diff --git a/Dockerfiles/netbox.Dockerfile b/Dockerfiles/netbox.Dockerfile
index 63e5acb01..9d63b1437 100644
--- a/Dockerfiles/netbox.Dockerfile
+++ b/Dockerfiles/netbox.Dockerfile
@@ -23,7 +23,10 @@ ENV PGROUP "boxer"
 ENV PUSER_PRIV_DROP true
 
 ARG BASE_PATH=assets
+ARG NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE=Malcolm
+
 ENV BASE_PATH $BASE_PATH
+ENV NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE $NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE
 
 RUN apt-get -q update && \
     apt-get -y -q --no-install-recommends upgrade && \
@@ -41,7 +44,7 @@ RUN apt-get -q update && \
     groupadd --gid ${DEFAULT_GID} ${PUSER} && \
     useradd -m --uid ${DEFAULT_UID} --gid ${DEFAULT_GID} ${PUSER} && \
     usermod -a -G tty ${PUSER} && \
-    mkdir -p /opt/unit /etc/supervisor.d && \
+    mkdir -p /opt/unit && \
     chown -R $PUSER:$PGROUP /etc/netbox /opt/unit /opt/netbox && \
     if [ -n "${BASE_PATH}" ] && [ "${BASE_PATH}" != "netbox" ]; then \
         mkdir /opt/netbox/netbox/$BASE_PATH && \
diff --git a/docker-compose-standalone.yml b/docker-compose-standalone.yml
index df5cda14b..44dfc1494 100644
--- a/docker-compose-standalone.yml
+++ b/docker-compose-standalone.yml
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ x-filebeat-variables: &filebeat-variables
 x-netbox-variables: &netbox-variables
   # Parameters related to NetBox (and supporting tools). Note that other more specific parameters
   #   can also be configured in the env_file files for netbox* services
+  NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE : 'Malcolm'
   NETBOX_DISABLED : &netboxdisabled 'true'
   NETBOX_POSTGRES_DISABLED : *netboxdisabled
   NETBOX_REDIS_DISABLED : *netboxdisabled
diff --git a/docker-compose.yml b/docker-compose.yml
index 81d8bd6d3..5d975584a 100644
--- a/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.yml
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ x-filebeat-variables: &filebeat-variables
 x-netbox-variables: &netbox-variables
   # Parameters related to NetBox (and supporting tools). Note that other more specific parameters
   #   can also be configured in the env_file files for netbox* services
+  NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE : 'Malcolm'
   NETBOX_DISABLED : &netboxdisabled 'true'
   NETBOX_POSTGRES_DISABLED : *netboxdisabled
   NETBOX_REDIS_DISABLED : *netboxdisabled
diff --git a/netbox/scripts/netbox_init.py b/netbox/scripts/netbox_init.py
index ad6093313..b4d18733b 100755
--- a/netbox/scripts/netbox_init.py
+++ b/netbox/scripts/netbox_init.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 import os
 import pynetbox
 import sys
+import time
 
 from slugify import slugify
 
@@ -70,7 +71,26 @@ def main():
         add_help=False,
         usage='{} <arguments>'.format(script_name),
     )
-    parser.add_argument('--verbose', '-v', action='count', default=1, help='Increase verbosity (e.g., -v, -vv, etc.)')
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--verbose',
+        '-v',
+        action='count',
+        default=1,
+        help='Increase verbosity (e.g., -v, -vv, etc.)',
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--wait',
+        dest='wait',
+        action='store_true',
+        help='Wait for connection first',
+    )
+    parser.add_argument(
+        '--no-wait',
+        dest='wait',
+        action='store_false',
+        help='Do not wait for connection (error if connection fails)',
+    )
+    parser.set_defaults(wait=True)
     parser.add_argument(
         '-u',
         '--url',
@@ -95,7 +115,7 @@ def main():
         dest='netboxSites',
         nargs='*',
         type=str,
-        default=[],
+        default=[os.getenv('NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE', 'default')],
         required=False,
         help="Site(s) to create",
     )
@@ -122,6 +142,16 @@ def main():
         token=args.netboxToken,
     )
 
+    # wait for a good connection
+    while args.wait:
+        try:
+            sitesConnTest = [x.name for x in nb.dcim.sites.all()]
+            break
+        except Exception as e:
+            logging.info(f"{type(e).__name__}: {e}")
+            logging.debug("retrying in a few seconds...")
+            time.sleep(5)
+
     ###### GROUPS ################################################################################################
     # list existing groups
     groupsPreExisting = [x.name for x in nb.users.groups.all()]
diff --git a/netbox/supervisord.conf b/netbox/supervisord.conf
index fc8b91a25..79c33a1ef 100644
--- a/netbox/supervisord.conf
+++ b/netbox/supervisord.conf
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ supervisor.rpcinterface_factory=supervisor.rpcinterface:make_main_rpcinterface
 serverurl=unix:///dev/shm/supervisor.sock
 
 [group:netbox]
-programs=main,worker,housekeeping
+programs=main,worker,housekeeping,initialization
 
 [program:main]
 command=/opt/netbox/launch-netbox.sh
@@ -31,6 +31,23 @@ stdout_logfile_maxbytes=0
 stdout_logfile_backups=0
 redirect_stderr=true
 
+[program:initialization]
+command=/usr/bin/python3 /usr/local/bin/netbox_init.py
+  --wait
+  --url "http://localhost:8080/assets"
+  --token "%(ENV_SUPERUSER_API_TOKEN)s"
+  --site "%(ENV_NETBOX_DEFAULT_SITE)s"
+autostart=true
+autorestart=false
+startsecs=0
+startretries=0
+stopasgroup=true
+killasgroup=true
+stdout_logfile=/dev/fd/1
+stdout_logfile_maxbytes=0
+stdout_logfile_backups=0
+redirect_stderr=true
+
 [program:worker]
 command=/opt/netbox/venv/bin/python /opt/netbox/netbox/manage.py rqworker
 autostart=true
@@ -58,6 +75,3 @@ stdout_logfile=/dev/fd/1
 stdout_logfile_maxbytes=0
 stdout_logfile_backups=0
 redirect_stderr=true
-
-[include]
-files = /etc/supervisor.d/*.conf