diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index ac64a597..212f8687 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -4141,6 +4141,7 @@ dependencies = [
 [[package]]
 name = "relayer-utils"
 version = "0.3.7"
+source = "git+https://github.com/zkemail/relayer-utils.git?rev=94d78d6#94d78d67862b6d6c15bebac66d184c7557f6aff5"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "base64 0.21.7",
diff --git a/packages/relayer/src/database.rs b/packages/relayer/src/database.rs
index 5dd0fbb9..5ee0e8d2 100644
--- a/packages/relayer/src/database.rs
+++ b/packages/relayer/src/database.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,31 @@ impl Database {
         Ok(())
     }
 
+    // This is a hacky way to make all subsequent uses of "pub static ref DB" work
+    // Since the DB ref will only be connected to the database after it was used once
+    // -> The first request always times out
+    pub(crate) async fn initialize_db_connection(&self) -> Result<()> {
+        // Try up to 3 times
+        for i in 1..4 {
+            match sqlx::query("SELECT 1").execute(&self.db).await {
+                Ok(_) => {
+                    info!(LOG, "Connected successfully to database");
+                    return Ok(());
+                }
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!(
+                        LOG,
+                        "Failed to initialize connection to the database: {:?}. Retrying...", e
+                    );
+                    tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_secs(i * i)).await;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        Err(anyhow::anyhow!(
+            "Failed to initialize database connection after 3 attempts"
+        ))
+    }
+
     pub(crate) async fn get_credentials(&self, account_code: &str) -> Result<Option<Credentials>> {
         let row = sqlx::query("SELECT * FROM credentials WHERE account_code = $1")
             .bind(account_code)
@@ -208,14 +233,18 @@ impl Database {
         &self,
         request_id: u32,
     ) -> std::result::Result<Option<Request>, DatabaseError> {
+        println!("attempting to get_request: {:?}", request_id);
         let row = sqlx::query("SELECT * FROM requests WHERE request_id = $1")
             .bind(request_id as i64)
             .fetch_optional(&self.db)
             .await
             .map_err(|e| DatabaseError::new("Failed to get request", e))?;
 
+        println!("got row");
+
         match row {
             Some(row) => {
+                println!("Row is Some");
                 let request_id: i64 = row.get("request_id");
                 let account_eth_addr: String = row.get("account_eth_addr");
                 let controller_eth_addr: String = row.get("controller_eth_addr");
@@ -241,7 +270,10 @@ impl Database {
                 info!(LOG, "row {:?}", requests_row);
                 Ok(Some(requests_row))
             }
-            None => Ok(None),
+            None => {
+                println!("row is node");
+                Ok(None)
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -326,6 +358,7 @@ impl Database {
         &self,
         row: &Request,
     ) -> std::result::Result<(), DatabaseError> {
+        let request_id = row.request_id;
         let row = sqlx::query(
             "INSERT INTO requests (request_id, account_eth_addr, controller_eth_addr, guardian_email_addr, is_for_recovery, template_idx, is_processed, is_success, email_nullifier, account_salt) VALUES ($1, $2, $3, $4, $5, $6, $7, $8, $9, $10) RETURNING *",
         )
@@ -342,7 +375,7 @@ impl Database {
         .fetch_one(&self.db)
         .await
         .map_err(|e| DatabaseError::new("Failed to insert request", e))?;
-        info!(LOG, "Request inserted");
+        info!(LOG, "Request inserted with request_id: {}", request_id);
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/packages/relayer/src/modules/web_server/server.rs b/packages/relayer/src/modules/web_server/server.rs
index fbf85e77..812cd9be 100644
--- a/packages/relayer/src/modules/web_server/server.rs
+++ b/packages/relayer/src/modules/web_server/server.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,13 @@ use tower_http::cors::{AllowHeaders, AllowMethods, Any, CorsLayer};
 pub async fn run_server() -> Result<()> {
     let addr = WEB_SERVER_ADDRESS.get().unwrap();
 
+    // Force db initialization before server startup
+    info!(LOG, "Testing connection to database");
+    if let Err(e) = DB.initialize_db_connection().await {
+        error!(LOG, "Failed to initialize db with e: {}", e);
+        panic!("Forcing panic, since connection to DB could not be established");
+    };
+
     let mut app = Router::new()
         .route(
             "/api/echo",