diff --git a/src/bitcoin/electrum/client.rs b/src/bitcoin/electrum/client.rs
index 1fd5a3d0e..eec542f1f 100644
--- a/src/bitcoin/electrum/client.rs
+++ b/src/bitcoin/electrum/client.rs
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ impl Client {
     pub fn new(electrum_config: &config::ElectrumConfig) -> Result<Self, Error> {
         // First use a dummy config to check connectivity (no retries, short timeout).
         let dummy_config = Config::builder().retry(0).timeout(Some(3)).build();
+        // Try to ping the server.
         bdk_electrum::electrum_client::Client::from_config(&electrum_config.addr, dummy_config)
+            .and_then(|dummy_client| dummy_client.ping())
             .map_err(Error::Server)?;
 
         // Now connection has been checked, create client with required retries and timeout.
diff --git a/tests/test_framework/electrs.py b/tests/test_framework/electrs.py
index ee8c6a518..2c32b88f6 100644
--- a/tests/test_framework/electrs.py
+++ b/tests/test_framework/electrs.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import os
 
 from ephemeral_port_reserve import reserve
-from test_framework.utils import BitcoinBackend, TailableProc, ELECTRS_PATH
+from test_framework.utils import BitcoinBackend, TailableProc, ELECTRS_PATH, TIMEOUT
 
 
 class Electrs(BitcoinBackend):
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ def __init__(
 
     def start(self):
         TailableProc.start(self)
+        self.wait_for_log("auto-compactions enabled", timeout=TIMEOUT)
         logging.info("Electrs started")
 
     def startup(self):