diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 276555c0cf7..aa851f829e4 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -2652,6 +2652,15 @@ jobs:
           name: Start mock Presidio server
           command: uv run --no-sync python tests/e2e/ui/fixtures/mock_presidio_server/server.py
           background: true
+      - run:
+          name: Wait for mock Presidio server
+          command: |
+            for i in $(seq 1 30); do
+              if curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:8091/health >/dev/null 2>&1; then exit 0; fi
+              sleep 1
+            done
+            echo "Mock Presidio server never answered /health on port 8091" >&2
+            exit 1
       - run:
           name: Start LiteLLM proxy
           environment:
@@ -2786,6 +2795,15 @@ jobs:
           name: Start mock Presidio server
           command: uv run --no-sync python tests/e2e/ui/fixtures/mock_presidio_server/server.py
           background: true
+      - run:
+          name: Wait for mock Presidio server
+          command: |
+            for i in $(seq 1 30); do
+              if curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:8091/health >/dev/null 2>&1; then exit 0; fi
+              sleep 1
+            done
+            echo "Mock Presidio server never answered /health on port 8091" >&2
+            exit 1
       - run:
           name: Start LiteLLM proxy under a server root path
           environment:
diff --git a/tests/e2e/ui/run_e2e.sh b/tests/e2e/ui/run_e2e.sh
index ad0454b6347..beb1bc8bf3b 100755
--- a/tests/e2e/ui/run_e2e.sh
+++ b/tests/e2e/ui/run_e2e.sh
@@ -212,10 +212,15 @@ echo "=== Starting mock Presidio server ==="
 uv run --no-sync python "$SCRIPT_DIR/fixtures/mock_presidio_server/server.py" &
 MOCK_PRESIDIO_PID=$!
 
+PRESIDIO_READY=0
 for i in $(seq 1 15); do
-  if curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:${MOCK_PRESIDIO_PORT}/health >/dev/null 2>&1; then break; fi
+  if curl -sf http://127.0.0.1:${MOCK_PRESIDIO_PORT}/health >/dev/null 2>&1; then PRESIDIO_READY=1; break; fi
   sleep 1
 done
+if [ "$PRESIDIO_READY" -ne 1 ]; then
+  echo "Mock Presidio server never answered /health on port ${MOCK_PRESIDIO_PORT}" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
 
 # --- LiteLLM proxy ---
 echo "=== Starting LiteLLM proxy ==="