diff --git a/scripts/db-import.sh b/scripts/db-import.sh
index f794a35..a307360 100644
--- a/scripts/db-import.sh
+++ b/scripts/db-import.sh
@@ -37,15 +37,28 @@ EOF
 log() { printf '[db-import] %s\n' "$*"; }
 die() { printf 'ERROR: %s\n' "$*" >&2; exit 1; }
 
-require_running_db() {
+require_ready_db() {
     if ! docker compose ps --status running --services 2>/dev/null | grep -qx 'ac-database'; then
         die "ac-database is not running. Start it with: docker compose up -d ac-database"
     fi
+
+    log "waiting for MySQL to be ready..."
+    local attempts=0
+    until docker compose exec -T ac-database bash -lc \
+            "mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -uroot -p\"\$MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD\" -e 'SELECT 1;'" \
+            >/dev/null 2>&1; do
+        attempts=$((attempts + 1))
+        if [[ $attempts -ge 30 ]]; then
+            die "MySQL did not become ready in time. Check: docker logs ac-database"
+        fi
+        sleep 2
+    done
+    log "MySQL is ready"
 }
 
 mysql_exec() {
     docker compose exec -T ac-database bash -lc \
-        "mysql -uroot -p\"\$MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD\""
+        "mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -uroot -p\"\$MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD\""
 }
 
 # ── argument parsing ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -89,7 +102,7 @@ fi
 
 # ── import ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-require_running_db
+require_ready_db
 
 log "restoring $DUMP_FILE into ac-database..."
 log "this may take several minutes..."