diff --git a/start.example.sh b/start.example.sh
index a08cf2a4..ebf1df87 100644
--- a/start.example.sh
+++ b/start.example.sh
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ INDIEKIT_PID=""
 SHUTDOWN_IN_PROGRESS=0
 WEBMENTION_STOP_TIMEOUT="${WEBMENTION_SENDER_STOP_TIMEOUT:-5}"
 INDIEKIT_STOP_TIMEOUT="${INDIEKIT_STOP_TIMEOUT:-20}"
-WEBMENTION_READY_TIMEOUT="${WEBMENTION_SENDER_READY_TIMEOUT:-60}"
+  WEBMENTION_READY_TIMEOUT="${WEBMENTION_SENDER_READY_TIMEOUT:-180}"
 KILL_DAEMON_PARENT_ON_SHUTDOWN="${KILL_DAEMON_PARENT_ON_SHUTDOWN:-1}"
 
 case "$WEBMENTION_STOP_TIMEOUT" in
@@ -165,8 +165,9 @@ start_webmention_poller() {
     )"
 
     case "$WEBMENTION_READY_CODE" in
-      ''|000) ;;
-      *) break ;;
+      200) break ;;
+      ''|000|502|503|504) ;;
+      *) echo "[webmention] Waiting for HTTP 200, got $WEBMENTION_READY_CODE" >&2 ;;
     esac
 
     if [ "$WEBMENTION_READY_ELAPSED" -ge "$WEBMENTION_READY_TIMEOUT" ]; then