diff --git a/elasticsearch/config/configure_s3.sh b/elasticsearch/config/configure_s3.sh
index 1a160f8e..b09df73b 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/config/configure_s3.sh
+++ b/elasticsearch/config/configure_s3.sh
@@ -76,15 +76,15 @@ function CreateRepo()
     repository="$repository_name-$version"
     s3_path="$path/$version"
 
-    curl ${auth} -X PUT "$elastic_ip_port/_snapshot/$repository" -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d'
-        {
-            "type": "s3",
-            "settings": {
-            "bucket": "'$bucket_name'",
-            "base_path": "'$s3_path'"
-        }
-    }
-    '
+    >&2 echo "Create S3 repository"
+
+    until curl ${auth} -X PUT "$elastic_ip_port/_snapshot/$repository" -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d' {"type": "s3", "settings": { "bucket": "'$bucket_name'", "base_path": "'$s3_path'"} }'; do
+      >&2 echo "Elastic is unavailable, S3 repository not created - sleeping"
+      sleep 5
+    done
+
+    >&2 echo "S3 repository created"
+
 
 }
 
diff --git a/elasticsearch/config/load_settings.sh b/elasticsearch/config/load_settings.sh
index 831fda28..e5a22bdc 100644
--- a/elasticsearch/config/load_settings.sh
+++ b/elasticsearch/config/load_settings.sh
@@ -100,13 +100,16 @@ done
 if [ $ENABLE_CONFIGURE_S3 ]; then
   #Wait for Elasticsearch to be ready to create the repository
   sleep 10
-
+  >&2 echo "Configure S3"
   if [ "x$S3_PATH" != "x" ]; then
-
+    >&2 echo "S3_PATH"
+    >&2 echo $S3_PATH
     if [ "x$S3_ELASTIC_MAJOR" != "x" ]; then
+      >&2 echo "Elasticsearch major version:"
+      >&2 echo $S3_ELASTIC_MAJOR
       bash /usr/share/elasticsearch/config/configure_s3.sh $el_url $S3_BUCKET_NAME $S3_PATH $S3_REPOSITORY_NAME $S3_ELASTIC_MAJOR
-
     else
+      >&2 echo "Elasticserach major version not given"
       bash /usr/share/elasticsearch/config/configure_s3.sh $el_url $S3_BUCKET_NAME $S3_PATH $S3_REPOSITORY_NAME
 
     fi