api is responsive
+  community.docker.docker_container_exec:
+    container: "{{ caddy_container_id }}"
+    command: >
+      curl localhost:2019/config/
+  until: result.rc == 0
+  register: result
+  become: yes
+
 # TODO FIXME UP
 # - name: Allow access to services
 #   firewalld:
diff --git a/roles/caddy/vars/main.yml b/roles/caddy/vars/main.yml
index 3edaa66..69cf612 100644
--- a/roles/caddy/vars/main.yml
+++ b/roles/caddy/vars/main.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 ---
 
 caddy_stack:
-  - name: caddy
-    compose: "{{ lookup('template', 'docker-stack.yml.j2') | from_yaml }}"
+  name: caddy
+  compose: "{{ lookup('template', 'docker-stack.yml.j2') | from_yaml }}"