diff --git a/features/src/desktop-lite/devcontainer-feature.json b/features/src/desktop-lite/devcontainer-feature.json
index f369bd1e..b9fe0e81 100644
--- a/features/src/desktop-lite/devcontainer-feature.json
+++ b/features/src/desktop-lite/devcontainer-feature.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
     "id": "desktop-lite",
     "name": "Desktop Lite",
     "description": "A lightweight desktop environment for development.",
-    "version": "1.1.0",
+    "version": "1.1.1",
     "documentationURL": "https://github.com/Automattic/vip-codespaces/tree/trunk/features/src/desktop-lite",
     "containerEnv": {
         "DISPLAY": "127.0.0.1:0"
diff --git a/features/src/desktop-lite/entrypoint.tpl b/features/src/desktop-lite/entrypoint.tpl
index 7c80cd1d..c7e1702b 100755
--- a/features/src/desktop-lite/entrypoint.tpl
+++ b/features/src/desktop-lite/entrypoint.tpl
@@ -14,5 +14,17 @@ fi
 
 # shellcheck disable=SC2154,SC2086
 su -s /bin/sh -c "/usr/bin/Xtigervnc -geometry \"${VNC_GEOMETRY}\" -listen tcp -ac ${AUTH_OPTS} -AlwaysShared -AcceptKeyEvents -AcceptPointerEvents -SendCutText -AcceptCutText :0" "${_REMOTE_USER}" &
+
+cnt=0
+while [ ! -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X0 ] && [ "${cnt}" -lt 10 ]; do
+    sleep 1
+    cnt=$((cnt + 1))
+done
+
+if [ ! -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X0 ]; then
+    echo "Xtigervnc did not make display :0 available" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 DISPLAY=:0 su -s /bin/sh -c '/usr/bin/openbox' "${_REMOTE_USER}" &
 su -s /bin/sh -c '/usr/local/bin/easy-novnc -a :5800 -h 127.0.0.1 --no-url-password' "${_REMOTE_USER}" &
diff --git a/features/test/desktop-lite/checks.sh b/features/test/desktop-lite/checks.sh
index 6b38e09e..4a0eeb02 100755
--- a/features/test/desktop-lite/checks.sh
+++ b/features/test/desktop-lite/checks.sh
@@ -1,50 +1,41 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 
+# Wait for the X server to be available before running checks
+cnt=0
+while [[ ! -S /tmp/.X11-unix/X0 ]] && [[ "${cnt}" -lt 10 ]]; do
+    sleep 1
+    cnt=$((cnt + 1))
+done
+
+cnt=0
+while ! pgrep openbox > /dev/null 2>&1 && [[ "${cnt}" -lt 5 ]]; do
+    sleep 1
+    cnt=$((cnt + 1))
+done
+
+cnt=0
+while ! pgrep easy-novnc > /dev/null 2>&1 && [[ "${cnt}" -lt 5 ]]; do
+    sleep 1
+    cnt=$((cnt + 1))
+done
+
 if hash sv > /dev/null 2>&1; then
     check "tigervnc is running" sudo sh -c 'sv status tigervnc | grep -E ^run:'
     sudo sv stop tigervnc
     check "tigervnc is stopped" sudo sh -c 'sv status tigervnc | grep -E ^down:'
     sudo sv start tigervnc
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2034
-    for i in {1..10}; do
-        # shellcheck disable=SC2312
-        sudo sv status tigervnc | grep -Eq '^run:' && break
-        sleep 1
-    done
     check "tigervnc is running" sudo sh -c 'sv status tigervnc | grep -E ^run:'
 
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2312
-    if ! sudo sv status openbox | grep -E ^run:; then
-        sudo ps faux
-        sudo cat /var/log/*
-    fi
     check "openbox is running" sudo sh -c 'sv status openbox | grep -E ^run:'
     sudo sv stop openbox
     check "openbox is stopped" sudo sh -c 'sv status openbox | grep -E ^down:'
     sudo sv start openbox
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2034
-    for i in {1..10}; do
-        # shellcheck disable=SC2312
-        sudo sv status openbox | grep -Eq '^run:' && break
-        sleep 1
-    done
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2312
-    if ! sudo sv status openbox | grep -E ^run:; then
-        sudo ps faux
-        sudo cat /var/log/*
-    fi
     check "openbox is running" sudo sh -c 'sv status openbox | grep -E ^run:'
 
     check "novnc is running" sudo sh -c 'sv status novnc | grep -E ^run:'
     sudo sv stop novnc
     check "novnc is stopped" sudo sh -c 'sv status novnc | grep -E ^down:'
     sudo sv start novnc
-    # shellcheck disable=SC2034
-    for i in {1..10}; do
-        # shellcheck disable=SC2312
-        sudo sv status novnc | grep -Eq '^run:' && break
-        sleep 1
-    done
     check "novnc is running" sudo sh -c 'sv status novnc | grep -E ^run:'
 else
     check "tigervnc is running" pgrep Xtigervnc